Web Accessibility Audit and Consulting

We conduct website accessibility audits based on WCAG 2.2.

We provide technical recommendations for improving interface accessibility.

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What Is Included in a Web Accessibility Audit

An accessibility audit involves a detailed review of a website for compliance with accessibility criteria and usability for the widest possible range of visitors.

The following aspects are reviewed during the analysis:

Compliance with WCAG 2.2 criteria
HTML page structure and semantics
Accessibility of page content for different categories of users
Keyboard navigation usability
Interaction with the interface using assistive technologies (screen readers)
Complex components (modal windows, forms, dropdowns, etc.)

Testing Against the WCAG 2.2 Accessibility Standard

The W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) develops recommendations for ensuring digital accessibility. These recommendations are presented as a list of criteria known as WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). The current version of the standard is WCAG 2.2, so our website audits are based specifically on version 2.2.

There are three WCAG conformance levels:

A: basic accessibility requirements
AA: the most commonly accepted and recommended level
AAA: the highest level of WCAG conformance

We test interfaces against each of these levels depending on your project goals.

Semantic and HTML Structure Analysis

A correct HTML document structure and proper use of tags for their intended purpose (semantics) are extremely important aspects of web accessibility.

Therefore, accessibility testing includes checking:

Logical and understandable page structure
Presence of semantic tags and correct usage
Proper use of ARIA attributes, including compliance with the first rule of ARIA

Keyboard Accessibility Testing

Users may not be able to use a mouse. This includes people with motor or visual impairments, users with temporary or situational mobility limitations, as well as cases where a mouse is unavailable or not functioning.

The following aspects are checked during testing:

Core scenarios without using a mouse or touchpad
Keyboard accessibility of interactive elements
Visible keyboard focus (which element is currently active)
Logical navigation order

Screen Reader Testing

Assistive technologies, including screen readers, help people with visual impairments fully interact with your product. Since information is perceived aurally, the audit carefully evaluates both the correctness of content announcements and the usability of linear navigation using this technology.

Audit of Complex Components

Complex and custom elements require special attention during accessibility evaluation.

Such elements include:

Forms
Modal windows
Menus
Dropdowns
Image or text carousels

During the web accessibility audit, we verify whether interaction with these components is convenient for keyboard and screen reader users.

You can find more information in our article What Is Included in a Web Accessibility Audit.

How a Website Accessibility Audit Is Conducted

An audit begins with defining the scope, namely the list of pages and scenarios to be reviewed. To do this, the team ordering the website accessibility audit should prepare in advance.

Learn more about how to prepare a website for a web accessibility audit in our blog article.

An audit usually consists of the following stages:

Analysis of pages and user flows
Testing with automated tools
Manual accessibility review of pages
Keyboard navigation testing
Screen reader testing of the web resource
WCAG 2.2 criteria analysis
Report and recommendations preparation

Manual and Automated Accessibility Testing

There are quick ways to check a website’s accessibility, for example using automated tools. The most popular tool for preliminary accessibility checks is Google Lighthouse, built into the Google Chrome browser developer tools (DevTools).

You can check your website’s basic accessibility right now:

Open the website in Chrome
Open Developer Tools (Windows: Ctrl + Shift + I; Mac: Cmd + Option + I)
Find the Lighthouse panel in Developer Tools
Under Categories, you can leave only the Accessibility checkbox selected (though you can test other categories as well)
Click the "Analyze" button

Within a few seconds, Lighthouse will generate a report with an overall accessibility score (up to 100 points) and a detailed description of identified issues.

Of course, it’s not that simple. This is only a small part of a full accessibility review. Automated testing tools cannot detect a significant portion of accessibility issues. That is why a comprehensive website audit includes manual testing in addition to automated checks.

Manual accessibility audits include testing website usage with a keyboard and screen reader, evaluating navigation and focus movement logic, assessing text clarity, error messages, and more.

Learn more about the difference between automated and manual web accessibility testing and why automated checks alone are not enough in our blog article.

What You Get After the Audit

After the accessibility audit is completed, you will receive a detailed technical report that includes:

General Summary: an overview of the website’s accessibility, the number of reviewed pages, the scope of identified issues, and successfully passed checks.
Detailed WCAG Criteria Report: a step-by-step page analysis based on international accessibility standards with status (Pass, Fail, N/A) for each criterion.
Issue Descriptions and Technical Solutions: each identified issue includes a detailed description, code examples, and technical recommendations for fixing it.
Severity Prioritization: all criteria with a Fail status receive a severity level, allowing your team to plan work and prioritize the most critical fixes.

Examples of Common Issues Identified During Audits

Audit of nasa.gov

Large informational websites with many interactive elements may contain accessibility issues that affect navigation, understanding of the page structure, and screen reader interaction.

