Building for Everyone: Why Digital Accessibility Matters for Developers

Ever Tried Using Your Own Website With Your Eyes Closed?

Picture this: You're working late on a new web app. It's quiet. Your internet's acting up again, and your eyes are fried from hours of tweaking CSS. You finally fix that stubborn flexbox issue, and just as you lean back to admire your work, you wonder, what would this look like if I couldn’t see it?

Now think about someone trying to use your site who can’t use a mouse. Or someone on a slow connection in a rural area. Or an older user unfamiliar with tech. Or a teenager relying on screen readers due to low vision.

Suddenly, accessibility isn’t a “nice-to-have.” It’s essential. It’s the difference between inclusion and exclusion. Between usability and frustration. And as a developer, you have the power to make that difference.

What is Digital Accessibility? (And Why You Should Care)

Digital accessibility means developers making websites, apps, and tools usable for everyone, no matter their abilities, limitations, or the devices they use. That includes users who are blind, deaf, have mobility challenges, learning disabilities, or even temporary impairments like a broken arm or poor internet.

It’s not just about meeting legal standards or ticking a checkbox.

It’s about:

• Making the internet a welcoming place for everyone

  
  

• Creating fair, inclusive digital experiences

  
  

• Ensuring your work reaches the widest possible audience

  
  

Over 1 billion people around the world live with some form of disability. That’s one in every seven people. If your site or app isn’t accessible, you’re leaving them behind, and missing out on their potential as users, customers, and contributors.

Digital Accessibility for Developers: Why It's Your Superpower

As developers, we love solving problems, optimizing performance, and building beautiful interfaces. But here’s why learning accessibility makes you an even better developer:

1. You Build for Everyone, Not Just the Tech-Savvy Few

Designing and coding with accessibility in mind forces you to think beyond the “average user.” You begin to consider different devices, languages, input methods, and cognitive abilities. You’re no longer building just for the person with the latest laptop and perfect vision, you’re building for real people in real situations.

Try navigating your website without a mouse. Can you access every button, form, and link using only your keyboard?

2. You Write Cleaner, Smarter Code

Accessibility encourages the use of semantic HTML, actual tags like <header>, <main>, and <button> instead of endless <div>s. It leads to clearer, more organized code that’s easier to maintain, debug, and scale.

You also gain a better understanding of how assistive technologies like screen readers interact with your code. That’s real developer growth.

3. It’s Good for SEO and Business

Search engines and screen readers both rely on the same signals, structure, hierarchy, and context. Accessibility improves your site’s discoverability on search engines. It also improves usability for everyone, not just people with disabilities.

The result? Better engagement, lower bounce rates, and higher conversion rates. Accessible design is smart design, and smart business.

5 Simple Accessibility Improvements You Can Start Today

Getting started with accessibility doesn’t require a massive redesign. Here are five changes you can make right now:

1. Use semantic HTML. Choose the right tags for the job. A button should be a <button>, not a <div>.

   
   

2. Add alternative text for images. Describe what important images show. If they’re purely decorative, use empty alt attributes (alt="") to skip them.

   
   

3. Label your form fields. Ensure every input has a clear and descriptive label.

   
   

4. Check your keyboard navigation. Can someone navigate your site without using a mouse?

   
   

5. Ensure sufficient color contrast. Make sure text is readable against background colors. Don’t rely on color alone to communicate meaning.

   
   

Quick Self-Check: How Accessible is Your Website?

Ask yourself:

• Can someone use my website with just a keyboard?

  
  

• Do all images have appropriate alt text?

  
  

• Are headings structured properly from <h1> to <h6>?

  
  

• Do form fields have labels and instructions?

  
  

• Have I tested it with a screen reader or accessibility audit tool?

  
  

If your answer is “no” or “I’m not sure” to more than two of these questions, you’ve got a great opportunity to improve your skills and your site.

Code for People, Not Just Screens

The web was created to be universal, open to all, regardless of ability, location, or circumstance. As developers, we play a huge role in either building bridges or putting up barriers.

Learning and implementing accessibility doesn’t just make you a better coder, it makes you a better creator, a better teammate, and a better advocate for users around the world.

What You Can Do Today

• Run an accessibility check on your current site using tools like WAVE or Lighthouse.

  
  

• Challenge yourself to build your next feature with keyboard-only navigation in mind.

  
  

• Start small. Fix color contrast, add labels, use proper headings, every improvement counts.

  
  

• Share your journey. Talk about what you’ve learned. You’ll inspire others to care too.

  
  

• Make it a habit. Accessibility isn’t a one-time fix. It’s a mindset shift, and the earlier you start, the better.

  
  

Want your projects to stand the test of time, and serve the widest audience possible? Start thinking about accessibility now. Because the web should work for everyone, including you, your friends, your family, and the millions of users you haven’t met yet.

Author: David C. Igberi