# What is Accessibility (WCAG)?

> Web accessibility means building a website that disabled people can use, and WCAG is the international standard that sets out how to do it.

- Source: https://nerdsharks.com/glossary/accessibility
- Publisher: Nerdsharks (Exeter, Devon, UK)
- Updated: 2026-09-26

Also called: WCAG, a11y, web accessibility, WCAG 2.2, inclusive design.

Accessibility covers people who are blind or partially sighted, deaf, have limited movement, or have cognitive differences, along with anyone temporarily impaired, like someone reading a phone in bright sunlight. It includes things like readable text contrast, working with keyboards and screen readers, and clear labels on forms.

WCAG stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, published by the W3C. The current version is 2.2, and level AA is the level most organisations aim for.

In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 requires businesses to make reasonable adjustments so disabled people are not put at a disadvantage when using their services, and that is generally understood to include websites. Accessible sites also tend to be clearer and easier for everyone.

## Why it matters for a small business

A site that screen readers cannot use, or with pale grey text on white, turns away real customers, including older customers who are often the ones most likely to pick up the phone. Getting the basics right costs little when done at build time and avoids an awkward and potentially costly problem later.

**Example:** A café's website uses real text for its menu instead of a photo of the chalkboard, so a blind customer's screen reader can read it aloud.