Web Accessibility Guide
WCAG 2.2 & ADA Compliance
15% of the world's population has a disability. If your website isn't accessible, you're excluding customers and exposing yourself to legal risk. This guide explains accessibility requirements in plain English and shows you exactly what to fix.
ADA Website Lawsuits Are Real
Over 4,000 ADA website lawsuits were filed in federal courts in 2023 alone. Average settlements range from $5,000 to $100,000. This isn't theoretical risk. It's happening to businesses every day. The good news: most issues are easy to fix.
The POUR Principles (WCAG Foundation)
WCAG is built on four principles that spell POUR. Every accessibility requirement falls under one of these categories:
Perceivable
Users must be able to perceive the information. It can't be invisible to all their senses.
- ✓ Images have alt text
- ✓ Videos have captions
- ✓ Text has sufficient contrast
Operable
Users must be able to operate the interface. It can't require interactions they cannot perform.
- ✓ Everything works with keyboard
- ✓ No time limits without warnings
- ✓ No seizure-inducing flashing
Understandable
Users must be able to understand the information and how to use the interface.
- ✓ Language is identified
- ✓ Navigation is consistent
- ✓ Error messages are clear
Robust
Content must work with current and future technologies, including assistive technologies.
- ✓ Valid HTML code
- ✓ ARIA used correctly
- ✓ Works with screen readers
Most Common Accessibility Issues
These issues appear on almost every website we audit. The good news: they're relatively easy to fix.
Missing Alt Text
Found on 100% of sitesImages without alt text are invisible to screen readers. Users have no idea what the image shows.
Add descriptive alt text to every image. Decorative images should have empty alt="" to be skipped.
Bad: <img src="team.jpg"> | Good: <img src="team.jpg" alt="Blue Frog Analytics team in the office">
Insufficient Color Contrast
Found on 85% of sitesText that doesn't have enough contrast against its background is hard to read for users with low vision.
Ensure text has at least 4.5:1 contrast ratio (3:1 for large text). Use a contrast checker tool.
Bad: Light gray text on white | Good: Dark gray (#333) text on white
Missing Form Labels
Found on 70% of sitesForm fields without labels leave screen reader users guessing what information to enter.
Every input needs a visible <label> element linked with for/id attributes, or aria-label.
Bad: <input type="email"> | Good: <label for="email">Email</label><input id="email" type="email">
Keyboard Navigation Broken
Found on 60% of sitesUsers who can't use a mouse rely on keyboard. If they can't tab through your site, they can't use it.
Ensure all interactive elements are focusable, have visible focus indicators, and logical tab order.
Test: Can you complete a purchase using only Tab, Enter, and Arrow keys?
Missing Skip Link
Found on 90% of sitesWithout a skip link, keyboard users must tab through the entire navigation on every page.
Add a "Skip to main content" link as the first focusable element, hidden until focused.
<a href="#main" class="skip-link">Skip to main content</a>
Links Without Context
Found on 75% of sites"Click here" and "Read more" links mean nothing out of context when screen readers list all links.
Make link text descriptive of where it goes. "Read our pricing guide" instead of "Click here".
Bad: "Click here" | Good: "View our website audit pricing"
Legal Timeline: How We Got Here
Website accessibility isn't new. Courts have been ruling on it for over a decade.
Americans with Disabilities Act signed into law
Department of Justice begins interpreting ADA to include websites
First major case ruling websites must be accessible
Supreme Court declines to hear Domino's appeal, leaving accessibility ruling in place
DOJ explicitly states websites must be accessible under ADA
Over 4,000 ADA website lawsuits filed in federal courts
How to Test Your Website's Accessibility
You can catch many issues with free tools. Here's what we recommend:
WAVE (WebAIM)
Free browser extension that highlights accessibility errors directly on your page. Great for visual learners.
wave.webaim.org →axe DevTools
Industry-standard accessibility testing engine. Browser extension with detailed issue explanations and fix guidance.
deque.com/axe →Blue Frog Full Audit
Our full audit runs Axe WCAG 2.1 compliance checks on every page of your site. Results prioritized by severity.
Get Full Audit →Manual Keyboard Test
Unplug your mouse and try to use your website. Can you navigate, fill forms, and complete key tasks with just Tab and Enter?
Free. Just unplug your mouse.Accessibility FAQ
Common questions about WCAG, ADA, and web accessibility
In the US, the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) has been interpreted to apply to websites. While there's no official federal standard, courts have consistently ruled that websites must be accessible. Businesses have paid millions in settlements. The safest approach is WCAG 2.1 AA compliance.
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is the international standard for web accessibility. It has three levels: A (minimum), AA (recommended), and AAA (highest). Most legal settlements and regulations reference WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the target standard.
Settlements range from $5,000 to $100,000+ for small businesses. The average settlement is around $25,000, but legal fees can double that. Large companies have paid millions. Beyond money, lawsuits damage reputation and distract from running your business.
Accessibility overlays (like those pop-up widgets) are controversial and often don't actually fix underlying issues. Some have been specifically named in lawsuits. The only reliable solution is to fix the actual code and content to meet WCAG standards.
The top issues we find are: missing alt text on images (100% of sites), low color contrast text (85%), missing form labels (70%), keyboard navigation issues (60%), and missing skip links (90%). Most are easy to fix once identified.
Get Your Accessibility Audit
Our free audit checks 12 WCAG 2.2 requirements and shows you exactly what to fix to reduce legal risk.