Digital accessibility: best practices and challenges to know in 2025
With the new digital accessibility law coming into effect on June 28, 2025, digital accessibility is taking center stage in the development and design of websites, SaaS, and mobile applications. As the majority of services become digital, it’s vital to ensure they are accessible to all, particularly people with disabilities. Today, we explore the fundamental principles of digital accessibility, the challenges surrounding it, and best practices for creating an inclusive digital environment.
What is digital accessibility, and why is it important?
Defining digital accessibility
Digital accessibility is about making digital content and services accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. This includes people with hearing, visual, cognitive, or motor impairments. Simply put, web accessibility aims to ensure that everyone can access information, interact with online services, and enjoy a satisfying user experience, regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities. With an aging population, it’s increasingly important to develop accessible platforms and services that enable individuals to stay connected despite experiencing cognitive and visual declines.
Accessibility challenges for users everywhere
Today, digital accessibility issues affect both social inclusion and legal compliance. it’s also a major issue in corporate CSR policies. Digital accessibility means information and services are easy to use and understand, regardless of the user’s physical or cognitive abilities. Overall, it contributes to a better user experience and helps avoid the frustration often felt by those who encounter obstacles in their user journeys.
Impact on people with disabilities
For people with disabilities, digital accessibility is much more than just an advantage; it’s a fundamental right. As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, the law on digital accessibility is becoming increasingly strict and now applies to many private companies with a turnover of more than €2 million. By making websites accessible, we enable these individuals to participate fully in society and access education, government services, employment opportunities, and financial services. Indeed, a lack of accessibility can exacerbate social exclusion and limit the life choices of people with disabilities, which highlights the crucial importance of developing websites, software, and applications that comply with accessibility standards.
How can websites be made compliant with accessibility standards?
Guidelines and standards: WCAG and RGAA
To ensure that websites comply with accessibility requirements, several guidelines and standards are in place, including the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the Référentiel général d’amélioration de l’accessibilité (RGAA) in France. These guidelines emphasize the importance of creating resources that are perceivable, navigable, and understandable for all users, including those with disabilities. The first step in complying with the law is to conduct a comprehensive audit of your website, SaaS, or application and obtain your accessibility score. You must then publish it along with your multi-year plan, which demonstrates your commitment to making your platforms 100% accessible in the coming years.
Steps to creating an accessible website
If you are starting from scratch, it’s best to seek assistance from our professionals trained in digital accessibility. Accessible web development requires strict adherence to the 50 criteria of the WCAG (A and AA). This may seem more complicated or expensive, but it actually saves time and money. The trend is clear: while accessibility legislation used to apply only to public bodies and companies with annual revenues exceeding €250 million in France, it now applies to companies with annual revenues exceeding €2 million across a wide range of industries in France. Hiring professionals who are rigorously trained in accessible web development is essential if you are launching a new website or SaaS in the coming months. Our services range from project management assistance to the complete development of your website or SaaS. Feel free to contact us!
Tools for assessing website accessibility
There are various tools available for assessing website accessibility. Automated solutions, such as accessibility validators, can help easily identify non-compliance with WCAG standards. However, these tools are no substitute for a comprehensive audit carried out by accessibility experts. They are often a first step in identifying the extent of the problems, but they are never sufficient when it comes to issuing an official rating or identifying specific solutions. To ensure compliance, an audit carried out by trained and experienced professionals is essential. Once the audit based on the 50 WCAG criteria is completed, you will receive your accessibility score and the official declaration.
What are the best practices for improving the accessibility of your digital resources?
Design principles for optimal accessibility
Developers should also pay attention to site navigation, ensuring that it’s intuitive and easy to use for all users, especially those using a keyboard. By incorporating accessible elements such as alternative descriptions for images and descriptions for tables, you not only improve accessibility for people with disabilities but also the overall user experience and the site’s search engine optimization (SEO).
Accessibility of PDF documents and other formats
PDF documents and other file formats must also be accessible. To achieve this, it’s important to ensure that they comply with accessibility guidelines, such as those outlined in the WCAG or RGAA. This includes appropriate tags, clear titles, and a logical structure, allowing screen readers to navigate the content effectively. By making these formats accessible, we ensure that essential information is available to everyone, including people with disabilities.
Examples of best practices in creating accessible content
Best practices for creating accessible content include using clear, simple language, descriptive titles, and relevant links. For example, instead of using ambiguous phrases such as “click here,” it’s better to use anchor text that clearly describes the link’s destination. Additionally, creating subtitled videos and integrating audio descriptions can significantly enhance the accessibility of digital resources, making content more inclusive for all users.
Digital accessibility challenges in 2025
Technological developments and accessibility
As technologies evolve, new challenges in digital accessibility are emerging. In 2025, the integration of artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and other technological innovations could raise complex questions about accessibility. Developers and project leaders must anticipate these developments and ensure that these new technologies are designed to be inclusive.
Compliance with accessibility legislation
Compliance with accessibility legislation is another major issue. The law of February 11, 2005, stipulates that public services must be accessible to all. A European directive, specifically 2019/882, is changing the situation by making digital accessibility compliance mandatory for many companies with more than 10 employees and a turnover of over €2 million in France. This directive was transposed into French law on March 7, 2023, and will be applicable on June 28, 2025. There are an increasing number of regulatory bodies, such as Arcom and the AMF, and penalties have also increased.
Training and awareness for developers and designers
To overcome accessibility challenges, training and awareness are essential for developers, designers, and web project managers. By 2025, it will be crucial for these professionals to understand accessibility principles and be trained to integrate these standards into their daily work. At Aksé, we can support you in developing your skills and take the lead in your mission to become fully compliant.
How to conduct an accessibility audit for your website?
Accessibility audit methodology
An accessibility audit is a key step in assessing a website’s compliance. It begins with an in-depth analysis of the site’s elements, checking each aspect against WCAG and RGAA standards. The goal is to provide a comprehensive overview of the site’s accessibility and identify areas for improvement. Most importantly, you will receive a score that declares whether you are accessible, partially accessible, or not accessible. To be fully compliant with the law, you must publish your official digital accessibility statement and have a multi-year improvement plan in place to achieve 100% accessibility in the near future.
Tools and resources for conducting a WCAG audit
Several tools and resources are available to conduct an accessibility audit. Automated tools such as Axe, WAVE, or Lighthouse can quickly identify accessibility issues. However, it’s important to combine these assessments with manual testing for a more in-depth analysis. At Aksé, we utilize our own guides and checklists to enhance the accuracy and quality of our recommendations.
Interpreting the results of an accessibility audit
Interpreting the results of an accessibility audit requires an understanding of accessibility standards and expectations. By entrusting the Aksé team with your audit, you will receive a clear and comprehensive report detailing the identified issues and recommended solutions. We recommend addressing critical issues first, followed by less urgent items. Once the changes have been made, we can assist you in conducting follow-up tests to ensure that the changes have effectively improved the site’s accessibility.
Book
a discovery call
Assess the extent of your digital accessibility, development, or branding needs
Get concrete ideas for areas of improvement
Benefit from our expert advice, in-depth experience, and strategic vision in the field
Free • 45 minutes • Online