EU Accessibility Act Compliance

Web accessibility ensures that websites are usable by all individuals, including those with disabilities. At Davydov Consulting, we treat accessibility as both a legal requirement under the EU Accessibility Act and a fundamental human right. By designing accessible websites, we help organizations provide equal access to digital content, services, and opportunities for users with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments. Integrating accessibility from the start allows businesses to reach the widest audience while maintaining compliance with EU regulations.

The EU Accessibility Act officially takes effect on June 2025, so businesses must ensure their digital platforms comply by this date.

Our Expertise in Web Accessibility

Davydov Consulting specializes in creating websites and applications that meet high standards of inclusivity and legal compliance. We focus on the EU Accessibility Act and WCAG 2.1 guidelines, ensuring that all digital solutions are usable by individuals with disabilities.

Key Areas of Expertise:

• Compliance with WCAG 2.1: We adhere to the principles of WCAG to ensure that all website content is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for users with disabilities. This includes optimizing design elements such as colour contrast, ensuring navigational ease with keyboard shortcuts, and providing content that works with screen readers.

• Assistive Technology Compatibility: We ensure that our websites work seamlessly with various assistive technologies, including screen readers, speech recognition software, and alternative input devices, enabling full interaction with the content.

• Accessible User Interfaces (UI): Our design teams create user interfaces that are intuitive and accessible to individuals with visual, auditory, and motor impairments, using semantic HTML, ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) landmarks, and other best practices.

• Testing and Validation: We rigorously test websites for accessibility compliance using automated tools and user testing with individuals who have disabilities. This ensures that our designs are fully usable in real-world scenarios.

• Ongoing Maintenance and Updates: Accessibility is an ongoing process. We offer continuous updates to maintain and enhance accessibility features, ensuring compliance with evolving standards and emerging technologies.

• Training and Consultation: We provide training for internal teams on accessibility best practices and offer consultation services to assist businesses in meeting accessibility regulations and enhancing user experience.

Davydov Consulting views accessibility as a core element of our development process, aiming to create digital experiences that are functional, inclusive, and engaging for all users, regardless of their abilities.

Why Accessibility Is Law

Accessibility laws exist to ensure that digital platforms are inclusive for all users, including those with disabilities. The EU Accessibility Act and similar regulations in other regions make compliance mandatory, and failure to meet these standards can result in significant financial penalties. Organizations that do not provide accessible websites, apps, or digital services risk fines ranging from €10,000 to €100,000 or more, depending on the severity and duration of non-compliance. These fines are designed not only to enforce the law but also to incentivize companies to prioritize accessibility from the start. By adhering to accessibility regulations, businesses avoid legal risks while demonstrating a commitment to equality and social responsibility.

Key Principles of Accessibility Design

1. Perceivable

Information and user interface components must be presented in ways that users can perceive, regardless of their sensory abilities.

• Text Alternatives: Provide text alternatives (e.g., alt text) for non-text content, such as images, videos, and icons.

• Adaptable: Content should be adaptable to different needs (e.g., through screen readers, color adjustments, etc.).

• Distinguishable: Make it easy for users to distinguish between elements, including ensuring sufficient contrast between text and background.

2. Operable

Interface elements must be operable through various input methods (e.g., keyboard, mouse, touch, voice).

• Keyboard Accessibility: Ensure that all interactive elements can be accessed and controlled via the keyboard.

• Timing Adjustments: Provide options to extend time limits or adjust interactions for users who need extra time.

• Accessible Navigation: Design clear and intuitive navigation, with the ability to skip repetitive content or access key sections directly.

3. Understandable

Users should be able to comprehend the content and interface elements.

• Clear and Simple Language: Use straightforward, concise, and easy-to-understand language. Avoid jargon and complex terminology.

• Predictable Interface: The user interface should behave in predictable ways, such as maintaining consistent navigation and interaction patterns.

• Input Assistance: Provide clear instructions, error messages, and suggestions for corrections during form submissions or user inputs.

4. Robust

The content must be robust enough to work across a wide variety of technologies and assistive devices.

• Compatibility: Ensure compatibility with various browsers, devices, and assistive technologies like screen readers, voice recognition, and magnifiers.

• Flexible Design: Use flexible and responsive layouts to support diverse devices, including mobile phones, desktops, and assistive devices.

5. Inclusive Design

Create designs that can be accessed and used by as many people as possible, regardless of their abilities.

• Diverse User Needs: Design for a broad spectrum of abilities, including visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments.

• Customizability: Allow users to adjust the interface to their needs, such as changing font size, color schemes, or language preferences.

How Davydov Consulting Implements Accessibility

Davydov Consulting implements accessibility in its digital projects by adhering to best practices and guidelines to ensure inclusivity for all users. The approach includes the following key strategies:

1. Compliance with WCAG 2.1: All projects follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 to ensure that websites are accessible to users with various disabilities, including visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments.

2. Semantic HTML: We use proper HTML elements (e.g., headings, lists, forms) to ensure that the website's structure is meaningful and navigable by assistive technologies like screen readers.

3. Keyboard Accessibility: All interactive elements, such as forms, buttons, and navigation, are fully operable using only a keyboard, providing a smooth experience for users who cannot rely on a mouse.

