Join our livestream today at 1pm PT: Semantic HTML Part 3. We're covering the dialog element, lesser-known semantic elements, and maintaining good HTML in modern frameworks. Interactive Q&A. All levels welcome. It will be recorded if you can't make it live. https://bit.ly/4mOCkfu

A11y tip: Use live regions sparingly aria-live is powerful but can overwhelm. Use "polite" for most updates, "assertive" only for urgent messages. Announce outcomes, not processes ("3 results found" vs "searching..."). Test with a screen reader - helpful updates can become annoying noise. ##a11y

Proud to sponsor WP Accessibility Day 2025! Our co-founder Natalie helped launch this event, and it's grown into something special. Free sessions Oct 15-16 for the WordPress community. Join us: 2025.wpaccessibility.day

A11y tip of the week: Contrast isn't just black on white. Real challenges: text over images, interactive states losing contrast, gradients where contrast varies. Test at multiple points. Add shadows/overlays when needed. Good contrast helps everyone - in bright sun, on old monitors, when tired.

Semantic HTML is the foundation of accessibility - and it's often overlooked. Our co-founder goes live today covering lists, tables, forms, and the button vs div problem we see in every audit. Interactive Q&A format. https://bit.ly/4nH6JNu

Skip links need to go somewhere useful 🎯 That "Skip to main content" link is great - if it actually works. Too many jump to the wrong place or don't move focus properly. Quick test: Tab to your skip link, activate it, then keep tabbing. Are you in main content or still stuck in nav?

Accessibility works best as a team sport. AAArdvark lets you invite unlimited users, assign issues to the right people, track history, and discuss solutions - all in one place. No more lost fixes in email threads. Check out what we're building: aaardvarkaccessibility.com

A11y tip: Headings aren't about font size Use h1, h2, h3 for content structure, not styling. Screen reader users navigate by headings. • One h1 per page • h2 for major sections • h3 for subsections • Don't skip levels Use CSS for styling. Good structure helps everyone.

We pause monthly, quarterly, and yearly to look back at what we've accomplished as a team. It's easy to focus on the road ahead, but turning around to see how far you've come builds confidence for the next challenge. 15 minutes of reflection can be surprisingly powerful.

That beautiful quote graphic? It can't be resized, translated, or read by screen readers. Real HTML text is better than images of text almost every time. Your users need text that scales, works with their tools, and adapts to their needs. ##accessibility #webdesign

HTML keeps getting better at accessibility! Newer elements like dialog, input type date, and progress and come with built-in support for keyboard navigation and screen readers. Still using divs for everything? You're making extra work for yourself AND creating barriers for users.

That spinning wheel is invisible to screen readers. When content loads dynamically, use aria-live regions and status text so everyone knows what's happening - not just sighted users. Visual loading states ≠ accessible loading states. ##Accessibility #A11y

The best time to fix accessibility issues? During development. The second best time? Right now. But seriously - catching missing alt text or unlabeled forms while you're coding takes minutes. Finding them post-launch when users complain takes hours. Build it in from the start.

Form labels do more than you think. They create programmatic relationships for screen readers, expand clickable areas, and provide context for everyone. Pro tip: Labels above fields work better than placeholder text that disappears. Good labeling = better usability. ##accessibility

Quick accessibility test you can do right now: Put your mouse away and try to navigate your site using only your keyboard. If you get stuck, so will others who rely on keyboards or assistive tech. This simple test catches real barriers that affect real users. ##Accessibility

A11y tip: The first rule of ARIA is don't use it if HTML works. Use button not div. Use h2 not div. Native HTML elements have built-in accessibility. ARIA should enhance, not replace what already works. The best ARIA is often no ARIA at all. ##a11y

Automated accessibility scans catch missing alt text and color contrast issues. But they miss the human stuff entirely. Are your icon-only buttons confusing? Is your carousel too fast for screen readers? Real usability needs human judgment, not just automated reports.

A11y tip: Keyboard users need visible focus indicators everywhere. High contrast outlines, multi-part styles, or offset rings help ensure focus stays visible against any background. Test by tabbing through your entire site. If you can't easily spot focus anywhere, neither can your users.

SiteCare went from being stuck as the "middleman" between clients and accessibility consultants to launching their own accessibility service in just 3 months. Now they're serving 30+ clients with AAArdvark. "We're not just the implementer anymore, we're the consultant too." https://bit.ly/3ILZ2qh

A11y tip: Write error messages that actually help. Don't just point out failure. Guide users to success. Clear error messages help everyone, especially screen reader users. Instead of "Invalid email", try "Enter a valid email (like [email protected])" #Accessibility #A11y

WCAG in Plain English, by @aaardvarka11y.bsky.social: https://aaardvarkaccessibility.com/wcag-plain-english/ #accessibility #wcag #guides

After nearly 3 years and 500 hours of work, we're excited to finally launch WCAG in Plain English! We've translated the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) into simple, human-friendly language. Check it out and let us know what you think! wcaginplainenglish.com #Accessibility

Hello Bluesky! Great to be here and looking forward to connect with brilliant minds across industries. Save big on AAArdvark this Thanksgiving! Speed up your accessibility audits with automated tools that deliver quick, actionable insights. Make accessibility easier today! #A11y