2024 Web Almanac: Chapter on Accessibility Reviews Ongoing Improvements and Challenges

The 2024 Web Almanac is a comprehensive report on the state of the web. The report is backed by real data and trusted web experts author its sections. Mike Gifford, a Drupal heavy-weight and Senior Strategist at CivicActions, has written the chapter dedicated to Accessibility. The chapter highlights progress and persistent challenges in making the web accessible for all users, including those with disabilities. Accessibility improvements benefit everyone, as seen in common features like captions and screen reader technology, which are now integral to user experiences on devices from desktops to smartphones.

The report reveals moderate enhancements, such as increased adoption of user-preference media queries for color schemes and motion preferences and a rise in the number of sites passing Google Lighthouse accessibility audits. However, many issues persist: 30% of mobile sites still lack proper colour contrast, and only a small percentage offer valid language tags, critical for screen reader accuracy and browser translation.

Moreover, accessibility varies widely by country and sector. Government websites, particularly in the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Finland, demonstrate leadership in accessibility, influenced by legal mandates. The report encourages continuous improvement through consistent use of tools like Google Lighthouse and ARIA attributes, urging that accessibility be a core consideration from the start rather than an afterthought.

Gifford’s analysis stresses that true accessibility requires dedicated attention and resources from organizations, aiming for a universally accessible web by 2025.