Accessibility is about creating an inclusive environment where everyone, regardless of any limitations, can participate in society independently and comfortably. This applies not only to physical locations, but also to digital services such as websites and apps.
At Team Rockstars IT, we believe it is important that our products and services are accessible to a broad user base, including people with disabilities, the elderly and those with low digital skills. In addition, digital accessibility is becoming increasingly important due to legislation such as the European Accessibility Act (EAA), which comes into force in 2025.
What is accessibility?
Accessibility means that everyone, regardless of any limitations, can use all forms of facilities, information and services. This includes both physical accessibility, such as buildings and public spaces, and digital accessibility, such as websites and apps. The goal is to create an inclusive environment where everyone can participate in society independently, safely and comfortably.
Digital accessibility focuses on making online services and information accessible. This includes designing websites and apps that are easy to navigate using screen readers, using clear and simple language, and providing alternative text for images. The goal is to ensure that everyone, regardless of their technical skills or limitations, has access to the same information and services.
Accessibility is important not only for people with permanent limitations, but also for people with temporary limitations. These are situations where a person is temporarily limited in his or her abilities due to, for example, an injury, illness or other circumstances. Some examples of temporary limitations include:
- A person with a broken arm may be temporarily dependent on keyboard navigation only. All information and actions on a website or in an app should be available through the keyboard.
- In a busy environment, such as on the train or at the airport, it is important that audio also be visually supported. Subtitles can also be used to provide auditory information without bothering others.
- In bright sunlight, colors on a screen are not always easily distinguishable from each other. The red and green buttons look almost the same. By indicating in text what the button does, a person can still figure out which button to press.
By taking into account both permanent and temporary restrictions, we do not exclude anyone from the information. In the case of e-commerce, we also increase reach because more people can get to the products and the ordering process.
Who are we doing this for?
Digital accessibility is crucial for a wide range of people. This includes not only people with disabilities, but also the elderly, people with temporary disabilities, and people with low digital skills. In the Netherlands, about 20% of the population has a temporary or permanent disability.
The elderly are a growing group that would benefit from improved digital accessibility. As people age, they may experience worse vision, hearing loss, and reduced motor skills. Websites and apps designed with accessibility in mind can help seniors stay active and engaged in the digital world.
People with temporary disabilities, such as a broken arm or a recovery period after surgery, also benefit from accessible digital services. Accessible websites and apps ensure that they can still function independently and access important information and services during their recovery period.
In addition, there are millions of Dutch people with low digital skills who have difficulty navigating complex websites and apps. By promoting digital accessibility, we make it easier for this group to use online services and access information.
Search engines also benefit greatly from more accessible content. Accessible websites are often better structured and contain clear and descriptive text, which helps search engines better understand and index the content. This can lead to better findability and higher search rankings, which can ultimately generate more traffic to the website.
Enforcement
Enforcement of accessibility standards is becoming increasingly stringent, especially with the advent of the European Accessibility Act (EAA) in 2025. This legislation requires not only government agencies but also commercial companies to make their products and services accessible. In the Netherlands, several regulators have been appointed to monitor and enforce compliance with this law.
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a pan-European regulation that aims to ensure digital accessibility for all, including people with disabilities. The law is based on the UN Convention on Disability (2006) and will come into force on June 28, 2025. The EAA sets specific accessibility requirements for products and services, such as websites, mobile apps, electronic books, TV and telephone services, and online banking.
For companies, this means adapting their digital products and services to meet accessibility requirements. This includes implementing design principles that ensure digital content is understandable, operable and accessible to a broad user base. Although the law does not explicitly refer to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), the principles are similar.
The implications of the EAA for digital services are significant. Companies that fail to comply could face fines and other penalties. This highlights the importance of proactively working on digital accessibility to avoid legal problems. In addition, the EAA also presents opportunities for companies to reach a wider audience and improve the user experience.
In addition to the European Accessibility Act, there are also national laws and directives that promote accessibility. In the Netherlands, the Equal Treatment on the Basis of Disability or Chronic Illness Act is an important tool to prevent discrimination and promote equal opportunities. This law requires employers, educational institutions and service providers to make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities.
how do we approach it?
At Team Rockstars IT, we are busy making our services and products more accessible. We understand that accessibility is an ongoing process that requires constant attention and improvement. Therefore, we have put in place several initiatives to ensure that we not only meet regulatory requirements, but also create an inclusive environment for all of our users.
One of the most important steps we take is to offer an accessibility scan. With this scan, we identify where a website or web application currently stands in terms of accessibility and what needs to be done to make it fully accessible. Our experts analyze the current state of the digital products and identify key areas for improvement. Based on this analysis, we create a detailed plan to improve accessibility and comply with applicable guidelines and standards.
We also offer training and knowledge-sharing sessions to share and transfer our accessibility expertise. These sessions are available both internally and externally so that we can not only train our own team, but also support our customers and partners in improving their digital accessibility. During these sessions, we cover topics such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), the use of assistive technologies, and best practices for accessible design.
For us, accessibility is not something we add after the fact; we include it as early as possible in the process and offer opportunities to hook in at different times so that every product, website, and web application can still be made accessible and can remain so.
not just saying, but doing
At Team Rockstars IT, we believe that accessibility is not just a matter of nice words, but more importantly of concrete actions. Therefore, we also take a critical look at ourselves and have taken action to improve our own accessibility. On our website, we have published an Accessibility Statement that clarifies our commitment to accessibility and the steps we are taking to get better.
In this statement, we included specific action items to improve our accessibility. One of the first steps we have taken is to conduct a thorough accessibility scan of our own Web site. This scan includes both automatic testing and manual expert reviews. This combined approach allows us to get a complete picture of the accessibility of our website and make targeted improvements.
The automatic tests help us quickly identify technical issues that may impede accessibility, such as missing alternative text for images or inaccessible forms. The manual reviews by an expert provide us with valuable insights into the user experience and help us identify more subtle problems that automatic tools may miss.
Based on the results of these scans, we created an action plan to improve the accessibility of our website. This includes adjusting the navigation structure, improving text readability, and ensuring adequate color contrast. We will continue to monitor and update these improvements to ensure that our website remains accessible to all.
finally
At Team Rockstars IT, we’d like to take you through our adventure and our path to better accessibility. We are committed to creating an inclusive digital environment and are constantly learning and improving. Accessibility is an ongoing process, and we are proud of the steps we have already taken and the plans we have for the future.
accessibility takeaways:
