Accessibility
Description
Accessibility is about removing barriers between people and information. It applies to everything from websites and software to documents, videos and eLearning content.
In practice, accessibility means designing with empathy and foresight – making sure that content can be read by screen readers, navigated by keyboard, captioned for sound and understood through clear, structured language. It also involves meeting international standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the European Accessibility Act (EAA), which define how digital products and services should function for all users.
Modern accessibility extends beyond compliance. It is about inclusive design – ensuring that every audience can participate fully, whether they are consuming content, completing training or interacting with a brand online.
While meeting standards like WCAG is essential for legal protection, true accessibility goes beyond checking boxes. It embraces inclusive design principles that consider the full range of human diversity – including neurodiversity, temporary impairments and situational limitations (such as viewing a screen in bright sunlight).
When organizations prioritize inclusion from the design phase, they avoid costly retrofitting and create smoother, more intuitive experiences for every user. This proactive approach not only mitigates legal risk but also drives market reach, as accessible products are inherently more usable for the 1.3 billion people globally who live with significant disabilities.
Example use cases
- Web and software accessibility: Designing interfaces that meet WCAG standards and enable equal use.
- Document accessibility: Creating PDFs, reports and manuals that are readable by assistive technologies.
- Video and multimedia: Adding captions, audio descriptions and transcripts for full inclusion.
- eLearning: Developing accessible online training that supports all learners.
- Accessibility testing: Auditing and validating content and applications for compliance and usability.
Key benefits
RWS perspective
At RWS, accessibility is central to how we connect people and information worldwide. We combine human accessibility specialists with intelligent technology to help organizations create content and experiences that everyone can use.
Our services span every stage of the content lifecycle – from design and authoring to localization, remediation and accessibility testing. We help clients meet regulatory requirements like WCAG and the European Accessibility Act while embedding accessibility into daily workflows. Through this Human + Technology approach, RWS enables enterprises to scale inclusion across languages, platforms and formats – making accessibility an integral part of global communication, not an afterthought.