Remember when accessibility was just a checkbox on a compliance form? Those days are gone. Now that we live so much of our lives online, making websites and apps usable for everyone has become as basic as having a working checkout button.
What does this imply? It’s no longer about avoiding lawsuits but also reaching customers you didn't even know you were missing. In fact, the past couple of years have brought some real changes in digital accessibility:
- Take the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), for instance. This rule got updated to version 2.2 in late 2023, with specific rules added like making buttons big enough to actually tap on mobile.
Source: w3.org
- Likewise, consider the U.S. Department of Justice with its new rules in 2024. The rules now require state and local government sites to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards. And if you do business in Europe? Familiarize yourself with the European Accessibility Act that kicks in this year.
This page covers what you need to know about digital accessibility in 2026. Read on to learn the following:
- What web accessibility laws you need to know about;
- How to actually build accessible experiences through UX;
- Why inclusive marketing goes beyond search engine optimization (SEO); and,
- How to prepare for the future of digital accessibility.
An Overview of Legal Mandates for Digital Accessibility in 2026
The days of vague accessibility requirements are ending. Laws are getting specific, and enforcement is getting real.
United States
The ADA still doesn't spell out exact web standards for private businesses under Title III, but courts keep treating websites like physical stores when it comes to discrimination cases.
For government sites (Title II), the DOJ's 2024 rule makes WCAG 2.1 AA the minimum standard, with deadlines hitting in 2026 based on organization size.
Source: ada.gov
Section 508 for federal sites still points to WCAG 2.0 AA, but the Access Board has been working on updates to match WCAG 2.2. This will probably affect procurement requirements soon, so keep an eye on their site.
As for lawsuits, trackers like UsableNet report thousands of ADA digital cases each year. Retail and e-commerce sites get hit the most.
European Union
The European Accessibility Act (EEA) is the big one:
Starting June 28, 2025, most digital products and services sold in the EU need to be accessible. This includes e-commerce sites.
The EAA references standards like EN 301 549 that basically match WCAG requirements. By 2026, expect serious enforcement as supply chains and online marketplaces fall in line.
Source: commission.europa.eu
Public sector sites in the EU already have to follow the Web Accessibility Directive, which also maps to WCAG through EN 301 549.
Canada
Ontario's AODA requires WCAG 2.0 AA compliance for web content, with broader accessibility goals set for 2025.
At the federal level, the Accessible Canada Act requires phased accessibility plans for regulated entities.
United Kingdom and Others
The UK Equality Act and Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations require WCAG compliance for government sites and set strong expectations for private ones.
The bottom line? Getting sued or fined is just one risk. You could lose contracts, damage your reputation, or even miss out on customers. Building accessibility into your process now is both safer and smarter than scrambling later.
Simeon Genadiev, Managing Partner of The G Law Group, emphasizes the value of digital accessibility. Having worked with people with disabilities and those who had personal injuries, he sees the need to provide them with access to the internet.
That's why Genadiev is glad that laws and regulations now focus on web accessibility. "The legal landscape is changing fast across different countries. The smart move is to build compliance into how you work. When you make accessibility part of your development process, you automatically adapt to new regulations as they come."
UX Best Practices To Enhance Digital Accessibility
Good accessibility and good UX are basically the same thing. When you design for clarity and consistency, you help everyone. These include people using screen readers or switch devices.
That said, it's crucial to employ a UX design that makes your site accessible. Here's what actually matters based on WCAG 2.1 and 2.2:
- Keyboard navigation that works. Every button, link, form field should work with just a keyboard. You need visible focus indicators that don't get hidden behind sticky headers (a new requirement in WCAG 2.2).
- Patterns people can predict. Keep navigation, headings, and labels consistent across pages. WCAG 2.2 even requires keeping help options in the same place throughout your site.
- Forms that don't frustrate. Use clear labels, give helpful instructions, prevent errors when possible, and provide useful error messages. WCAG 2.2 says don't make people retype information you already have.
- Touch targets that make sense. Make buttons and links big enough to tap easily, especially on phones. Avoid interactions that require dragging when possible.
- Colours people can see. Meet contrast requirements and don't use colour alone to convey information. Likewise, make sure hover and error states are visible.
- Media with alternatives. Add captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions for videos. All these help boost comprehension and keep people engaged.
Take it from Samuel Charmetant, Founder at ArtMajeur by YourArt. They've started incorporating digital accessibility in their art website design. He believes that art is for everyone, so it makes sense to build a site that caters to all people from all walks of life.
Charmetant says, "Accessible design makes things better for everyone. Clear navigation and consistent interactions help users with disabilities while making the site easier for all customers. It's like curb cuts on sidewalks. They were built for wheelchairs, but everyone uses them."
Some useful tools for checking your work:
- Automated testing: axe DevTools, WAVE, Lighthouse
- Screen readers: NVDA (Windows), VoiceOver (Apple), JAWS (enterprise)
- Contrast checkers: WebAIM's tool works great
- Component libraries: Check out GOV.UK's Design System for accessible patterns
Source: design-system.service.gov.uk
Teams that use accessible component libraries and test with screen readers during development ship faster with fewer bugs. It's not extra work when you build it in from the start. However, there is more to this than you might think…read below.
