Digital Accessibility Watch December-January 2026

And there we go! Another year of A11y monitoring...

The single government portal for non-conformity statements or requests for exemptions from digital accessibility obligations is finally here, and it's "normally" mandatory (fr): https://demarche.numerique.gouv.fr/commencer/exemption-accessibilite-num.

The upcoming version of the digital accessibility guidelines (WCAG 3) is progressing, but slowly: https://html5accessibility.com/stuff/2026/01/16/last-week-in-wai-3/.

On a completely different note, Paris Web 2026: here are the first announcements from this essential conference: https://www.paris-web.fr/actualites/2026/01/en-route-vers-la-21e-edition.

I also wanted to mention Dennis Deacon's monumental work on how to test WCAG 2.2, a real bible: https://www.dennisdeacon.com/category/web/accessibility/.

Accessibility in Laws, Standards, and Guidelines #

• The interactive French legal framework from our friends at Idéance (fr): https://obligations-legales-accessibilite-numerique.fr/fr/
• Overlays and German auditor, again...: https://chrisyoong.com/blog/germany-rejects-accessibility-overlays-for-eaa-compliance

Accessibility Implementation Strategy #

• A11y and the media (fr): https://www.24joursdeweb.fr/2025/quand-l-obligation-legale-rejoint-la-mission-des-medias-d-informer-tous-les-publics
• Design systems and a11y, some ideas (fr): https://www.24joursdeweb.fr/2025/le-design-system-de-la-fabrique-de-
• The race for numbers, or compliance percentages: https://buttondown.com/access-ability/archive/dont-fall-into-the-accessibility-gradescore-trap/
• Create a sustainable a11y program: https://equalentry.com/accessibility-program-sustainability/
• Compliance and a11y accessibility (fr): https://www.24joursdeweb.fr/2025/n-opposons-pas-conformite-et-accessibilite
• Use the DAMM (Digital Accessibility Maturity Model): https://www.last-child.com/using-maturity-models.html
• Which continuous improvement method for a11y accessibility: https://buttondown.com/access-ability/archive/what-continuous-improvement-model-is-best-for/
• Integrate a11y accessibility as a basic requirement: https://michaelharshbarger.com/insights/accessibility-core-requirement.html

Testing Accessibility #

• Be wary of automated tools, even for digital documents: https://access42.net/accessibilite-documents-bureautiques-outils-tests-automatiques/
• WCAG 2.5.6 AAA test method for concurrent input mechanisms: https://www.dennisdeacon.com/web/accessibility/testing-methods-concurrent-input-mechanisms/
• Explanation of WCAG 1.4.5 text overlays: https://chrisyoong.com/blog/germany-rejects-accessibility-overlays-for-eaa-compliance
• 5 tests you can run on any component: https://zeroheight.com/blog/5-accessibility-checks-to-run-on-every-component/
• Yet another reason to Don't rely too heavily on automated testing tools; shadow DOM and a11y tools: https://matuzo.at/blog/2024/automated-testing-tools-and-web-components
• Tester 2.4.11 Focus not hidden: https://tarnoff.info/2025/12/08/a11y-101-2-4-11-focus-not-obscured-minimum/

Technical points #

• Ways to hide content and a11y: https://www.maxdesign.com.au/articles/hidden-content.html
• A comprehensive overview of data tables, worth reading (fr): https://www.24joursdeweb.fr/2025/des-tableaux-de-donnees-complexes-accessibles-c-est-possible
• Accessing the shadow DOM (fr): https://www.24joursdeweb.fr/2025/prendre-en-compte-les-web-components-dans-vos-scripts
• WCAG Compliance: https://yatil.net/blog/meeting-wcag-is-an-achievement
• The HTML time element: https://nolanlawson.com/2025/12/14/the-time-element-should-actually-do-something/
• The hidden attribute="until-found", it can be useful (fr): https://www.alsacreations.com/astuce/lire/1975-L039attribut-hidden-until-found.html
• First ARIA rule: https://www.htmhell.dev/adventcalendar/2025/10/
• Math formula and a11y: https://www.htmhell.dev/adventcalendar/2025/12/
• A short, effective course in web semantics: https://www.htmhell.dev/adventcalendar/2025/19/
• Complex tables and a11y (fr): https://www.24joursdeweb.fr/2025/des-tableaux-de-donnees-complexes-accessibles-c-est-possible
• Titles and a11y (fr): https://www:.24joursdeweb.fr/2025/title-ce-faux-ami-de-l-accessibilite
• Important points on the a11y DOM: https://www.maxdesign.com.au/articles/assumptions.html
• Text fields and a11y: https://inklusivo.nl/blog/accessible-text-field-anatomy/
• List style: none and a11y: https://www.maxdesign.com.au/articles/lists.html
• Two articles to read together, all about aria-labelledby: https://www.maxdesign.com.au/articles/aria-labelledby.html and https://www.maxdesign.com.au/articles/test-cases-labelledby-describeby.html
• Shadow DOM and browser display: https://www.maxdesign.com.au/articles/the-shadow-dom.html

