Accessibility by Design (Compliance with EU ACT)

• Basic to intermediate knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript
• Basic to intermedia knowledge of mobile app techniques (Android, IOS)
• Familiarity with frontend frameworks (React, Angular, Vue, etc.) is a plus
• Familiarity with mobile app development is a plus
• Basic understanding of web/mobile development lifecycle
• Laptop with development environment setup (code editor, browser dev tools)
  
  Audience
• Frontend/Backend/Mobile Developers
• UI/UX Designers with coding knowledge
• QA Engineers focusing on accessibility testing
• Product Owners and Project Managers involved in accessibility compliance

This course provides an expert introduction to the newly enacted Accessibility Law and equips developers with the practical skills to design, develop, and maintain fully accessible applications. Starting with a contextual discussion on the law's importance and implications, the course quickly shifts to hands-on coding practices, tools, and testing techniques to ensure compliance and inclusivity for users with disabilities.

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Understand the new Accessibility Law and its impact on digital products
• Gain hands-on experience with accessibility coding standards and best practices
• Learn to use modern tools and assistive technologies for testing accessibility
• Be able to implement accessible UI components that comply with legal and ethical standards
• Enhance user experience for all users, including those with disabilities
• Reduce legal risk by ensuring your apps meet current accessibility requirements

Format of the Course

• Interactive lecture and discussion.
• Lots of exercises and practice.
• Hands-on implementation in a live-lab environment.

Course Customization Options

• To request a customized training for this course, please contact us to arrange.

Day 1: Legal Context & Accessibility Fundamentals

Module 1: Introduction to the Accessibility Law and Its Importance

• Overview of the new Accessibility Law (effective June 28)
• Legal requirements and deadlines
• Impact on public sector, private companies, and developers
• Why accessibility matters: social, ethical, and business perspectives
• Penalties for non-compliance
• Overview of accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1/2.2, ARIA)
• Categories of disabilities

Module 2: Accessibility Principles & Guidelines

• POUR principles (Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust)
• Introduction to WCAG guidelines
• ARIA roles, states, and properties
• Semantic HTML and its role in accessibility

Module 3: Setting Up an Accessible Development Environment

• Tools: browser dev tools, screen readers (NVDA, VoiceOver), accessibility extensions
• Setting up linters and automated accessibility testing tools
• Overview of common accessibility testing tools
• Setting up accessibility testing on mobile simulators and real devices (using VoiceOver/TalkBack, Android Accessibility Scanner, Xcode Accessibility Inspector).

Module 4: Practical Coding – Semantic HTML & Keyboard Navigation

• Writing semantic markup for accessibility
• Ensuring full keyboard navigability
• Focus management techniques
• Handling forms and interactive elements accessibly

Accessibility in Native Mobile Apps (Optional additional module for 1.5 hour)

• Key platform guidelines (Google Material, Apple Human Interface)
• Making navigation, buttons, forms accessible on mobile
• Common mobile accessibility issues and solutions
• Testing hands-on with VoiceOver and TalkBack

Day 2: Advanced Coding & Assistive Technologies

Module 5: Accessible CSS and Visual Design

• Color contrast and text size best practices
• Focus styles and visible focus indicators
• Responsive design considerations for accessibility
• Avoiding accessibility pitfalls in animations and transitions
• Color contrast and sizing guidelines for mobile screens.

Module 6: ARIA for Dynamic Content & Rich Internet Applications

• When and how to use ARIA attributes
• Managing live regions for screen readers
• Creating accessible widgets and custom components
• Role of ARIA in SPA (Single Page Applications)
• For mobile, discuss accessibility roles and labels in native platforms (e.g. contentDescription in Android, accessibilityLabel in iOS).

Module 7: Hands-on Coding Lab: Building Accessible Components

• Create accessible buttons, modals, dropdowns, tabs
• Implement accessible form validation and error handling
• Use ARIA and semantic HTML for real-world UI components

Day 3: Testing, Compliance, and Continuous Accessibility

Module 8: Accessibility Testing & Auditing

• Manual testing techniques with screen readers and keyboard only
• Automated testing with tools like axe, Lighthouse, pa11y
• Writing accessibility test cases for QA teams
• Integrating accessibility testing in CI/CD pipelines
• How to run accessibility audits on native mobile apps (manual tests, automated tools like Accessibility Scanner, Espresso for Android, XCTest for iOS)

Module 9: Remediation & Continuous Accessibility

• Common accessibility issues and how to fix them
• Managing accessibility in legacy codebases
• Maintaining accessibility during feature updates and refactoring
• Accessibility in multi-platform apps (mobile, desktop, web)

Module 10: Final Practical Exercise and Wrap-up

• Build or refactor a small app/module to meet accessibility standards
• Peer review and group discussion
• Q&A and feedback session
• Resources for ongoing learning and compliance updates