Introduction

Website accessibility is gaining momentum in Australia as businesses recognize both the legal obligations and business benefits of making websites usable for everyone. With WCAG 2.0 now well-established and increasing awareness of the Disability Discrimination Act, 2019 is the year local businesses need to prioritize accessibility.

In this practical guide, you’ll discover:

  • Why website accessibility matters for Australian businesses in 2019
  • WCAG 2.0 compliance requirements and how to meet them
  • Accessible design principles for modern websites
  • Testing tools and techniques available today
  • Real implementation strategies for Western Sydney businesses

Let’s explore how to make your website accessible while improving user experience for all visitors.

Understanding Website Accessibility in 2019

Website accessibility means designing and developing websites that people with disabilities can use effectively. This includes visitors who are blind or have low vision, are deaf or hard of hearing, have motor disabilities, or cognitive impairments.

Why Accessibility Matters Now

Several factors are driving accessibility adoption in 2019:

  1. Legal Compliance: The Australian Human Rights Commission enforces the Disability Discrimination Act, which applies to websites
  2. Market Reach: One in five Australians lives with disability—that’s 4.3 million potential customers
  3. SEO Benefits: Accessible websites rank better in Google because they follow best practices for structure and content
  4. Mobile Experience: Accessibility principles improve usability for mobile users, who now represent over 50% of web traffic

WCAG 2.0: The Accessibility Standard

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, released by the W3C in 2008 and now the international standard, provides clear success criteria across three levels:

  • Level A: Basic accessibility (minimum requirement)
  • Level AA: Addresses major barriers (recommended for most websites)
  • Level AAA: Highest level (not always achievable for all content)

For Australian businesses, WCAG 2.0 Level AA is the recommended target to demonstrate reasonable compliance with the DDA.

Four Core Principles (POUR):

  1. Perceivable: Information must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive
  2. Operable: User interface components must be operable
  3. Understandable: Information and operation must be understandable
  4. Robust: Content must work with current and future technologies

Essential Accessibility Requirements

Let’s break down the practical requirements your website needs to meet in 2019.

1. Semantic HTML and Document Structure

Proper HTML structure is the foundation of accessibility. Screen readers rely on semantic markup to understand and navigate content.

Critical Elements:

  • Use proper heading hierarchy (H1 for main heading, H2 for sections, H3 for subsections)
  • Mark up lists as <ul>, <ol>, or <dl> not as styled divs
  • Use <nav> for navigation regions
  • Use <main> for primary content
  • Use <footer> for footer content

Why This Matters: Screen reader users often navigate by headings, jumping from H2 to H2 to find relevant content. Improper heading structure makes this impossible.

2. Keyboard Navigation

Many users cannot use a mouse and rely entirely on keyboard navigation. Every interactive element must be accessible via keyboard.

Key Requirements:

  • All functionality available using only keyboard (Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, Space, Arrow keys)
  • Visible focus indicator showing which element has focus
  • Logical tab order matching visual layout
  • No keyboard traps (users can always tab away)

Testing: Try navigating your entire site using only your keyboard. Can you access all menus, forms, and interactive elements? Is it always clear where you are?

3. Color and Contrast

WCAG 2.0 Level AA requires:

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

Common Issues:

  • Light gray text on white backgrounds (popular in modern designs but often fails contrast requirements)
  • Links distinguished only by color without underlines
  • Color-coded charts without labels or patterns

Tools: Use online contrast checkers like WebAIM’s Contrast Checker or the Paciello Group’s Colour Contrast Analyser.

4. Alternative Text for Images

Every <img> element needs an alt attribute that describes the image’s content or function.

Best Practices:

  • Informative images: Describe what the image shows (“Team photo of five staff members in boardroom”)
  • Functional images (buttons, links): Describe the function (“Search” or “Submit form”)
  • Decorative images: Use empty alt (alt="") so screen readers skip them
  • Complex images (charts, diagrams): Provide detailed description in adjacent text or via longdesc

Alt text also helps SEO—Google uses it to understand image content.

5. Form Accessibility

Forms are critical for conversions but often the most inaccessible part of websites.

Requirements:

  • Every input has an associated <label> element
  • Labels use for attribute matching input id
  • Required fields clearly marked (not just with red asterisk)
  • Error messages clearly identify which field has the error and how to fix it
  • Group related inputs with <fieldset> and <legend>

Example:

<label for="phone">Phone Number (required)</label>
<input type="tel" id="phone" name="phone" required aria-required="true">
<span class="error" id="phone-error"></span>

6. Link Text

Links must make sense out of context because screen reader users often navigate by listing all links.

Bad: “Click here” or “Read more” Good: “Download the accessibility guide (PDF)” or “Read our accessibility policy”

Include the link destination and file type if linking to PDFs or documents.

Accessibility Testing Tools for 2019

The accessibility tooling landscape has improved significantly, making testing more accessible to everyone.

###Automated Testing Tools

1. WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool)

  • Free browser extension from WebAIM
  • Visual feedback showing errors and warnings directly on your page
  • Explains each issue and how to fix it
  • Best for: Quick checks and learning

2. aXe Browser Extension

  • Free extension from Deque Systems
  • Integrates into Chrome/Firefox DevTools
  • Provides detailed guidance on WCAG success criteria
  • Best for: Developers during development

3. Lighthouse (Chrome DevTools)

  • Built into Chrome (Audits tab)
  • Checks accessibility alongside performance and SEO
  • Provides actionable recommendations
  • Best for: Overall site health checks

Important: Automated tools catch only about 25-30% of accessibility issues. Manual testing is essential.

