Web Accessibility Foundations: Designing and Developing for Everyone

In today's digital landscape, access to information is a fundamental right, yet many websites remain unusable for people with disabilities. Building accessible websites is no longer just a nice-to-have skill—it is a critical requirement for modern developers, designers, and content creators. This text-based course guides you through the core principles of web accessibility, helping you understand how diverse users experience the web and how to design with inclusivity in mind from day one. You will transition from a basic understanding of web design to a comprehensive awareness of inclusive development practices. By focusing on semantic structure, keyboard navigation, and modern testing workflows, you will gain the skills needed to build digital experiences that welcome all users and meet current regulatory standards. What you'll learn: - Understand the foundational concepts of web accessibility and why inclusion matters for everyone - Apply the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to real-world design and development scenarios - Use semantic HTML tags correctly to ensure screen readers navigate your content seamlessly - Design accessible navigation flows that are fully usable via keyboard controls - Implement modern color contrast practices and responsive typography for visual readability - Test your web pages using standard automated accessibility tools and manual keyboard audits This course starts with essential terminology, historical context, and legal frameworks before moving into practical design patterns and code structures. Through clear, written explanations and code examples, you will learn how to identify accessibility barriers and systematically resolve them. This course is designed for beginners, web designers, and developers looking to establish a solid foundation in inclusive design. No prior accessibility experience is required, though a basic familiarity with HTML and CSS is helpful.