Digital accessibility
Assistance with the implementation of accessible websites.
Make your website accessible to everyone. From personal consultation to auditing and implementation of your online presence.
What does accessibility mean?
Accessibility means that all designed areas of life can be used by people with disabilities without obstacles. This applies, for example, to buildings, buses, technical devices or websites. These things must be designed in such a way that people with disabilities can easily find them, enter them without outside help and use them without any problems. It is perfectly normal and allowed to use personal aids such as a wheelchair or a hearing aid. Everything should be as easily accessible as possible for every person.
Simple example: A person in a wheelchair should be able to access the restroom in a café or restaurant without obstacles (barrier-free).
On the Internet, this means very specifically that every website must be structured in such a way that all people can easily find, operate and understand it, regardless of whether they have a restriction or not. Since June 28, 2025, this digital accessibility has even become mandatory for many companies and providers due to new legal rules in order to ensure the full participation of all people in social and economic life.
Here are examples of what user interfaces look like for people with disabilities.
From the perspective of a person with green colorblindness.
For a person with a green weakness (technical term: deuteranomaly), digital surfaces often look different than for people with normal vision. Green, red, orange and brown tones are difficult to distinguish from each other. They often look like different shades of the same color.
From the perspective of a person with dyslexia
For people with dyslexia (reading and spelling difficulties), texts on digital surfaces often pose a hurdle, as letters can become blurred or mixed up.
Accessibility on the Web
Why your company can only benefit
With an accessible website, you can reach many more people. This benefits not only people with permanent disabilities, but also anyone who is only temporarily restricted – for example, due to an injury or a bright lighting environment. This will increase your target audience and increase your success.
Increased user-friendliness
Your customers will find their way around the website much faster and reach their goal without detours – regardless of whether they have restrictions or not. This ensures satisfied visitors who like to come back and remain loyal to your company.
Positive brand image
An accessible website shows that all people are important to you and that you take on social responsibility. This ensures a positive image and leads to your customers trusting your brand more and remaining loyal to you.
Is your website accessible?
Erhalten Sie einen ersten Eindruck über die digitale Zugänglichkeit Ihrer Website.
We will take a quick look at your website and tell you whether your website is accessible or not.
What requirements must be met?
Perceivable
Every person must be able to understand the content on the website. If there are pictures, videos or drawings, these must be described briefly and clearly (so-called "alt texts"). Imagine someone can't see the picture: The description text then explains what can be seen in the picture.
Operable
People who use special computer aids (for example, speech output programs for the blind or special mice) must also be able to operate the website. The entire website must be operable only with the keyboard – i.e. without a mouse. This is especially important for people who cannot use a mouse.
Understandable
The texts and the way the website is operated must be clear and simple. Nothing unexpected should happen when you click on a button. Users should always know where they are and what the next step is. The website should feel logical.
Robust
The website must be built cleanly and without errors. The website must work well on different devices (such as cell phones, tablets, computers). Special computer aids for people with disabilities (such as screen readers) must be able to read and understand the content correctly.
WCAG conformance levels for accessible web design
These three levels apply to every single part of your website if you want to build it in an accessible way. So you have to make sure that these rules are followed for every building block of the page.
Level A
This is the simplest level that can be achieved with basic adjustments. If your website does not meet this standard, there are likely obstacles for people with disabilities that you should urgently address.
Level AA
This level is the most important goal for your website, as it is significantly better than the basic level. It is considered the gold standard for accessible content on the Internet. Since June 2025, this standard has even been required by law for many companies in order to guarantee a legally compliant website that is accessible to everyone.
Level AAA
Frequently asked questions
What does accessibility on websites actually mean?
It means that the website is built in such a way that really everyone can use it. Regardless of whether someone is blind, has a visual impairment, cannot hold their hands still or has a learning disability.
Isn't that only important for blind people?
No. Accessibility helps many: older people, people with colorblindness, or even yourself when you are tired and your eyesight diminishes, for example.
How do blind people "read" a website?
They use a so-called screen reader. This is software that reads the text of the website aloud.
Why is the keyboard so important?
Some people cannot operate a mouse. They use the tab key to jump from link to link. An accessible page must be completely operable without a mouse.
Does an accessible page have to be ugly?
See for yourself: Our website 4ydesign.de is accessible and yet modern and aesthetically pleasing. Good design and accessibility are not mutually exclusive – they complement each other!
Why should my website be accessible?
An accessible website can be used by everyone, regardless of their impairments or disabilities. This allows you to reach a larger target audience, improve the user-friendliness of your website, and contribute to the integration of people with impairments into the internet.
What about colors?
You can use colors, but you can't rely on colors alone. Example: "Click on the green button to save." (A color-blind user does not know which one it is.)
Are there exceptions to the obligation to provide accessibility?
Private pages and pure offers for other companies do not have to comply with the Accessibility Strengthening Act. Small companies with fewer than ten employees or a maximum turnover of two million euros are also exempt from these obligations. The same applies if the necessary changes would be too great a financial risk for a company. Even if you are not legally obliged to do so, an accessible website offers many advantages for your success. You should therefore plan the topic of accessibility into every new project from the start.
What happens if I do not comply with my obligation to have an accessible online presence?
If your website is not accessible since the deadline in June 2025, the responsible authority can ask you to change this quickly. This happens, for example, when customers or associations report the error. If you then do not adapt the page, fines of several thousand euros are threatened. In addition, the authority can completely stop your online sales or your digital services until the website is accessible to all people (standard WCAG 2.1 at level AA).
What does (WCAG) mean?
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are international guidelines for accessible web design developed by the W3 Consortium.
What is the EN 301 549 standard?
The EN 301 549 regulation explains exactly how products and services must be designed to be accessible under European law. For websites and apps, this rule refers directly to the international guidelines for accessible content. This means that websites usually have to meet the WCAG 2.1 standard at level AA in order to be legally compliant.
What is the Accessible Information Technology Ordinance?
The BITV is a regulation for websites of federal authorities and offices. For several years, it has stipulated that these sites must meet modern European and international standards for accessibility. In addition, BITV 2.0 requires that technology is always up to date in order to offer the best possible access for everyone. It is particularly important that authorities also offer information in German sign language and in plain language.
Accessible websites bring advantages:
- Reach more people: The website can be used by many people: people with disabilities, older people or even people who only have a short-term restriction (for example, a broken arm).
- Gain new customers: Companies reach more people and get new customers.
- Better for everyone: The use of the website is more pleasant and easier for everyone, not only for people with disabilities.
An accessible website is fair and just. It is also a clear competitive advantage. Companies that pay attention to this gain more users and customers.
