Introduction
If you rely on screen readers, keyboard navigation, high contrast modes, captions, or any assistive technology to access the web, you have fundamental rights to equal access. These aren't favors. They're not optional accommodations businesses can choose to provide when convenient. They are legal protections you're entitled to as a person with a disability. This guide explains your practical rights as a user requiring accessibility features, what accommodations you should expect, and what steps you can take when websites fail to provide equal access.
Your Fundamental Digital Access Rights
You have the right to access the same content, functionality, and services available to users without disabilities. This doesn't mean the experience must be identical—but it must be equivalent. If a sighted user can browse products, read reviews, and complete checkout, you must be able to do the same using your assistive technology. Equivalent access means you shouldn't have to: Websites must be compatible with the assistive technology you rely on. This includes: A website that breaks when you enable these tools, or refuses to work without a mouse, is denying you equal access. You have the right to perceive and understand content in formats that work for you:
Call customer service to complete tasks others can do online
Email forms that could be submitted directly on a website
Wait for someone else to help you navigate a site
Guess at unlabeled buttons or navigation elements
Abandon tasks because the site is incompatible with your assistive technology
Screen readers (JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, TalkBack)
Screen magnification software
Voice control and dictation software
Switch controls and alternative input devices
Custom stylesheets and browser accessibility settings
Keyboard-only navigation
Images and graphics: Descriptive alternative text that conveys meaning
Audio content: Accurate captions and transcripts
Video content: Synchronized captions and audio descriptions when visual information is essential
Documents: Accessible PDFs, HTML alternatives, or compatible formats
Forms: Clearly labeled fields with accessible error messages
What You Can Reasonably Expect from Websites
Websites should provide navigation you can understand and predict. This means: Visual design must support users with low vision, color blindness, or light sensitivity: Every interactive element must be usable with a keyboard alone: When things go wrong, you deserve clear communication:
Logical heading structure (H1, H2, H3 in proper order)
Descriptive link text (not just "click here")
Consistent placement of navigation elements
Skip links to bypass repetitive content
Keyboard focus indicators showing where you are on the page
Breadcrumb trails and clear page titles
Sufficient color contrast between text and background
Text that can be resized up to 200% without breaking the layout
Information not conveyed by color alone
Support for high contrast modes and dark modes
No flashing content that could trigger seizures
All buttons, links, and form fields reachable with Tab key
Logical tab order that matches visual layout
Ability to activate buttons and links with Enter or Space
No keyboard traps where you can't navigate away
Dropdown menus and modal dialogs accessible via keyboard
Form validation errors that explain what's wrong and how to fix it
Error messages announced to screen readers
Focus moved to errors or clear instructions on where errors are located
Suggestions for correcting mistakes
Confirmation messages for successful actions
How to Request Accessibility Accommodations
Be specific about what's preventing you from accessing the site: Most websites have contact information in the footer or an "accessibility" page. Reach out professionally and clearly: Keep records of your communication and the barriers you encounter: If the website owner doesn't respond or refuses to accommodate you:
Which page or feature is inaccessible?
What assistive technology are you using?
What happens when you try to use the feature?
What would equivalent access look like?
Explain you're a user with a disability
Describe the specific barrier you encountered
Request an accessible alternative or accommodation
Provide your contact information for follow-up
Give them a reasonable timeframe to respond (typically 5-10 business days)
Screenshots or screen recordings of the issue
Date and time you encountered the barrier
Copies of emails or messages you sent
Responses (or lack of response) from the website owner
Steps you took to try to work around the problem
File a complaint with your state human rights commission
Report to the Department of Justice (for federal issues)
Contact disability rights advocacy organizations
Consult with an attorney specializing in accessibility law
Share your experience with accessibility communities
Common Accessibility Violations You Should Never Accept
Some websites actively block or interfere with screen readers and other assistive tools. This is never acceptable. You should not encounter: Images, icons, and graphics must have meaningful alternative text. You shouldn't have to guess: Forms are often the most critical—and most broken—part of websites: Audio and video content without accessibility features excludes millions:
JavaScript that disables right-click or keyboard shortcuts
CAPTCHA systems with no audio or alternative option
Popups or overlays that trap keyboard focus
Content that appears only on hover without keyboard access
Forced mouse-only interactions
What a button does because it's an icon with no label
What product you're looking at because there's no alt text
What's in an infographic because it's just an image
What links go where because they're all labeled "click here"
Unlabeled input fields where you can't tell what to enter
Error messages that don't explain what's wrong
Required fields not clearly marked
Time limits that expire before you can complete the form
Submit buttons that don't work with keyboard
Videos without captions for deaf users
Podcasts without transcripts
Webinars without live captioning
Visual-only tutorials without audio description
Auto-playing media without pause controls
Your Right to Reject "Quick Fix" Accessibility Widgets
Many websites install accessibility overlay widgets—tools that claim to make sites accessible with one line of code. These tools often create more problems than they solve. You have the right to: Real accessibility is built into the website's code—not added as a widget. Don't accept overlay tools as evidence of compliance when the underlying site remains broken.
Reject these widgets in favor of native accessibility
Report when overlays interfere with your assistive technology
Demand real accessibility fixes instead of band-aid solutions
Disable or bypass overlay widgets that make your experience worse
Recognizing Good Faith Accessibility Efforts
Not every website will be perfectly accessible, but you can recognize when organizations are making genuine efforts: Organizations making good faith efforts may still have issues—but they're committed to fixing them. That's very different from organizations that ignore accessibility entirely.
An accessibility statement explaining current conformance level
Contact information for reporting barriers
Documented accessibility roadmap and timeline
Prompt responses to accessibility concerns
Visible progress on fixing reported issues
Third-party accessibility audits and certifications
Your Voice Matters: Advocacy and Community
As a user requiring accessibility features, your feedback is invaluable: Every report filed, every email sent, and every barrier documented helps build a more accessible web for everyone. Your lived experience as a user with a disability is expertise that can drive real change.
Report barriers when you encounter them
Praise organizations that prioritize accessibility
Share your experiences with accessibility communities
Participate in user testing for accessible products
Educate others about disability rights and accessibility
Support organizations fighting for digital accessibility
Resources for Understanding and Asserting Your Rights
ADA.gov - Official ADA information from the Department of Justice
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF)
National Disability Rights Network (NDRN)
Your state's human rights commission or attorney general's office
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1
WebAIM - Web accessibility in mind
A11y Project - Community-driven accessibility resources
NVDA screen reader documentation
JAWS screen reader documentation
American Council of the Blind
National Federation of the Blind
American Association of People with Disabilities
World Institute on Disability
Assert Your Rights with Evidence
Document accessibility barriers with a comprehensive WCAG scan. Get specific evidence to support your accommodation requests.