How Can I Train My Team on Accessibility?

 

Making a website accessible isn’t just a one-time project — it’s an ongoing team effort. From designers and developers to content writers and marketers, everyone who touches your website has a role to play in ensuring it’s inclusive.

But here’s the challenge: even the most well-meaning team can accidentally introduce accessibility barriers if they don’t know the basics. That’s why training your team on accessibility is essential.

In this guide, we’ll explore:

1. Why accessibility training matters

2. Who in your organization needs training

3. Key topics your team should learn

4. Practical ways to train your team

5. Tools and resources for accessibility education

6. How to make accessibility part of your culture

7. Measuring and maintaining progress

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1. Why Accessibility Training Matters

You could hire an expert to audit your website today, fix all the issues, and feel great… but tomorrow, a team member might upload a new image without alt text, or publish a video without captions.

Accessibility training:

• Prevents future mistakes — Your team learns to spot and fix issues before they go live.

• Empowers your staff — People feel confident in creating content that everyone can use.

• Saves time and money — Fixing problems at the source is faster and cheaper than doing big fixes later.

• Strengthens your brand — Consistency in accessibility builds trust with your audience.

It’s the difference between putting out fires and building fire safety into your building plans.

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2. Who in Your Organization Needs Training

Accessibility isn’t just for developers — every role that interacts with your website or content should have some level of awareness.

Here’s a breakdown:

• Content Creators (writers, bloggers, social media managers)
  Learn to write in plain language, add alt text, use headings correctly, and avoid problematic color choices in images.

• Designers
  Learn to use accessible color palettes, ensure contrast, choose readable fonts, and design for keyboard navigation.

• Developers
  Learn WCAG technical requirements, ARIA labels, semantic HTML, and how to test with assistive technologies.

• Video/Audio Producers
  Learn how to add captions, subtitles, and transcripts.

• Marketers & SEO Specialists
  Learn how accessibility overlaps with SEO, and how to make landing pages usable for all visitors.

• Project Managers & Leaders
  Learn how to set accessibility goals, include them in timelines, and allocate budget.

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3. Key Topics Your Team Should Learn

You don’t need to turn everyone into a WCAG expert, but your training should cover these essentials:

Basic Accessibility Principles

• Accessibility benefits everyone, not just people with disabilities.

• Introduction to WCAG and the POUR principles (Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust).

Common Accessibility Mistakes to Avoid

• Missing alt text on images.

• Poor color contrast.

• Videos without captions.

• Unclear link text like “Click here.”

How to Create Accessible Content

• Writing in plain language.

• Structuring headings properly (H1 → H2 → H3).

• Adding descriptive alt text.

• Using lists and tables correctly.

Accessible Design Practices

• Choosing accessible colors and fonts.

• Making buttons and links large enough to click.

• Ensuring designs work without relying on color alone.

Testing for Accessibility

• How to navigate a site with a keyboard only.

• Using free tools like WAVE or Lighthouse.

• Understanding basic screen reader testing.

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4. Practical Ways to Train Your Team

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach — your training method should fit your team’s size, budget, and workflow.

Here are some options:

A) In-House Workshops

• Invite an accessibility expert to run a hands-on session.

• Focus on examples from your own website for maximum relevance.

B) Online Courses & Tutorials

• Platforms like Deque University, WebAIM, and LinkedIn Learning offer accessible content creation training.

• Choose courses based on role — developers need more technical training, writers need content-focused training.

C) Accessibility Guidelines Document

• Create a team-friendly accessibility handbook with clear rules, examples, and checklists.

• Keep it short, visual, and practical — not a 200-page technical manual.

D) Checklists Before Publishing

• A pre-publishing checklist could include:

  • Does every image have alt text?

  • Is the heading order correct?

  • Are videos captioned?

  • Is color contrast acceptable?

E) Role-Specific Training

• Writers: focus on plain language and structure.

• Designers: focus on color, typography, and layout.

• Developers: focus on code-level accessibility.

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5. Tools and Resources for Accessibility Education

Your team will learn faster with the right tools:

• WAVE Accessibility Tool — Highlights accessibility issues on a page.

• axe DevTools — Browser extension for accessibility testing.

• Color Contrast Checker — Confirms color combinations meet WCAG standards.

• NVDA / VoiceOver — Free screen readers for testing.

• WebAIM.org — Excellent beginner-friendly guides.

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6. How to Make Accessibility Part of Your Culture

Training is just the start — accessibility needs to become part of your everyday workflow.

• Set Accessibility Goals
  Example: “All blog posts must meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards by the end of the quarter.”

• Assign Accessibility Champions
  Choose team members who can answer questions and help others follow best practices.

• Include Accessibility in Every Project Brief
  Don’t treat it as an afterthought — make it a standard requirement like mobile responsiveness.

• Reward Good Practice
  Celebrate team members who go above and beyond in making content accessible.

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7. Measuring and Maintaining Progress

Accessibility training is not a “once and done” job — you need to check in regularly.

• Quarterly Accessibility Audits
  Use tools and manual testing to check if your site still meets guidelines.

• Content Spot Checks
  Review a random sample of pages each month for accessibility compliance.

• Feedback Channels
  Encourage users to report accessibility issues through a contact form or email.

• Update Training
  WCAG gets updated (2.2 is already here), so keep your team’s skills fresh.

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Final Thoughts

Training your team on accessibility isn’t just about ticking boxes — it’s about creating a culture of inclusivity.

When every team member understands their role in accessibility:

• Mistakes happen less often.

• Your content reaches more people.

• Your brand becomes known as one that truly cares.

Accessibility isn’t a chore — it’s a way to make the internet a better, friendlier place for everyone. And the best part? When your team works with accessibility in mind, they also make the site easier to use for all visitors, which helps SEO, user engagement, and overall success.

So start small: provide guidelines, introduce checklists, offer role-specific training. Over time, you’ll see accessibility become as natural to your team as writing a headline or adding an image.