7 Websites That Got Accessibility Right (and What You Can Learn)
7 Websites That Got Accessibility Right (and What You Can Learn)
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Creating a website that is accessible and compliant with the latest accessibility standards isn’t as difficult as you might think. Check out how seven companies nailed accessibility with just a few deliberate design choices.
More and more companies are getting that digital accessibility matters — from both a business and legal perspective. It’s how you reach more people, create a better user experience, build a brand people trust, and decrease legal risk.
But knowing accessibility is important and actually doing something about it are two different things. With all the guidelines, tools, and legal talk, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or unsure where to start. How exactly do you create an accessible website design?
Here’s the good news — you don’t have to do it all from scratch to meet ADA and WCAG compliance standards. Numerous companies have successfully enhanced the accessibility of their exisiting digital content, creating a seamless user experience while simultaneously meeting legal requirements. And some are doing it really well.
Below, we’ll look at a few standout accessible website examples and break down the practical lessons you can apply to your own design and development processes. We’ll also explain how incorporating accessible design practices helps you meet accessibility compliance requirements, lowering your legal risk.
But first, a quick review of accessibility laws.
Accessibility Laws: A Quick Refresher
Depending on where your business operates, you must comply with accessibility laws to avoid the risk of legal action, including demand letters, fines and fees, and lawsuits.
United States
- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): While initially created for physical spaces, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has repeatedly stated that the ADA applies to digital spaces, including websites, mobile apps, online documents, and other digital content. Businesses considered “places of public accommodation” (think retail, hospitality, healthcare, etc.) must be ADA-compliant. This means conforming with the accessibility standards included in the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA.
- Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act: Section 508 applies specifically to federal agencies and any organizations doing business with them (including contractors). It requires digital content to be accessible and directly references WCAG standards as the benchmark for Section 508 compliance.
Canada
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) applies to businesses and non-profits with over 50 employees in Ontario. The AODA requires conformance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA and has phased deadlines for organizations based on their size.
Europe (EU)
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is broader than other accessibility laws and applies to private companies offering digital products or services across the EU. The EAA also applies to U.S.-based businesses that have customers in the EU. What’s unique about the EAA is that rather than using WCAG to determine compliance, it requires content to be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust — similar to the POUR principles included in WCAG. However, following the accessibility standards outlined in WCAG does put your business in a good position to meet POUR requirements.
ADA, WCAG, and 508 Compliance: The Accessibility Compliance Trifecta
One important distinction to make: the ADA, Section 508, and WCAG are each different. The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities, including in online spaces. Section 508 is a U.S. federal requirement that mandates accessibility for government websites and digital tools. WCAG, on the other hand, is the international standard for accessible web design, offering the technical criteria that both the ADA and Section 508 reference for compliance. While the ADA and Section 508 are laws, WCAG is a guideline, meaning it is not mandatory. However, all three work together to make digital content more accessible and lower brands’ legal risk in the process.
7 Examples of WCAG Conformance and Accessibility Compliance in Action
With the accessibility laws above in mind, let’s look at seven brands that have incorporated accessibility features into their websites to create a more user-friendly, compliant experience — and how you can do the same.
1. Chobani: Rich, Accessible Colors
Chobani’s website uses bold, saturated background colors paired with clean, white, or dark text, creating a high-contrast experience that’s not only visually stunning but also highly readable. The text stands out clearly against backgrounds, making it easy to read for users with low vision, color blindness, or contrast sensitivity.
The attention to contrast supports WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.4.3: Contrast (Minimum), which requires a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text and 7:1 for larger text. Ensuring sufficient color contrast is one of the easiest ways to improve readability and reduce eye strain — especially for users relying on visual cues rather than assistive technology to browse the web.
Chobani’s use of accessible colors ensures users don’t have to guess what they’re reading or strain to interact with the page — the content is readable, comfortable, and usable for a range of users.
Accessibility Best Practice
Aim for color contrast ratios that meet WCAG’s recommendations. Tools like AudioEye’s free Color Contrast Checker can help you strike that balance and ensure colors are accessible.
2. Vera Bradley: Fashionable, Functional, and Keyboard Accessible
Vera Bradley’s site makes online shopping easy — particularly for keyboard users. With clear focus indicators and logical tab order, users can browse, filter, and add items to their cart using just the ‘Tab,’ ‘Enter,’ and arrow keys.
The intuitive keyboard navigation fulfills WCAG Success Criterion 2.1.1: Keyboard, which requires all online functionality to be operable through keyboard commands and shortcuts. Vera Bradley delivers on this (and fulfills ADA-compliance requirements), showing other eCommerce website owners they can create an accessible retail experience for users — whether or not they use a mouse to browse online.
Accessibility Best Practice
Design with keyboard accessibility in mind from the start of the content creation process. Test it often — both on your own and with real users — to catch keyboard traps or other navigation barriers early.
