Accessibility testing: WCAG, the EAA, and why scanners miss half
In the EU, accessibility is now the law - and scanners catch only about a third of real barriers. Here's how to actually test it, and what needs a human.
Accessibility used to be a nice-to-have. In the EU it's now the law: the European Accessibility Act applies to e-commerce and many digital services, and ADA lawsuits in the US keep rising. Beyond compliance, an accessible site simply works for more people. Here's a practical guide to testing it - and why a scanner alone won't get you there.
Why automated scanners aren't enough
Tools like Lighthouse or axe catch the easy, machine-detectable issues - missing alt text, low contrast, absent labels. That's real value, but it's roughly a third of what matters. A scanner can't tell whether a keyboard user can actually complete checkout, whether a screen reader announces your form errors, or whether a custom dropdown traps focus. Those need a human.
Keyboard navigation
- Every interactive element is reachable and operable with the keyboard alone
- Focus order is logical and follows the visual layout
- Focus is always visible - you can see where you are
- No keyboard traps: you can always tab out of a menu, modal or widget
Screen readers
- Headings, links and buttons are announced with meaningful names
- Images convey their meaning (or are correctly marked decorative)
- Form fields have labels, and errors are announced when they appear
- Dynamic updates (added items, live regions) are communicated
Forms and errors
Forms are where accessibility most often breaks. Every field needs a real, associated label; errors must be announced and tied to the field, not just shown in red; and required fields must be programmatically marked, not just styled.
Visual and content
- Colour contrast passes WCAG AA for text and interactive elements
- Text can resize / zoom to 200% without breaking the layout
- Nothing relies on colour alone to convey meaning
- Media has captions or alternatives where needed
Map it to WCAG - and re-check
Serious accessibility work maps each issue to WCAG 2.2 AA, notes who it blocks, and suggests a fix. Then, because fixes can introduce new barriers, a re-check confirms the important ones are actually resolved.
Where DayQA fits
Accessibility is a selectable scope on a DayQA audit: a human-verified WCAG 2.2 AA pass on your key flows, each issue with the barrier, who it affects, evidence and a suggested fix - so you're covered before someone else decides you aren't.
Add a human-verified WCAG pass to your audit - covered before a complaint lands.