MJ

Accessibility Checklist

A practical checklist to improve the accessibility of your website.

Why this checklist?

From June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) will come into effect. This law requires all e-commerce websites to be accessible to people with disabilities.

However, there is also a great opportunity for your website. Research shows that webshops lose a lot of revenue when they don't have accessible websites.

By following this checklist, you make your website more accessible for people with various disabilities, including visual, auditory, motor and cognitive disabilities.

Basic level

  • Alternative text for images

    Make sure all informative images have descriptive alternative text. This helps people who cannot see the images, such as blind users who use a screen reader.

    How to check:

    1. Move your mouse over images to see if a description appears
    2. Ask your web developer to check the alt texts in the code

  • Color contrast

    Ensure sufficient contrast between text and background. This helps people with visual impairments, such as color blindness or low vision, to read the text better.

    How to check:

    1. Use an online contrast checker like WebAIM Contrast Checker
    2. View your website in grayscale to see if everything is still readable

  • Keyboard navigation

    Make sure all functionality is available via keyboard. This is essential for people who cannot use a mouse, such as users with motor disabilities.

    How to check:

    1. Navigate through your website using only the Tab key
    2. Check if you can activate all links and buttons with Enter
    3. Check if you can see where the focus is (there should be a clear focus indicator)

Advanced level

  • Heading structure

    Use headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) in the correct hierarchy. This helps screen reader users understand the page structure and quickly navigate to specific sections.

    How to check:

    1. Use a browser extension like HeadingsMap to visualize the heading structure
    2. Check that there is only one H1 per page
    3. Check that headings are used in the correct order (H1, then H2, then H3, etc.)

  • Form labels

    Make sure all form fields have a clear label. This helps all users, but especially people who use screen readers, to understand what needs to be filled in each field.

    How to check:

    1. Check that each form field has a visible label
    2. Check that the label clearly describes what should be entered in the field
    3. Ask your web developer to check that the labels are correctly linked to the fields in the code

  • Responsive design

    Make sure your website works well on different devices and screen sizes. This is important for all users, but especially for people who need to enlarge their screen or use specific devices.

    How to check:

    1. View your website on different devices (desktop, tablet, mobile)
    2. Use the responsive view in your browser's developer tools
    3. Check that all content is readable and all functionality works at different screen sizes

Expert level

  • ARIA attributes

    ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes can be used to improve the accessibility of complex web components. This is a technical topic that is usually implemented by developers.

    What to do:

    1. Ask your web developer to correctly implement ARIA attributes for complex components like tabs, accordions and dialog boxes
    2. Have an accessibility expert test your website with a screen reader

  • Keyboard traps

    A keyboard trap is a situation where a user navigating with the keyboard gets stuck in a certain element and cannot navigate further. This should be avoided.

    How to check:

    1. Navigate through your entire website using only the keyboard
    2. Check that you can get everywhere and don't get stuck anywhere
    3. Pay special attention to modal dialogs, dropdown menus and other interactive elements

  • Accessibility statement

    An accessibility statement is a document in which you explain how accessible your website is, what measures you have taken and what problems may still exist.

    What to do:

    1. Have an accessibility audit performed by an expert
    2. Create an accessibility statement based on the results
    3. Publish the statement on your website and update it regularly

Tools and resources

  • WebAIM Contrast Checker: A tool to check the contrast between text and background.
  • WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool: A browser extension that can identify accessibility issues on your website.
  • Axe DevTools: A browser extension for developers to identify and fix accessibility issues.
  • Digitoegankelijk.nl: The official Dutch website about digital accessibility with information about legislation and guidelines.

Need help?

If you need help improving the accessibility of your website, please contact me. I can perform an accessibility audit and make concrete recommendations to make your website more accessible.

Contact me