Accessibility Statement for Disabled World
As a publication serving the disability community, accessibility is part of our editorial standard, not an afterthought. This statement explains the standard we work to, what we do in practice, where we know we fall short, and how to tell us when something doesn't work for you.
Our Commitment
Disabled World has published disability news and information since May 2004, and most of our readers, contributors, and staff have direct lived experience of disability. We build and write this site for people who use screen readers, magnification, keyboard-only navigation, switch devices, voice control, and captions - because they are not an edge case here; they are our audience.
Accessibility is not a project we finished; it is a practice we are constantly evolving. Standards change, assistive technology changes, and our understanding improves - this statement, and the site behind it, are revised to keep pace. The revision date above reflects the most recent review.
The Standard We Target
We aim to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA. We say "aim" deliberately: on a site of this size, with content published over more than two decades, we do not claim perfect conformance on every page. New pages and templates are built to the AA target, and older pages are brought up to it as they are reviewed and revised.
What We Do in Practice
Across the site, this commitment takes concrete forms. We use semantic HTML with a logical heading structure so screen readers can navigate by landmarks and headings. Every page provides skip links to the main content and footer. We write descriptive text for images - not just brief alt attributes, but full descriptions of charts, calendars, and illustrations where the detail matters. We write in plain language wherever the subject allows, structure articles with summaries and contents links, and design pages to remain usable at high zoom levels and with keyboard-only navigation. Color is never the only carrier of meaning, and we avoid content that flashes or moves without user control.
We also respect how our readers describe themselves: the site uses both identity-first and person-first language to reflect the varied preferences within the disability community.
Known Limitations
Being honest about gaps is part of the commitment. Some older articles predate our current image-description standards and are updated as we revise them. Third-party content - embedded videos, advertising served by external networks, and pages we link to - may not meet our standards, and while we choose partners with care, we cannot fully control their output. PDF and document downloads from outside organizations may also vary in accessibility. If any of these block you from something you need, contact us and we will help you get the information another way.
Report an Accessibility Barrier
If you encounter a barrier anywhere on Disabled World - something a screen reader mishandles, a control you cannot reach by keyboard, an image without an adequate description, text that is hard to distinguish - please tell us through our contact page or our report an error form. Include the page address and, if possible, the assistive technology and browser you were using.
Accessibility reports are reviewed by the editor and treated with the same priority as factual errors: we would rather fix a barrier than explain one. We aim to respond promptly, and genuine fixes - not workarounds - are our goal.
Continuous Improvement
Our accessibility work is ongoing and evolving: we review templates against current WCAG guidance, test with screen readers and keyboard navigation, improve image descriptions as pages are revised, and fold reader feedback directly into our standards. When WCAG advances, our target advances with it. Suggestions on how we can do better are always welcome - they make the site better for everyone who reads it.
For how our content is created, sourced, and corrected, see our Editorial Policy.