Accessibility: digital accessibility for all
Accessibility is a part of Usability. Accessibility deals specifically with the accessibility of your software. Can users or customers with disabilities easily use your services?
It is a large group, the size of which is not to be underestimated. In the Netherlands, more than 3.5 million people have one or more disabilities that affect their online experience. The party with the best Accessibility attracts this large audience.
To make online products and services accessible to all Europeans, the European Accessibility Act was created. The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is the pan-European regulation on digital accessibility.
The EAA consists of general accessibility laws that apply to all European Union member states. The purpose of this international law is to equalize legislation around digital accessibility throughout the European Union.
In summary, digital accessibility increases usability, discoverability and inclusiveness.
Do you comply with WCAG Guidelines and EAA Legislation?
Digital accessibility is about making your digital products and services accessible to everyone. So that even people with disabilities can understand your digital products and services.
Digital accessibility increases the usability and discoverability of your digital products and services.
To ensure this digital accessibility, there is a guideline called Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). This directive is currently only mandatory for government and semi-governmental institutions.
With the coming into force of the European Accessibility Act (EAA) in June 2025, that will change. With this European law, the WCAG directive will be tightened and mandatory for all (new) digital products and services.
4 principles of WCAG that must be met:
- Perceivable; being able to experience and use the website (and elements on the website) with the senses available to users
- Operable; being able to find and use content on the website regardless of how one uses it, e.g. with assistive technology
- Understandable; users must be able to understand the content and understand how the website works. This also applies to software
- Robust; content is interpreted as reliable by a wide range of users
Polteq has been known for its expertise in software testing for more than 20 years. Polteq’s Test Professionals are knowledgeable about WCAG guidelines and have extensive experience testing software for compliance with these standards. They understand the complexity of digital systems and can identify issues that compromise accessibility.