An "accessible" website and a supposedly "accessible" one that's had some quick fixes thrown at it—sound familiar?
Websites that have undergone accessibility work—whether thorough or hastily patched—can look similar on the surface, but in reality they're two completely different things.
Many website owners add an accessibility plugin or make partial adjustments like adding alt text to images, thinking that's enough. In reality, the site still fails to meet standards and isn't truly accessible to all users. To understand the difference, you need to look beyond what's visible and examine what's happening under the hood.
What is a truly accessible website?
A truly accessible website is one that has undergone complete adaptation in line with accessibility standards, allowing every person—including those with disabilities—to use it independently and comfortably.
This includes adaptations for screen readers, keyboard navigation, proper color contrast, correct heading structure, and more. For example, your website might not allow keyboard navigation in the right-to-left direction as Hebrew requires, but instead navigates left-to-right (which sometimes happens on Wix sites).
Beyond that, a truly accessible site also considers user experience. Not in the sense of impressive design, but in its ability to let visitors consume information clearly, without obstacles, and without users needing to find creative workarounds to overcome problems.
What do we mean by a "supposedly" accessible website?
Often, website owners and developers make an effort to make their site accessible based on knowledge they've picked up and research available online, like the extensive resources you can find on our blog.
A site that displays outward signs of accessibility—like an accessibility button or plugin—often fails to deliver real solutions. In many cases, these are just surface-level fixes that don't address deeper issues affecting our users in ways we might not anticipate:
For example, a site might offer text enlargement, but if its underlying structure is broken or it can't be used with a keyboard alone, it's still not accessible. There's a sense of a solution here, but not a real one.
Or take a site full of animations you can't stop. If animations keep running on the page, they can interfere with visitors who have attention or focus disorders.
The difference between a real technical solution and an accessibility plugin
True accessibility is implemented at the code, structure, and content level of the website. It involves treating every component so it works properly with assistive technologies and meets standards.
An accessibility plugin, by contrast, is just an external layer. It can help in some cases, but it doesn't replace full accessibility. Therefore, a site relying solely on an accessibility plugin is usually not truly accessible.
How can you spot a site that isn't really accessible?
One way to identify an inaccessible site is to try using it without a mouse—keyboard only. If you can't reach all areas or perform basic tasks, that's a significant problem.
Additionally, using a screen reader or running professional audits can expose other issues like missing image descriptions, incorrect heading structure, or forms that don't work accessibly.
Why is it important not to settle for "surface-level accessibility"?
Partial or superficial accessibility can mislead both website owners and users. Beyond that, it fails to meet legal requirements and may expose the business to legal risks.
But beyond compliance, it's also about customer service. A truly accessible site allows everyone to use it equally, and that's an essential part of good, professional user experience.
Want to make sure your site is truly accessible?
If you have a website and aren't sure whether it's truly accessible or just appears to be, it's recommended to conduct a professional audit that examines every component of your site in depth.
Looking to make your website truly accessible? Have additional questions? We at User Accessibility are here for you and happy to help you transform your site into one that's genuinely accessible.