Web accessibility can feel intimidating for beginners. There are countless acronyms, standards, and best practices—and it’s easy to feel unqualified to even talk about them. But here’s the truth: most professionals I’ve met started without any formal certifications. The key is showing interest and starting small.

One of the best pieces of advice I received early on was:
Start by using free tools and resources—and learn by doing.

Getting Started: Learning on the job

The best way to grow your accessibility skills is to weave them into your current role.

• Add your accessibility learnings to your projects
  
• Be open to feedback and course-correction
  
• Don’t be afraid to revisit how you’ve done things before

A Great Beginner Resource: EdX’s Free Accessibility Course

I began my journey with the free EdX course, “Introduction to Web Accessibility”, created by the W3C.

This course offers:

• 5 structured modules
  
• Video demos of real users navigating the web with assistive technologies
  
• A focus on empathy and understanding before diving into technical standards
• A free option (with an optional $99 certificate)
  

What I appreciated most is that it didn’t throw technical jargon at you right away. Instead, it introduced the human side of accessibility first—how people with different disabilities interact with websites, apps, and tools.

“Disability is mismatched design.”

This powerful concept really stuck with me. It reflects the social model of disability, which suggests that disability arises when design doesn’t accommodate people’s needs.

Accessible design benefits everyone:

• Better usability
  
• Better customer service
  
• Better SEO and marketing

Introduction to WCAG: The Four Principles

Once the course lays the foundation, it introduces the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). These guidelines are now standard for businesses and governments worldwide.

The four principles of WCAG are:

Principle	What it Means
Perceivable	Content must be presented in ways users can perceive; for example, in braille, different text sizes, text-to-speech, or symbols, etc.
Operable	Interface components must be usable via multiple input methods; for example, keyboard, mouse, sip-and-puff, speech input, touch, etc.
Understandable	Information and interface must be clear and predictable; for example consistent navigation, simple language, etc.
Robust	Content can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of browsers, media players, and assistive technologies.

Here is a brief introduction and example of each:

1. Perceivable

Guideline 1.1: Text Alternatives: Provide text alternatives for non-text content.

Examples:

• Pictures in context: This should describe what is in the image to those who cannot see it.
  
• Functional images: Logos or icons that need alt text to convey meaning.
  
• Decorative images: These do not provide information or functionality. Still, these need to be marked correctly so screen readers know to ignore it.
  

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2. Operable

Guideline 2.4 Navigable: Provide ways for users to navigate and find content and determine where they are.

Examples:

• Use headings to structure content clearly
  
• Divide long forms into shorter steps
  
• Add page titles that start with the page’s purpose, followed by the brand or organization name

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3. Understandable

Guideline 3.1 Readable: Make text content readable and understandable.

Tips:

• Set a default language in your site’s HTML
  
• Spell out acronyms (e.g., “WCAG – Web Content Accessibility Guidelines”)
  
• Use simple language and short sentences when possible

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4. Robust

Guideline 4.1 Compatible: Ensure content works reliably with current and future technologies.

Examples:

• Ensure content is screen-reader compatible
• Use valid HTML/CSS
• Assign clear roles and labels to non-standard components

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Accessibility Planning for Teams

The course ends with a helpful tool: the WAI Statement Generator. It helps you draft an accessibility statement for your website and set internal goals.

What’s Next in My Journey?

• I’m exploring additional training from Deque University
  
• I’m taking a 2-day training provided by Karl Groves and AFixd
  
• I’ll focus more on accessibility for designers in upcoming posts

I’ll be documenting everything I learn—so please check back for future entries! If you’ve found great accessibility resources or learning paths, I’d love to hear about them. Drop a comment or send a message!