Introduction

As 2018 draws to a close, website accessibility has moved from nice-to-have to essential for Australian businesses. With the Disability Discrimination Act increasingly enforced online and Google emphasizing user experience in rankings, accessible websites are both legally compliant and commercially advantageous.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

  • Why website accessibility is critical for Australian businesses entering 2019
  • WCAG 2.0 Level AA compliance requirements
  • Accessible design best practices
  • Testing tools and approaches available now
  • Implementation strategies for local Western Sydney businesses

Let’s explore how to build accessible websites that work for everyone.

Understanding Website Accessibility Standards

Website accessibility ensures people with disabilities—including vision, hearing, motor, and cognitive impairments—can use your website effectively. This represents over 4 million Australians, making it both a significant market opportunity and legal obligation.

Legal Requirements:

  • Australian Disability Discrimination Act (1992) applies to websites
  • Human Rights Commission actively investigates complaints
  • WCAG 2.0 Level AA is the recommended compliance standard
  • Potential penalties for non-compliance

Business Benefits:

  • Expand market reach to 18% of Australians with disabilities
  • Improve SEO through better HTML structure and content organization
  • Enhance mobile usability (accessibility and mobile UX overlap significantly)
  • Future-proof your website for emerging technologies

WCAG 2.0 Level AA: The Standard

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, finalized by the W3C in 2008, provides three conformance levels. For Australian businesses, Level AA is the widely accepted target.

Four Foundational Principles:

  1. Perceivable: Users must be able to perceive information (text alternatives, captions, adaptable content)
  2. Operable: Users must be able to operate the interface (keyboard accessible, sufficient time, navigable)
  3. Understandable: Information and interface must be understandable (readable, predictable, input assistance)
  4. Robust: Content must work with current and future technologies (compatible with assistive tools)

Essential Accessibility Requirements

Let’s break down the practical elements every accessible website needs.

1. Proper HTML Structure

Semantic HTML is the foundation. Screen readers depend on proper markup to interpret and navigate content.

Critical Requirements:

  • Logical heading hierarchy (H1 → H2 → H3, never skip levels)
  • Semantic elements: <nav>, <main>, <header>, <footer>, <article>
  • Lists marked up as <ul>, <ol>, or <dl>
  • Data tables use <th> with scope attributes

Common Mistake: Using headings for visual styling instead of document structure. Choose headings based on hierarchy, style them with CSS.

2. Keyboard Accessibility

Many users navigate entirely by keyboard (Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, Space, arrows). Every interactive element must be keyboard accessible.

Requirements:

  • All functionality available via keyboard
  • Visible focus indicators (don’t remove outline without replacement)
  • Logical tab order matching visual flow
  • No keyboard traps
  • Skip navigation links to bypass repetitive content

Quick Test: Navigate your site using only keyboard. Can you access all menus, forms, and interactive features? Is your location always clear?

3. Color Contrast

WCAG 2.0 Level AA mandates:

  • 4.5:1 minimum contrast for normal text
  • 3:1 minimum contrast for large text (18pt+ or 14pt+ bold)
  • Don’t use color alone to convey information

Tools for Testing:

  • WebAIM Contrast Checker (online tool)
  • Paciello Group’s Colour Contrast Analyser (desktop app)
  • Browser extensions like Accessibility Insights

Low contrast is one of the most common failures, especially with trendy light gray on white designs.

4. Alternative Text for Images

Every image needs descriptive alt text. This serves screen reader users and helps SEO.

Guidelines:

  • Informative images: Describe content accurately and concisely
  • Functional images (links, buttons): Describe the action/destination
  • Decorative images: Use empty alt (alt="") so screen readers ignore them
  • Complex images: Provide detailed description nearby or use longdesc

Example:


<img src="team.jpg" alt="Five team members collaborating in meeting room">


<img src="team.jpg" alt="Image">

5. Form Accessibility

Forms are critical for business goals but frequently inaccessible.

Requirements:

  • Every input has an associated <label> with for attribute
  • Required fields clearly indicated (not just by color)
  • Error messages clearly identify the problem and solution
  • Group related fields with <fieldset> and <legend>
  • Provide instructions before the form, not just in placeholders
<label for="email">Email Address (required):</label>
<input type="email" id="email" name="email" required>

6. Clear Link Text

Links should make sense out of context. Screen reader users often navigate by listing all links.

Bad: “Click here”, “More”, “Read more” Good: “Download accessibility guide (PDF, 2MB)”, “View our services”

Testing Your Website for Accessibility

Comprehensive testing combines automated tools with manual evaluation.

Automated Testing

WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool)

  • Free browser extension and online service
  • Visual indicators show errors directly on page
  • Explains violations and solutions
  • Limited to visible content only

aXe Browser Extension

  • Free from Deque Systems
  • Integrates into Chrome/Firefox DevTools
  • Provides WCAG reference for each issue
  • More developer-focused

Important Limitation: Automated tools catch approximately 25% of accessibility issues. Manual testing is essential.

