In February 2024 a number of new accessibility issue tickets popped up in the WooCommerce backlog, they mostly came from one person – Amber Hinds of Equalize Digital. You may have seen her name mentioned in our latest release posts as we dove into resolving these open issues! We are committed to prioritizing accessibility as a core element from design through development on our roadmap as well.

With new legislation regarding accessibility requirements coming from the EU, we thought it might be great to highlight some of the things we’ve been working on, and interview Amber and Chris Hinds to give us some insight on how you can also prioritize accessibility on your ecommerce journey.

Who is behind Equalize Digital and how long have you been a part of the WordPress/WooCommerce ecosystem?

Equalize Digital focuses on digital products and services that help individuals, organizations, and product owners in the WordPress ecosystem become, and stay, accessible. The company was founded in 2020 by Amber Hinds and Chris Hinds. Shortly after founding, Amber and Chris brought on a long-time employee from their old agency Steve Jones as CTO, who is now an equal partner in the company. As individuals, Amber and Steve have worked in WordPress for nearly 15 years. Chris joined the community a bit later in 2015.

Why is accessibility so important, and how does it get overlooked in development?

At its core, accessibility is about making sure that whatever you are producing – websites, software, digital content, or the built environment – can be used by everyone, regardless of their level of ability or disability. Human beings are not standardized. Some of us can not see or hear very well. Some of us don’t perceive color the same way that others do. And some of us may have more limited mobility or cognitive abilities. And statistically speaking, 1 in 4 human beings have some form of disability. 

All of us should want, and expect, to have equal access to information and tools, regardless of our own personal circumstances. There are numerous reasons to prioritize accessibility, from maximizing the utility and quality of what you’re building, to legal compliance and risk mitigation, and reaching broader audiences. But, the biggest reason of all is also the simplest reason: It is the right thing to do.

Many developers are not aware of accessibility best practices. Or, if they are aware, there may be some gaps in their knowledge. However, it is important to note that accessibility is not just a “developer problem” – designers, copywriters, video producers, social media managers, quality assurance – all of these people can positively (or negatively) impact accessibility through their actions and choices. By hiring accessibility professionals to audit and fix issues, offering accessibility training, and building accessibility considerations into their processes, organizations can help ensure that what they are producing is accessible.

Are there any tips or guidelines we can share with developers and store owners that can help them get ahead of accessibility issues when building their store?

Equalize Digital has produced an unparalleled set of resources designed to help people create more accessible outcomes with WordPress:

• Get Accessibility Checker to help you find, fix, and prevent accessibility issues, directly inside the WordPress dashboard. There is a full-featured free version available.
• Get the Small Business Accessibility Playbook for WordPress, which is our guidebook to help smaller organizations prioritize accessibility effectively.
• Get the Shift Left Checklist for Accessibility, which outlines everything freelancers and agencies need to consider accessibility throughout a website project lifecycle.
• Join the WordPress Accessibility Meetup, an official 100% virtual meetup that meets twice per month and presents on a wide range of accessibility topics. Join, and learn!

What is the hottest topic in ecommerce and accessibility?

Ecommerce stores are the #1 target for accessibility litigation in the United States. In 2023, there were over 4,000 accessibility lawsuits, and 80% of those lawsuits targeted ecommerce (source). In addition, an emerging topic of discussion is the EU Accessibility Act (EAA), which requires ecommerce companies doing business in the EU to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1, level AA by June 2025. Here is a detailed presentation on the EAA.

What would you like to see in the future of ecommerce development?

We would like to see those that build the platforms, tools, and extensions that make up ecommerce take accessibility more seriously. Consider accessibility early and often, build rigorous testing into QA processes, hire independent auditors, and make accessibility a “blocker” for releasing updates – i.e. if a release creates accessibility issues, don’t ship it. If all of WooCommerce, and its extensions, were accessible out-of-the-box, that would have an incredible impact to overall accessibility on the web.

What are your socials so we can get in touch with you and follow your work?

We are @EqualizeDigital everywhere. Amber (@heyamberhinds), Chris (@mr_chrishinds), and Steve (@SteveJonesDev) are all on X.

Progress in Accessibility Efforts

WooCommerce developer, @jameskemp, has spearheaded an accessibility working group and tapped agency partner, 10up, to help knock out dozens of issues alongside the community. Below are some of the improvements from 10up’s report. 

1. Improved Visibility: Elements like the mini cart button no longer reduce opacity on hover, maintaining readability (Issue #42328).
2. Keyboard Navigation: Enhanced navigation capabilities using the keyboard, ensuring users who cannot use a mouse can still interact with all features. This includes better focus management and navigation within modal dialogs (Issues #43607, #43630, #43658, #49482).
3. Screen Reader Support: Increased support for screen readers through the addition of ARIA labels, helping visually impaired users understand the interface better (Issues #43633, #43634, #44478).
4. Contrast Adjustments: Adjustments across the platform to improve text visibility against backgrounds, aiding users with visual impairments (Issues #43628, #43630, #43631).
5. Form Field Improvements: Enhanced form labels and error messages to be more accessible to screen readers, ensuring users receive clear feedback on their actions (Issues #40589, #43603).
6. Custom Select Boxes: Accessibility improvements to custom select boxes, making them operable via keyboard and screen readers (Issue #43629).
7. Focus Indicators: Improved focus indicators for better navigation by keyboard users (Issues #37598, #37606, #47071, #49482).
8. General Enhancements: Various enhancements across different components to ensure compliance with WCAG guidelines and improve overall user experience (Issues #26875, #37597, #49046).

These efforts reflect WooCommerce’s dedication to creating a more inclusive platform. By addressing these accessibility issues, WooCommerce not only complies with WCAG guidelines but also significantly enhances the overall user experience, ensuring that all users, regardless of their abilities, can effectively interact with the platform.