Audit results:

The first rule of ARIA is not followed, meaning semantic tags are not used
Missing first-level heading <h1>
The lang attribute is not specified for part of the Spanish-language content
Focus order is broken in certain places
Form instructions and error messages are not sufficiently clear

Recommendations for fixing the issues:

Use the <button> tag instead of <div role="button">
Add a first-level heading <h1>
Add the lang attribute for content in another language
Adjust the focus order to match the interface
Make error messages more informative

Read more about the audit results and website analysis in the Medium article Web Accessibility Audit of nasa.gov.

Audit of Job Search Websites

Websites with many filters, forms, and custom elements may have issues with semantics, contrast, and accessibility of interactive components for keyboard and screen reader users.

Audit results:

Decorative icons contain aria-label attributes, creating unnecessary noise for screen reader users without providing meaningful value
HTML structure hierarchy issues
Meta tags are not unique for each page
Insufficient text and background contrast
Missing text alternatives for interactive elements

Recommendations for fixing the issues:

Remove aria-label attributes from elements that do not convey meaningful information
Fix the hierarchy of certain HTML elements
Add title and description meta tags that describe the specific page
Change the text color to a darker shade
Add aria-label attributes to icon buttons describing their functions

Who Needs a Web Accessibility Audit

Digital accessibility should be reviewed on every website to ensure equal access to digital resources for all users.

Categories of web resources that most often require accessibility audits:

E-commerce websites
Corporate websites and landing pages
Online services and educational platforms
Medical institutions
Resources providing government and public services
Digital products before release (for example, SaaS or SPA applications)

You can find more information in our article Who Needs a Web Accessibility Audit.

Service Options

Consultation

What’s included:

Answers to web accessibility questions
WCAG 2.2 guidance
Project-specific recommendations

Best for:

Product teams
Basic accessibility introduction

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Express Check

What’s included:

Review of specific UI components or features
Identification of critical issues
Lighthouse testing

Best for:

Small projects
Checks during development
Basic accessibility assessment

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Audit

What’s included:

Manual WCAG 2.2 audit
Keyboard and screen reader testing
Technical report and recommendations

Best for:

Websites and SPA applications
Products before release
Web accessibility monitoring

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Pricing depends on the website scope and complexity. Contact us to discuss your project.

Frequently Asked Questions About Web Accessibility

What Is A11y?

A11y is an abbreviation of the word Accessibility. There are 11 letters between the first and last letters, “A” and “y”. This abbreviation is commonly used in accessibility-related materials.

What Is a Web Accessibility Audit?

A web accessibility audit is a comprehensive review of a website for compliance with digital accessibility requirements and usability for different categories of users.

Is Automated Testing Enough?

No, because automated testing tools (such as Lighthouse) usually detect only part of accessibility issues. Manual testing is required to evaluate the actual usability of a website.

Is Manual Testing Included?

Yes, a full web accessibility audit includes manual website testing. Specifically:

Testing navigation using a keyboard and screen reader
Checking focus logic and visibility
Analyzing website structure and semantics
Reviewing key user scenarios and complex components

Is Accessibility Tested on Mobile Devices?

Accessibility testing on mobile devices can be included in a comprehensive accessibility audit. The need for such testing is discussed individually.

Are React and SPA Applications Tested?

Yes. React applications and Single Page Applications built with other technologies are tested for compliance with web accessibility criteria. Manual accessibility audits are especially recommended for such products because automated tools cannot evaluate many aspects of user interaction with the interface.

Is Screen Reader Testing Included?

Yes. Web accessibility audit services include website testing with assistive technologies, specifically screen readers. This is necessary to evaluate website usability for people with visual impairments.

How Long Does an Audit Take?

The duration of an audit depends on several factors:

Project complexity and user flows
The number of pages or SPA screens being reviewed
Website preparation for the audit

For a single page, a full accessibility audit may take up to 2 business days.

What Is Included in the Final Report?

The final result of a web accessibility audit is a structured report that includes:

A list of WCAG criteria for the selected conformance level (A/AA/AAA) with status (Pass, Fail, N/A)
Explanations and technical recommendations for fixing identified accessibility issues
Severity levels for each issue, helping define backlog priorities
A summary page, showing the overall website accessibility status: the number of successfully passed criteria and the number of aspects that need improvement

Are Recommendations Provided for Fixing Issues?

Yes. The accessibility audit report includes clear technical recommendations for fixing identified issues. It is important to note that not all issues can be fixed by developers alone. In some cases, designers, copywriters, and product managers also need to be involved.

How Should a Website Be Prepared for an Audit?

To make the accessibility audit process faster and achieve the most accurate results, it is worth preparing in advance.

In particular, the following preparation steps are recommended:

Describe the most important user scenarios
Define the list of pages for the audit
Determine whether access to restricted parts of the website is required
Create a list of complex components
Review existing user accessibility complaints
Prepare the product development team for the audit, including explaining its purpose

You can find more tips on preparing a website for a web accessibility audit in our article. It also includes a checklist to help you avoid missing important details.

Ready to get started?

Want to check your website’s accessibility or get a consultation?

Leave a request with a short description of your product, and we’ll help you decide on the best next step.

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