Digital accessibility can feel like a mountain to climb—but you don’t have to be a developer to identify major problems. In fact, with a few free tools and five focused minutes, you can get a strong sense of whether your site meets basic accessibility requirements under WCAG 2.1.
Whether you’re a government official, IT manager, or just a concerned citizen, this guide gives you an easy entry point into accessibility testing.
Why It Matters
As of 2024, local and state government websites must comply with WCAG 2.1 Level AA by 2026 or 2027, depending on population size. That includes:
- Websites and mobile apps
- Forms, portals, and dashboards
- Any public-facing digital services
Accessibility isn’t optional—it’s a legal requirement. But more than that, it’s a matter of equity. And fixing it starts with understanding where you stand.
5-Minute Accessibility Checklist
1. Can You Navigate With a Keyboard?
Try using just the Tab key on your keyboard to move through the site. Skip the mouse entirely.
- Can you access links, buttons, and form fields?
- Can you see a visible outline around the element in focus?
- Can you open dropdowns or navigate modals?
If you get stuck or can’t see what’s focused, the site isn’t operable—and fails WCAG 2.1.
2. Is the Color Contrast Sufficient?
Go to a page with lots of text. Is the text readable without squinting?
Use a free contrast checker like the one from WebAIM. Text should have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 against the background.
Low contrast is a very common failure—and an easy one to spot.
3. Do Images Have Alt Text?
Right-click an image and inspect it, or hover over it with your mouse.
- Do you see a helpful description?
- Is it meaningful to the content?
Alt text ensures screen readers can describe images to blind users. Missing or poor alt text is a major accessibility issue.
Watch out for duplicate alt text or alt text that repeats a visible text element that’s nearby. This is very common with icons. If an image is purely decorative or repetitive, make sure the alt attribute is set as “”. Your content management system may do this for you, but make sure you check!
4. Are Headings Used Logically?
Headings should organize content clearly, like an outline.
- Right-click and inspect the page structure.
- Look for
<h1>,<h2>, and<h3>tags.
Pages should have one <h1> for the title and then descend in order (no skipping from <h1> to <h4>, for example).
5. Can a Screen Reader Make Sense of It?
Use a free screen reader:
- NVDA (Windows)
- VoiceOver (Mac)
Turn it on and listen as you navigate. Does it read link names, headings, and buttons correctly? Or does it just say “button button button” or skip around?
This test alone can reveal dozens of hidden issues.
Bonus: Use a Free Audit Tool
Install a browser extension like:
Run a scan. It’ll show you common problems like:
- Empty form labels
- Missing alt text
- ARIA roles
- Contrast errors
What These Tests Tell You
This quick scan won’t catch everything—but it can tell you:
- Whether your site has major accessibility gaps
- Whether your dev team is using accessible practices
- Whether you need a full audit
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to be a web expert to care about accessibility—or to get started. In five minutes, you can uncover red flags that affect real users every day.
Ready to go deeper?