Leveraging tech for digital accessibility
It's easy to see the use of AI tools in digital marketing and web design. However, new tech is making accessibility easier to implement. This is such great news as long as we use it thoughtfully.
What's working now:
- Real-time captioning for live events and recordings (Azure, Google Cloud, and others offer APIs)
- AI-generated alt-text suggestions that speed up content creation (but always review them)
- Automated testing that catches contrast, heading, and tab order problems before launch
Grant Aldrich, Founder of Preppy, recommends using digital tools and technologies for digital accessibility. His team has started leveraging AI tools to make their website for online certification accessible to everyone.
Aldrich explains, "Machine learning is changing the game. We're seeing automated alt-text, real-time captions, even predictive interfaces that actually work. Companies investing in these tools now will lead the pack tomorrow."
Platforms worth checking out:
- Deque's axe tools for comprehensive testing
- Pa11y CI for automated pipeline checks
- Siteimprove or Monsido for large site monitoring
- Microsoft's Accessibility Insights
Source: accessibilityinsights.io
Looking at 2026, expect more built-in accessibility testing in design tools and better AI authoring assistance, not to mention tighter connections between procurement standards and WCAG 2.2.
But remember, automation helps but doesn't replace testing with real assistive technology users. Think of it as AI doing the heavy lifting while humans ensure quality.
Inclusive Marketing Steps To Implement Beyond SEO
Did you know? Nearly 65% of marketers say their primary place of work is already investing in inclusive marketing. Only 37% say that there is no investment at all, or that they are unsure whether there is.
Source: hubspot.com
Inclusive marketing seeks to make your content easy for everyone to access and understand, regardless of ability, language, or internet connection. When your content is designed for real-world users, more and more people will engage with it. Ultimately, your brand feels more welcoming as a result!
Enter web accessibility and SEO. Are they intertwined?
While SEO helps people find you, web accessibility ensures they can actually use what they find. A keyword rank checker tool can show how your content performs in search, but its inclusive design keeps visitors engaged and makes your marketing genuinely effective.
So, here’s where they overlap:
- Alt text helps screen readers and search engines understand images.
- Transcripts and captions make videos easier to search for and follow.
- Clean structure with proper headings helps both accessibility and search ranking.
But inclusive marketing goes deeper:
- Provide content in multiple formats. Add captions, transcripts, audio descriptions, and plain-text downloads.
- Write clearly without talking down to people. Doing so helps readers with cognitive disabilities and non-native speakers.
- Think about motion sensitivity. Offer reduced-motion versions of animations.
- Show people with disabilities as real people. They are people living full lives, not as inspiration or tokens.
Learn from Ryan Beattie, Director of Business Development at UK SARMs. He sees the need to employ inclusive marketing to reach diverse audiences and cater to their various needs.
Beattie shares, "Your audience includes people with all kinds of abilities and experiences. When you create content in multiple formats, you show real commitment to reaching everyone. That authenticity builds brand loyalty and opens new markets."
Key Steps To Prepare Your Business for the Future Web Accessibility
The need for web accessibility is shaping the future of digital marketing and web design. That's why you need to prepare your company for what lies ahead. That said, here are the key steps to take:
- Understand the current challenges. The usual roadblocks often include:
- Old code built with no accessibility in mind
- Teams that don't share knowledge across design, engineering, content, and marketing
- The myth that accessibility slows you down (it actually prevents rework)
- Figure out where you stand. Test your main pages and user flows, like homepage, product pages, checkout, and forms. Use both automated scans and manual testing with a keyboard and screen reader. Compare issues against WCAG 2.2 AA and fix the stuff that blocks people from completing tasks first.
- Build it into your process. Add WCAG criteria to every feature you build. Start by applying the accessibility principles (see below) to your web content and/or design. For example, use accessible component libraries and automated checks in your deployment pipeline. Likewise, make captions and transcripts part of your standard media process.
Source: w3.org
- Invest in your people. Train everyone, not just developers. Include people with disabilities in your user research and testing. Create a clear process for handling accessibility bugs and user feedback.
Paul McKee, Founder of Reading Duck, suggests keeping digital accessibility in mind for your future business. They've also begun integrating this into their website to give all stakeholders access.
As a leader, he takes the initiative to work on this: "It starts at the top. When leaders treat accessibility as a core value, teams naturally work it into their process. Put accessibility champions in each department, keep learning, celebrate your wins. That's how you build habits that last."
Quick tip on tracking progress: Set clear goals, monitor accessibility metrics alongside your other analytics, and review quarterly. Accessibility isn't a project you finish. It's part of doing good work.
Final Note: The Path Forward to Digital Accessibility
By 2026, accessibility won't be optional. It'll be required by law in more places, expected by users, and rewarded by the market. The technology exists to help, but the real change needs to happen in how we think about building for the web.
Start now with audits, training, even process changes. You won't just avoid legal trouble. You'll build better products for more people. That's the kind of internet worth building.
If you’re looking to employ inclusive marketing with web accessibility in mind, consider working with TechWyse. Call 866-208-3095 or contact us here. Get in touch with them today!
