Accessibility ≠ Overlay: “My website has an accessibility button. Is it accessible?”
A common question is: “I installed an accessibility button or widget. Is my website accessible now?” The answer cannot be determined by seeing whether that button exists. The website itself must be evaluated: content, structure, interaction, forms, keyboard access, focus, alternatives and assistive-technology compatibility.
The right question is not whether there is a button
A button may open presentation or assistance options, but it proves nothing by itself about the rest of the site. The useful question is whether people can use the content and functions with the forms of interaction they need.
WCAG evaluates content, not the presence of a widget
WCAG 2.2 defines testable success criteria covering text alternatives, structure, contrast, keyboard access, focus, labels, status messages and many other aspects. No criterion says a website is accessible because it has an accessibility button.
What should actually be checked?
Check keyboard navigation, visible and logical focus, heading and region structure, image alternatives, form labels and instructions, error identification, zoom and reflow, and appropriate names, roles and states for components.
Accessibility must work before any menu is opened
If a person must first find and activate a widget to access basic navigation, a form or essential content, ask why that functionality was not accessible from the start. The foundation should work with the user’s tools without requiring a special mode.
Automated testing is not enough on its own
Automated tools are valuable for finding certain failures, but W3C states that no tool alone can determine whether a site meets accessibility standards. Knowledgeable human evaluation is also required. Deliveries 13 and 14 will return to this issue.
What about Blind Reader?
Blind Reader does not change the answer. It should be understood as assistive technology that helps the user, not evidence that a website conforms to WCAG or an automatic repair of the site. The website remains responsible for accessible structure and interaction.
The short answer
Does your website have an accessibility button? That only tells us it has an accessibility button. To know whether it is accessible, evaluate the website. Extra options can add value, but they do not replace accessible implementation.