3. Federal Communication Commission: Smart Breadcrumbs Guide the Way
The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) uses clear and consistent breadcrumbs — small navigation links that show users where they are within a site’s structure. Whether you’re deep in policy documents or exploring consumer guides, the FCC helps users easily backtrack or jump to other pages without getting lost.
The use of breadcrumbs supports WCAG Success Criterion 2.4.8: Location, which encourages designers to provide users with information about their location within a set of web pages. As a U.S. federal agency, the FCC’s use of breadcrumbs helps position them for Section 508 compliance.
Accessibility Best Practice
Use breadcrumbs wherever possible to support consistent navigation and help users — especially those with cognitive or visual disabilities — stay oriented on your site and find what they’re looking for.
4. U.S. Forest Service: Clear, Helpful Error Messages
When a user makes a mistake — like missing form fields or invalid input — the U.S. Forest Service doesn’t just flash a vague red warning. Instead, they provide clear, descriptive error messages and suggestions on how to fix it — showing how to handle errors the right way.
This also supports WCAG Success Criterion 3.3.1: Error Identification and 3.3.3: Error Suggestion. Both require input errors to be clearly identified and described and that users receive guidance on how to correct them when possible. Incorporating both success criteria helps the agency fulfill Section 508 and ADA compliance standards and keeps users engaged and confident (rather than stuck or frustrated) when errors occur.
Accessibility Best Practice
Error messages should do more than just call out mistakes, they must be helpful. Include clear instructions and next steps for correcting the error. Test forms with assistive technology to ensure the messages are read correctly and understood.
5. Booz | Allen | Hamilton: Subtle Animations with Accessibility in Mind
The Booz | Allen | Hamilton site strikes a smart balance between visual design and usability. While the site includes sleek animations, they’re minimal and non-distracting — no flash movements or overwhelming motion. The AI company furthers accessibility by allowing users to pause animations, ensuring users stay in control of the experience.
These choices support WCAG Success Criterion 2.2.2: Pause, Stop, Hide and 2.3.1: Three Flashes or Below Threshold, which help protect users with cognitive disabilities or those who have seizure risks — all without sacrificing usability. This also positions the company well for ADA and Section 508 compliance.
Accessibility Best Practice
Keep animations simple, subtle, and easy to pause. Avoid autoplay and make sure all motion respects user preferences and works with keyboard navigation.
6. American Heart Association: Alt Text that Supports Every User
The American Heart Association (AHA) consistently uses descriptive alt text (also called alternative text) on all their images, allowing screen reader users or those with visual impairments or disabilities understand what’s being shown, even without seeing it. The use of alt text meets WCAG Success Criterion 1.1.1: Non Text Content, which requires alt text for all images.
With 18.5% of all home pages having missing alt text (according to WebAIM’s 2025 survey), the use of it throughout the AHA’s website decreases their legal risk and provides a more accessible experience for users.
Accessibility Best Practice
Add alt text to all non-text content, including images, graphs, charts, videos, and other multimedia content. Ensure the descriptions are accurate, concise, and provide helpful context — not just keywords.
7. Mastercard: Clear Navigation, Every Step of the Way
Wrapping up our list of accessible web design examples is Mastercard. Their use of descriptive navigation titles that remain consistent throughout the site lets users know exactly where they’re heading and what they can expect to find. For example, headers like “Find a Card That Fits You” or “Security Solutions for Businesses” provide much-needed clarity — especially for those using screen readers — and allow users to move through the site confidently.
Descriptive link text and consistent navigation fulfills WCAG Success Criterion 2.4.4: Link Purpose (In Context) and 3.2.3: Consistent Navigation, both of which are essential for users with cognitive or visual disabilities. It also sets the financial company up well for meeting ADA compliance requirements and other accessibility standards.
Accessibility Best Practice
Keep your navigation consistent and descriptive across all web pages to support clarity, reduce confusion, and create a smoother user journey.
Creating an ADA-compliant Website doesn’t Have to be Overwhelming — How AudioEye Can Help
The real-world examples above show that building an accessible, compliant website or other digital content isn’t about massive overhauls or complicated design choices. It starts with small, deliberate choices that follow WCAG guidelines. From keeping navigation consistent and adding alt text to images to creating a keyboard-friendly design and meaningful error messages, you’re well on your way to creating more accessible, compliant digital content.
Whether you’re starting with the basics or want to enhance your accessibility further, AudioEye can help. With our three-pronged approach to accessibility that combines automation, human-assisted AI technology, and testing during the development process, we help you achieve industry-leading compliance with accessibility standards. AudioEye also implements accessibility improvements continuously and instantly, allowing you to create an accessible, compliant website in half the time.
Ready to see where your digital content stands in terms of accessibility? Use our free Web Accessibility Checker (which scans for 32 WCAG violations — more than any other tool on the market) to get started.
Want to see how AudioEye helps you build accessible digital content right from the start? Schedule a demo to see our solution in action.
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