Leeds College of Building

The Client

A government client approached us with a critical need: their existing website was not compliant with accessibility standards, creating barriers for citizens with disabilities trying to access essential public services. As a public sector organisation, they faced risks of legal non-compliance under the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018. More importantly, they recognised they were excluding a segment of their community from vital digital services.

Like many public sector organisations, they understood that accessibility was a requirement, but meeting the standard felt like a “grey area” with many twists and turns. They needed a partner who could guide them through the process of transforming their site into a fully accessible, WCAG 2.2 AA–compliant platform.

Strategy and Implementation

Our approach combined automated testing, expert manual review, and a structured implementation plan to ensure comprehensive compliance.

1. Comprehensive Accessibility Audit

We began by running automated accessibility testing using industry-standard tools including Lighthouse, Axe, and WAVE. However, we knew automated tools only catch a fraction of accessibility issues. We complemented this with manual testing to identify problems automated scans often miss:

• Keyboard Navigation Testing: we navigated the entire site using only a keyboard to verify that all interactive elements were reachable and operable
• Screen Reader Testing: we tested with assistive technologies including NVDA and VoiceOver to validate the user experience for blind and visually impaired users
• Colour Contrast and Typography Review: we validated that all text met WCAG contrast ratios (4.5:1 minimum) and was readable at different zoom levels
• Form Accessibility Checks: we verified that forms had proper labels, error messaging, and a logical tab order

The audit revealed critical issues including missing alternative text on images, insufficient colour contrast, unlabelled form fields, and inaccessible PDFs. In one notable example, we identified a unused calendar that was completely inaccessible to screen reader users.

2. Semantic and Structural Fixes

With the audit findings in hand, we systematically addressed compliance gaps:

• Semantic HTML: we rebuilt templates with proper HTML5 elements (<nav>, <main>, <header>, <footer>) to provide structure that assistive technologies can understand
• Heading Hierarchy: we ensured headings followed a logical structure (H1 → H2 → H3) so screen readers could parse content meaningfully
• ARIA Landmarks: we added ARIA roles and landmarks for improved screen reader compatibility
• Focus Management: we corrected tab order so users could navigate forms and menus logically
• Link and Button Accessibility: we ensured interactive elements had appropriate focus states and were large enough to be easily tapped on mobile devices

3. Visual and Interactive Enhancements

We addressed visual accessibility barriers that affected all users:

• Applied WCAG-compliant colour contrast ratios to all text and UI elements
• Replaced image-only buttons with accessible HTML buttons styled via CSS
• Implemented skip navigation links for users relying on keyboard navigation or screen readers
• Ensured modal dialogs and dropdowns were keyboard and screen-reader accessible

4. Document and Media Remediation

Accessibility extends beyond the website itself:

• Converted legacy PDFs into accessible versions with proper tagging
• Added closed captions and transcripts to embedded videos
• Applied descriptive alternative text to images, avoiding redundancy or “image of” phrasing
• Tested forms with comprehensive error handling and descriptive feedback messages

5. Compliance Validation and Handover

We re-ran automated audits and conducted manual screen reader testing to validate all fixes. We delivered:

• A final accessibility compliance report with sign-off
• Training workshops for staff on accessible content authoring
• An accessibility roadmap to maintain compliance as standards evolve

The Result

Full Compliance Achieved

The website is now fully WCAG 2.2 AA compliant and accessible to all users, regardless of ability. The client eliminated compliance risks while delivering on their mission of inclusion and equity.

Improved User Experience for All

Accessibility improvements enhanced SEO and mobile usability, driving more engagement across the site. By adopting an “Accessibility-First” strategy, the client set a long-term standard for digital inclusion.

Organisational Momentum

The audit and remediation process provided momentum for wider accessibility efforts across the organisation. As seen in similar projects, achieving measurable progress against benchmarks helped restart internal conversations about accessibility and gave stakeholders the story they needed to push for change.

A Sustainable Foundation

With the redesigned site live, the client is already applying what they have learned to upcoming redesigns – this time with accessibility built in from the start. We provided training so internal teams can continue to maintain and improve accessibility as content and technology evolve.