Understanding the Challenges of Web Accessibility Implementation in the Digital Era

Abstract

In this thesis, we gave an overview of the current Web accessibility standards, principles, and guidelines, viewed their compliance, and its relationship with Usability, and finally discussed the challenges and solutions. The first accessibility guidelines were introduced in 1999, this was the first step towards providing equal web access to disadvantaged people. Web accessibility is a crucial need that should be available to everyone, inclusivity in the design and development of websites is necessary. Today, the standards have gone through several upgrades, but we are still facing problems in the implementation of website accessibility. This thesis answers one fundamental question; “What is the reason for the implementational failure of Web accessibility in this technologically advanced digital era?”

The research methodology used in this thesis, is a qualitative desk-based approach. The result of this thesis turned out to be a disappointment regarding the practical implementation of Web accessibility. While there are standards, their implementation proves challenging due to the need for perfect precision, and the outcome may still be an inaccessible website. The government has not legally mandated strict restrictions on inaccessible websites; therefore, all attempts, especially from the private sector, are voluntary. Lastly, private companies are not investing in hiring accessibility experts as a new job role. On the other hand, developers are undertrained, unaware, and not knowledgeable enough to implement accessibility properly.