From Newbie to Ninja: Acquire Real-World Web Accessibility Skills
taught by: Chad Hester
Session Summary
Most teams want to build accessible web experiences, but developers and designers often don’t know what to fix first, what matters most, or how to test beyond automated tools. This full-day workshop takes attendees from accessibility fundamentals to real-world implementation skills.
Description
We’ll start with the core concepts behind WCAG and assistive technology, then move into the most common accessibility failures seen in production websites. The second half of the day focuses heavily on form accessibility: labels, errors, validation, instructions, keyboard interactions, and screen reader behavior.
Attendees will learn how to identify issues quickly, understand why they matter, and implement fixes using semantic HTML, ARIA only when needed, and testing workflows that fit into modern development teams. Attendees will spend the day practicing fixes and testing workflows that mirror real-world development teams.
Practical Skills
- Explain how WCAG maps to real user experience for keyboard and screen reader users.
- Identify the most common accessibility issues found in modern web applications.
- Fix semantic structure problems using headings, landmarks, and meaningful HTML.