Manual Testing Checklist

1. Keyboard Navigation (20 minutes)

  • Tab through entire site
  • Verify all interactive elements accessible
  • Check focus visibility
  • Test dropdown menus, modals, carousels

2. Screen Reader Testing (30 minutes)

  • Windows: NVDA (free download)
  • Mac: VoiceOver (built-in, Cmd+F5)
  • Test homepage, content page, form
  • Listen for logical heading structure and meaningful labels

3. Zoom Testing (10 minutes)

  • Zoom browser to 200%
  • Verify all content visible and functional
  • No horizontal scrolling required

4. Contrast Testing (15 minutes)

  • Check all text against backgrounds
  • Verify UI components meet requirements
  • Test with color blindness simulators

Real-World Implementation: Western Sydney Business

A Castle Hill retail business approached us in late 2018 concerned about accessibility compliance.

The Challenge

Their 2016-built WordPress site had:

  • No alt text on product images
  • Insufficient color contrast (2.8:1 on call-to-action buttons)
  • Form fields without labels
  • No keyboard access to mega menu
  • Generic link text (“click here” throughout)

They’d received an informal accessibility complaint and wanted to address it proactively.

The Solution

Week 1: Assessment & Planning

  • Ran WAVE and aXe audits identifying 67 issues
  • Conducted manual keyboard and screen reader tests
  • Prioritized fixes by impact and effort
  • Created remediation roadmap

Week 2: Critical Fixes

  • Added alt text to all images (180 products)
  • Fixed color contrast on all buttons and links
  • Properly labeled all form inputs
  • Implemented keyboard-accessible mega menu
  • Rewrote link text to be descriptive

Week 3: Structural Improvements

  • Corrected heading hierarchy across templates
  • Added skip navigation link
  • Implemented proper ARIA labels for dynamic content
  • Created accessible carousel alternative

Week 4: Testing & Documentation

  • Re-tested with automated tools
  • Manual testing with keyboard and screen readers
  • User testing with Vision Australia consultant
  • Created accessibility statement

The Results

  • WCAG 2.0 Level AA compliance achieved
  • 18% increase in mobile conversions (improved structure benefited all users)
  • SEO boost: 8 keyword rankings improved due to better HTML structure and alt text
  • Zero accessibility complaints since remediation

Client feedback: “We were surprised how much accessibility improvements helped all our users, not just those with disabilities. The site is cleaner, easier to navigate, and performs better.”

Your Accessibility Implementation Plan

Ready to make your website accessible? Follow this four-week plan.

Week 1: Audit

  1. Run automated tests (WAVE, aXe)
  2. Keyboard navigation testing
  3. Screen reader testing (at least homepage and one form)
  4. Contrast checking
  5. Document all issues with WCAG level

Week 2: Critical Fixes (Level A)

Priority fixes:

  • Add alt text to all images
  • Label all form inputs
  • Ensure keyboard accessibility
  • Fix color contrast issues
  • Correct heading hierarchy

Week 3: Level AA Compliance

  • Improve error handling in forms
  • Add skip navigation links
  • Implement ARIA labels for dynamic content
  • Ensure all content accessible at 200% zoom
  • Review and improve link text

Week 4: Testing & Documentation

  • Re-run automated tests
  • Comprehensive manual testing
  • Consider user testing with people with disabilities
  • Create accessibility statement
  • Train content team on maintaining accessibility

Ongoing Maintenance

  • Include accessibility in content workflow
  • Test new features before launch
  • Quarterly accessibility audits
  • Stay updated on WCAG 2.1 (in development)

Conclusion

Website accessibility in late 2018 is both a legal requirement and competitive advantage for Australian businesses. With WCAG 2.0 as the established standard and testing tools readily available, there’s no excuse for inaccessible websites.

Key Takeaways

  • WCAG 2.0 Level AA is the compliance target for Australian businesses
  • Automated tools help but catch only 25% of issues—manual testing required
  • Accessibility improves UX for everyone, not just people with disabilities
  • Four-week implementation is achievable for most small business websites
  • Ongoing maintenance essential as you add content and features

Next Steps

  1. Audit your current site with WAVE and keyboard testing
  2. Prioritize WCAG Level A and AA issues
  3. Implement fixes systematically over 3-4 weeks
  4. Test thoroughly with automated and manual methods
  5. Maintain accessibility in your content workflow

Need professional help with website accessibility? Contact Cosmos Web for a comprehensive accessibility audit and remediation plan. We help Western Sydney businesses achieve WCAG 2.0 compliance while improving user experience and SEO.

Last updated: 2018-12-02 Keywords: website accessibility, WCAG compliance, accessible design, web accessibility, WCAG 2.0, Australia

References and Further Reading

  1. W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0
  2. WebAIM - Web Accessibility Resources
  3. Australian Human Rights Commission - Disability Discrimination Act
  4. Vision Australia - Digital Access
  • WCAG 2.0 Level AA compliance checklist
  • Screen reader testing for beginners
  • Accessible form design patterns
  • Color contrast testing tools

How does your website fit into a comprehensive digital transformation? Ash Ganda explores the strategic frameworks that connect web presence to business growth.

Cosmos Web Tech is the web development division of Ganda Tech Services, specialising in website design, SEO, and e-commerce for Australian businesses.