←  All terms
B
Accessibility

Web Accessibility

Web accessibility makes websites and applications perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for people with different abilities.

Web accessibility makes websites and applications perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for people with different abilities. Implementation should favor native web standards and combine automated checks with keyboard and assistive-technology testing. The concept is closely related to WCAG and German Accessibility Act (BFSG).

Read more

WCAG

German Accessibility Act (BFSG)

Semantic HTML

Screen Reader

Plain Language

FAQ

Web Accessibility

How do accessibility, WCAG, and the BFSG relate to each other?
Accessibility is the goal, WCAG is the technical yardstick, and the BFSG is the legal obligation for specified offerings. The BFSG has applied since June 28, 2025. Test criteria trace back to WCAG via the EN 301 549 standard. Who is affected in a specific case is a matter for legal review.
What typical barriers occur on websites?
Typical barriers are insufficient contrast, missing alternative text, menus that cannot be operated by keyboard, unlabeled form fields, and missing focus indicators. Many originate in design and components rather than content. Early review during design is therefore more effective than fixes shortly before launch.
Which contrast values apply to accessible text?
Under WCAG 2.1 level AA, normal text needs a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1. Large text from 18 pt, or 14 pt bold, as well as interface controls and graphical objects need at least 3:1. Contrast is only one criterion among many and does not ensure accessibility on its own.
How much effort does it take to make a website accessible?
The effort depends on the starting point. When accessibility is built into design and components from the start, the extra effort is small; retrofitting grown sites costs considerably more. What matters is anchoring it as a quality criterion in the process rather than treating it as a one-off project.
Who benefits from digital accessibility?
Besides people with permanent disabilities, people with temporary or situational limitations benefit too, such as a broken arm, bright sunlight, or no audio. Older users and mobile users belong to this group as well. Clear structure and good contrast also improve usability for everyone.
What do perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust mean in web accessibility?
These are the four WCAG principles. Perceivable means content is accessible without sight or hearing, operable that everything works by keyboard, understandable that language and interactions are clear, and robust that content works with assistive technologies. Every requirement maps to one of these principles.