4. Color Contrast and Text Legibility: We ensure high contrast between text and background colors, making the content readable for users with low vision or color blindness. Font sizes are also adjustable for better readability.

5. Alt Text for Images: All images are accompanied by descriptive alt text, enabling users with visual impairments to understand the content.

6. Accessible Forms: We ensure that form fields are clearly labeled, with helpful error messages and instructions for users to complete them successfully. Forms are designed for ease of navigation and submission.

7. Mobile and Responsive Design: Our websites are responsive, ensuring that the content is easily accessible and functional across all devices and screen sizes, enhancing accessibility for users on mobile platforms.

8. User Testing: Regular accessibility testing is conducted with a diverse group of users, including individuals with disabilities, to identify potential barriers and refine the user experience.

9. ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications): For dynamic content and complex user interfaces, we implement ARIA roles and properties to make sure assistive technologies can interpret and interact with the content effectively.

10. Continuous Learning and Updates: As accessibility standards evolve, we remain committed to updating our practices and projects to meet the latest requirements and ensure ongoing accessibility.

By prioritising these strategies, Davydov Consulting ensures that all websites and applications are accessible, providing an inclusive and user-friendly experience for everyone.

Accessibility Features

1. Keyboard Navigation

• Ensures users who cannot use a mouse can navigate through a website or app using the keyboard.

• Includes support for common keyboard shortcuts and allows users to tab through interactive elements in a logical order.

2. Screen Reader Compatibility

• Enables blind or visually impaired users to interact with the platform through screen readers.

• Proper use of semantic HTML (e.g., headings, landmarks, alt text) helps screen readers interpret the content correctly.

3. Text Resizing

• Users can adjust text size without losing content or functionality. This helps individuals with low vision.

• Implementing relative units for font sizes (e.g., rem, em) ensures responsiveness across devices.

4. Color Contrast and Text Legibility

• Ensures sufficient contrast between text and background, making the content readable for users with visual impairments.

• Includes features like adjustable contrast settings and customizable color themes.

5. Alt Text for Images

• Provides descriptive text for images and other non-text content, allowing screen readers to convey this information to visually impaired users.

6. Voice Commands and Control

• Allows users to interact with a platform through voice input, helping individuals with mobility impairments or limited dexterity.

7. Video and Audio Transcripts

• Offers captions, subtitles, or transcripts for multimedia content, ensuring accessibility for users who are deaf or hard of hearing.

8. Adjustable Layouts

• Users can adjust the layout and elements of the interface to suit their preferences, such as changing font sizes or rearranging content.

• Flexible design ensures accessibility across different devices and screen sizes.

9. Accessible Forms

• Includes proper labeling, error messages, and field descriptions to assist users with disabilities when completing forms.

• Forms should be navigable by keyboard, and users should be alerted to errors or missing fields.

10. Accessible Navigation

• Includes clearly labeled menus, buttons, and links, with a focus on easy navigation for all users.

• Ensures users can easily switch between sections or pages without confusion or frustration.

11. Customizable User Interfaces

• Allow users to customize elements like font size, color schemes, and spacing to meet individual needs.

12. Focus Indicators

• Ensures that interactive elements such as links, buttons, and form fields are clearly highlighted when they are in focus, helping users with motor impairments or who rely on keyboard navigation.

13. Error Prevention and Clear Instructions

• Provides clear instructions for tasks and includes validation or confirmation when users complete forms or make selections.

14. Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA)

• Implements ARIA roles and attributes to enhance the accessibility of dynamic content and controls, ensuring that assistive technologies can accurately interpret and interact with complex web applications.

Get Started Today with Davydov Consulting

Creating an accessible digital experience isn't just the right thing to do—it's a smart investment in your brand’s future. Whether you need a full website audit, accessibility remediation, or UX design consultation, Davydov Consulting is here to guide you every step of the way. Our team of experts combines technical knowledge, design thinking, and compliance awareness to deliver accessible, user-friendly websites that meet global standards.

FAQ

What’s the difference between web accessibility and UX accessibility?

Web accessibility focuses on ensuring digital content is usable for people with disabilities by adhering to technical standards, such as WCAG. UX accessibility goes a step further by designing user-friendly, intuitive experiences that benefit all users. At Davydov Consulting, we integrate both to ensure seamless, inclusive websites.

Who benefits from accessible design?

Accessible design benefits everyone, not just those with disabilities. It improves usability for users with temporary impairments, such as a broken arm, or those facing situational challenges, like poor lighting. Accessible websites are also more discoverable through search engines, boosting SEO.

What features make a website accessible?

Key features include color contrast, keyboard navigation, alt text, captions for multimedia, semantic HTML, and clear navigation. We ensure these features are fully implemented using the latest accessibility tools.

Is accessibility only for large companies?

No, accessibility is essential for businesses of all sizes. Startups, freelancers, and small businesses all benefit from accessible design. We offer scalable accessibility solutions to meet the needs of any business.

How can I assess my website’s accessibility?

You can use automated tools like WAVE and Google Lighthouse, but manual testing is also crucial. At Davydov Consulting, we offer comprehensive audits that combine both automated and user testing for an in-depth evaluation.

What happens if my website isn’t accessible?

An inaccessible website risks alienating users, damaging brand reputation, and leading to legal consequences. Compliance with accessibility standards is not just a legal obligation, but a crucial step toward inclusivity.