Manual Testing Checklist

1. Keyboard Testing (15-20 minutes)

  • Navigate entire site using only Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, Space
  • Verify all interactive elements are reachable
  • Check focus visibility
  • Test dropdown menus and modals

2. Screen Reader Testing (30-45 minutes)

  • Windows: Download NVDA (free) from nvaccess.org
  • Mac: Use built-in VoiceOver (Cmd+F5)
  • Navigate your homepage, a content page, and a form
  • Listen for heading structure, link text, form labels

3. Zoom Testing (10 minutes)

  • Zoom to 200% in your browser
  • Verify all content remains visible and functional
  • Check for horizontal scrolling (should be none)

4. Color Contrast Checks (15 minutes)

  • Test all text against backgrounds using contrast checker tools
  • Check UI components (buttons, form borders)
  • Verify information isn’t conveyed by color alone

Real-World Implementation: Western Sydney Business

A Penrith-based professional services firm approached us in mid-2019 after receiving an accessibility complaint.

The Challenge

Their 2017-built website had:

  • No alt text on images
  • Poor color contrast (gray text on light gray: 2.4:1 ratio)
  • Form labels not properly associated with inputs
  • No keyboard access to dropdown navigation
  • PDF documents that weren’t screen reader accessible

They faced potential legal action and wanted to become fully compliant.

The Solution

We implemented a structured remediation approach:

Phase 1: Critical Fixes (Week 1)

  • Added alt text to all 120 images on the site
  • Fixed color contrast to meet 4.5:1 minimum
  • Properly labeled all form inputs
  • Made navigation keyboard accessible

Phase 2: Structural Improvements (Week 2)

  • Corrected heading hierarchy across all pages
  • Added skip navigation link
  • Implemented ARIA labels for dynamic content
  • Created accessible versions of key PDFs

Phase 3: Testing & Validation (Week 3)

  • Conducted comprehensive WAVE and aXe audits
  • Performed manual keyboard and screen reader testing
  • User testing with people with disabilities
  • Documentation and staff training

The Results

After three weeks:

  • WCAG 2.0 Level AA conformance achieved
  • Zero outstanding accessibility complaints
  • 12% increase in form completions (improved usability for everyone)
  • SEO improvement: Rankings improved for 15 target keywords due to better HTML structure

The client was surprised that accessibility improvements helped all users, not just those with disabilities. Clearer navigation, better contrast, and proper form labeling improved the experience across the board.

Your Accessibility Action Plan

Ready to make your website accessible? Here’s how to start.

Step 1: Assess Current State (Week 1)

  1. Run automated tests with WAVE and aXe
  2. Conduct keyboard navigation test
  3. Test with a screen reader (NVDA or VoiceOver)
  4. Check color contrast with online tools
  5. Document all issues with severity (A, AA, or AAA)

Step 2: Prioritize and Plan (Week 1)

Fix First (Critical - WCAG Level A):

  • Alternative text for images
  • Form labels
  • Keyboard accessibility
  • Clear focus indicators

Fix Next (Important - WCAG Level AA):

  • Color contrast ratios
  • Heading structure
  • Link text clarity
  • Error identification

Step 3: Implement Fixes (Weeks 2-4)

Work systematically through issues:

  • Start with templates (fixes apply site-wide)
  • Then address individual pages
  • Test as you go
  • Document changes

Step 4: Test and Validate (Week 5)

  • Re-run automated tests to verify fixes
  • Conduct full manual testing
  • Consider user testing with people with disabilities
  • Create accessibility statement for your website

Ongoing Maintenance

  • Include accessibility checks in your content workflow
  • Test new features before launch
  • Conduct quarterly accessibility audits
  • Stay informed about WCAG 2.1 (expected to become standard in Australia soon)

Conclusion

Website accessibility in 2019 is both a legal requirement and a business opportunity for Australian companies. With WCAG 2.0 as the established standard and clear testing tools available, there’s no reason to delay.

Key Takeaways

  • WCAG 2.0 Level AA is the target for Australian businesses
  • Automated tools help but catch only 25-30% of issues—manual testing is essential
  • Accessibility benefits everyone, not just users with disabilities
  • Start with high-impact fixes: alt text, keyboard access, color contrast, form labels
  • Ongoing maintenance is required as you add content and features

Next Steps

  1. Audit your current website with WAVE and keyboard testing
  2. Prioritize critical WCAG Level A and AA issues
  3. Implement fixes systematically over 3-4 weeks
  4. Test thoroughly before claiming compliance
  5. Maintain accessibility as you add new content

Need help making your website accessible? Contact Cosmos Web for a professional accessibility audit and remediation. We help Western Sydney businesses achieve WCAG 2.0 compliance while improving overall user experience.

Last updated: 2019-09-25 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 In Mind
  3. Australian Human Rights Commission - World Wide Web Access
  4. Vision Australia - Web Accessibility Resources
  • WCAG 2.0 compliance for Australian businesses
  • Screen reader testing for web developers
  • Accessible form design best practices
  • Color contrast requirements explained

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