accessibilityspecialist

An accessibility specialist is a professional who ensures that digital products and services are usable by people with disabilities. They work across product lifecycles to assess, design, implement, and verify accessibility, collaborating with product teams to remove barriers and improve inclusive user experiences.

Work is typically guided by standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and applicable laws and regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 508 in the United States, and European EN 301 549. The core framework often follows the POUR principles: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust.

Responsibilities commonly include conducting accessibility audits, creating remediation plans, and validating fixes through manual testing and automated checks. They contribute to design reviews, content creation for accessible text and media, and accessibility training for teams. They also develop policies, maintain documentation, and monitor ongoing conformance.

Tools and techniques frequently involve automated testing tools (for example, axe-core, Lighthouse, and WAVE), screen readers (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver), keyboard navigation checks, color contrast analysis, and semantic HTML and ARIA implementation. They may run user testing with people with disabilities to validate real-world usability.

Qualifications often include a degree in a related field such as computer science or human–computer interaction, plus certifications such as the IAAP Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) or equivalent credentials. Strong communication, problem-solving, and collaboration skills are important, along with practical coding knowledge of HTML, CSS, and ARIA.

Accessibility specialists work in technology companies, digital agencies, government agencies, and educational institutions, helping to align product development with legal requirements and inclusive design goals. The role blends advocacy, engineering, and quality assurance to deliver usable experiences for a diverse user base.