Creating an Accessibility Statement: A Beginner-Friendly Guide
What is an Accessibility Statement?
An accessibility statement is a simple and clear message on your website that explains your commitment to making digital products and services usable for everyone, including people with disabilities. It describes your steps to remove barriers and create inclusive experiences online.
Why Is Having an Accessibility Statement Best Practice?
- It promotes equity and inclusion
A strong statement helps ensure that all users, regardless of ability, can access your content with dignity, autonomy, and ease. - It guides users to support
By listing ways to contact you, your statement helps users find assistance when they face access barriers. - It shows accountability and ongoing effort
Sharing your progress and goals makes it clear that you’re actively working to improve digital accessibility over time.
Key Components of a Good Accessibility Statement
Your statement should include the following:
- A welcoming tone that avoids ableist language and centers on empathy.
- A clear expression of your values and commitment to removing barriers.
- Recognition that accessibility is a continuous journey.
- Multiple ways for people to reach out for support in the format they prefer.
- Transparency about your current progress and future improvements.
- A positive and open tone throughout.
- Reference to recognized standards like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and your goal to meet them.
- Emphasis on how accessibility supports autonomy, dignity, and equitable access for all.
How to Build Each Section of Your Accessibility Statement
1. Use an Empathetic and Welcoming Tone
Guidance:
- Speak with care and respect.
- Use people-first language (e.g., “people with disabilities”).
- Avoid ableist terms like “normal,” “suffers from,” or “handicapped.”
- Emphasize kindness and inclusion.
Example:
We are dedicated to creating an online experience that welcomes everyone. Our commitment to accessibility reflects our belief in equity, respect, and inclusion for all users.
2. Express the Value and Importance of Accessibility in your Statement
Guidance:
- Emphasize your belief in fairness and inclusion.
- Frame accessibility as a human right and a key to full participation.
- Connect accessibility to removing barriers and ensuring autonomy and dignity.
Example:
Accessibility is essential to our mission. We are committed to removing barriers and ensuring that everyone can use our website with independence, dignity, and confidence.
3. Describe Accessibility as a Journey
Guidance:
- Be transparent about your current state.
- Explain that progress takes time and effort.
- Encourage feedback from users to help you improve.
Example:
We understand that accessibility is an ongoing journey. We’re committed to learning, growing, and making continuous improvements to better serve all of our users.
4. Offer Multiple Ways to Reach Out for Support
Guidance:
- Provide several contact options: email, phone, chat, and mail.
- Make it clear that support is available to address any issues.
- Keep your language simple and clear.
Example:
If you need help using our site or want to share feedback, we’re here for you.
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 1-800-123-4567
- Live Chat: Look for the “Chat with Us” button
- Mail: Accessibility Team, 123 Main Street, City, State ZIP
5. Share Progress and Areas for Improvement
Guidance:
- List the steps you’ve already taken to improve accessibility.
- Be honest about where you’re still working.
- Share your plans or timelines when possible.
Example:
We’ve made several updates recently, including improving color contrast, adding alt-text to images, and enhancing keyboard navigation. We are continuing to improve the accessibility of older content and are conducting audits to find and fix the remaining barriers.
6. Keep the Overall Tone Open, Kind, and Positive
Guidance:
- Focus on inclusion and collaboration.
- Be warm and approachable.
- Avoid defensive or overly formal language.
Example:
We welcome your feedback as we work toward a more accessible experience for everyone. Thank you for being part of our community and helping us do better.
7. Reference Accessibility Guidelines and Conformance Goals
Guidance:
- Reference WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and explain it in simple terms.
- Share your current goal (e.g., WCAG 2.1 Level AA).
- Say that you’re actively working toward meeting or exceeding these standards.
Example:
Our work is guided by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which offer best practices for making websites more usable for everyone. We are working to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA across our digital content.
Sample Accessibility Statements
Here are three sample accessibility statements your organization can use as a starting point. You can also use our generator. These incorporate all of the best practices outlined above.
Sample Statement 1: General Business Website
Our Commitment to Accessibility
At BrightPath Designs, we believe that everyone deserves equal access to digital experiences. We’re committed to creating a welcoming and accessible website for all our visitors, including people with disabilities.
Accessibility is essential to removing barriers and ensuring everyone can interact with our content with independence, autonomy, and dignity. Our website improvements are guided by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, and we aim to meet Level AA standards.
We know accessibility is a journey. We’ve taken important steps, such as updating our navigation for keyboard use, improving color contrast, and adding text descriptions to images. We are currently reviewing our downloadable PDFs to ensure they are accessible to screen readers.
If you experience any issues or need assistance, we’re here to help. Please contact us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 1-877-555-7890
- Live Chat: Click “Chat” at the bottom of this page
Your feedback helps us grow. Thank you for supporting a more inclusive web.
Sample Statement 2: E-Commerce Company
Accessibility at MeadowLane Market
Everyone should be able to shop comfortably and confidently. At MeadowLane Market, accessibility is not just a goal—it’s a value we carry through everything we do. We are working to ensure that our site is accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities.
MeadowLane Market believes that accessible design removes barriers and empowers people to navigate digital spaces with dignity and independence.
We are actively working toward WCAG 2.1 Level AA conformance and have already made updates such as:
- Enlarged clickable areas for easier access
- Improved screen reader compatibility
- Added closed captions to product videos
We’re still improving our checkout experience to support users using assistive technologies and appreciate your patience.
If you encounter any issues or need help placing an order, you can reach our team in the way that works best for you:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 1-800-234-5678
- Text Chat: Tap the “Support” icon
We’re listening, learning, and committed to continuous improvement.
Sample Statement 3: Educational Institution Website
Digital Accessibility Statement – Elmwood Learning Center
At Elmwood Learning Center, we believe every learner deserves an equal opportunity to engage with our content. We are committed to making our website and digital learning tools accessible to all, including people with disabilities.
Accessibility removes barriers to education, supports autonomy, and upholds the dignity of all users. We understand that digital accessibility is a journey—and we are actively working to make improvements each step of the way.
Our digital team is using the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 as our framework and striving to meet Level AA compliance. Recent updates include improved keyboard navigation, mobile responsiveness, and updated alt text on all course images.
We continue to evaluate and improve our online course platforms and are training staff in inclusive digital practices.
If you experience challenges accessing our site or learning materials, please reach out:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 555-678-1234
- Mail: Digital Accessibility Office, 200 Learning Lane, Elmwood, State ZIP
We are here to support you and value your feedback as we build a more inclusive learning environment.
