Designing for Assistive Technologies: Website Accessibility Fundamentals

Creating an inclusive web experience starts with understanding how diverse users interact with digital content. To build truly accessible websites, you must look beyond the screen and explore the wide variety of assistive tools people rely on every day. In this text-based course, you will transition from a basic understanding of web design to building highly accessible web interfaces. You will explore how users navigate using alternative inputs, study the core principles of web accessibility, and learn how to implement semantic HTML and modern ARIA patterns to ensure your sites work seamlessly with assistive tools. What you'll learn: Understand the foundational concepts of web accessibility, including the curb-cut effect and universal design; Explore how diverse hardware, from screen readers and switch buttons to specialized keyboards, interacts with web code; Implement semantic HTML and modern ARIA landmarks to establish clear document structure; Configure keyboard navigation pathways and visible focus indicators for seamless non-mouse interaction; Apply modern WCAG standards to design accessible color contrast, forms, and interactive elements; Test your markup using text-based evaluation strategies to ensure compatibility with screen readers. The course begins with foundational definitions of accessibility and assistive hardware before guiding you through practical, step-by-step coding patterns for semantic markup. You will read clear explanations, analyze code examples, and complete written exercises to reinforce your learning. This course is designed for beginner web developers, designers, and content creators with no prior experience in accessibility. Start reading today to build a web that is usable and welcoming for everyone.