User Experience, User Interface #

• Reading a VPAT, Voluntary Product Accessibility Template: https://adrianroselli.com/2026/01/how-i-evaluate-an-acr-vpat.html
• ARIA yes, but only if needed: https://www.maxdesign.com.au/articles/role-button.html
• Compliance and a11y (fr): https://www.24joursdeweb.fr/2025/n-opposons-pas-conformite-et-accessibilite
• Aria-busy is not robust: https://gerardkcohen.me/writing/2025/aria-busy-not-your-friend.html
• Shadow DOM and a11y: https://gomakethings.com/death-to-the-shadow-dom/
• Good subtitles for the hearing impaired (fr): https://access42.net/interview-celine-ripolles-traductrice-sous-titreuse-accessibilite/
• More about the shadow DOM: https://gomakethings.com/no-seriously-the-shadow-dom-sucks/
• A11y at Decathlon (fr): https://www.24joursdeweb.fr/2025/le-marathon-de-l-accessibilite-numerique-chez-decathlon
• When you're affected, you see things differently (fr): https://www.24joursdeweb.fr/2025/comment-ma-cataracte-a-modifie-mon-approche-de-l-accessibilite
• Auditing a11y in a constrained environment (fr): https://www.24joursdeweb.fr/2025/comment-auditer-en-environnement-restreint
• Image alt text is human-like: https://a11ywithdiana.substack.com/p/alt-text-when-real-life-is-more-nuanced

Mobile app, mobile web #

• Mobile apps and EN 301549 v4.1.0: https://abra.ai/blog/mobile-app-accessibility-en-301-549-v4-1-0

Technical Aids #

• Feeding screen readers enough: https://www.htmhell.dev/adventcalendar/2025/17/
• 2 articles to read together on screen reader speech queues: https://www.maxdesign.com.au/articles/understanding-speech-queues.html and https://www.maxdesign.com.au/articles/more-about-speech-queues.html

Ergonomics, UI & UX #

• Annotating your designs for accessibility: https://zeroheight.com/blog/how-to-annotate-design-system-components-for-accessibility/
• ADHD and UX: https://www.tamarasredojevic.com/fr/writing/tdah-accessibilite-numerique-sonia-prevost
• Designing for the hearing impaired: https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2025/12/how-design-for-with-deaf-people/
• Main barriers in the digital world for people with cognitive disabilities: https://makeitfable.com/community-content/common-cognitive-barriers-in-digital-experiences/

AI #

• Building a specific AI agent for a11y, neat: https://www.last-child.com/build-ai-brain-a11y.html
• Improving a11y and learning through AI-generated transcripts: https://aijourn.com/from-video-to-text-how-ai-transcription-improves-accessibility-and-learning/
• Inaccessible download links: https://blindaccessjournal.com/2025/12/when-download-links-arent-links-a-critical-accessibility-failure-in-ai-tools-blind-people-depend-on/
• Building AI around a11y: https://www.last-child.com/build-ai-brain-a11y.html

Resources #

• How to add audio descriptions for YouTube: https://www.3playmedia.com/blog/how-to-add-audio-description-to-youtube-videos/
• Points to implement to be more inclusive and a11y: https://myblurredworld.com/2026/01/04/26-actions-you-can-take-to-create-inclusion-in-2026/
• A study equivalent to Web Millions for a high-level overview of a11y: https://almanac.httparchive.org/en/2025/accessibility
• Misconceptions about WCAG: https://tetralogical.com/blog/2025/12/10/common-misconceptions-about-wcag/
• How a11y helps women, an interesting perspective: https://a11ywithdiana.substack.com/p/how-web-accessibility-specifically
• Misconceptions about a11y implementation: https://tetralogical.com/blog/2025/12/18/common-misconceptions-about-implementing-accessibility/
• Misconceptions about a11y tests: https://tetralogical.com/blog/2026/01/07/common-misconceptions-about-testing-accessibility/
• Nothing is completely accessible: https://adrianroselli.com/2025/12/you-cant-make-something-accessible-to-everyone.html
• A11y carousel (fr): https://www.24joursdeweb.fr/2025/concevoir-et-developper-un-carrousel-accessible-aux-personnes-handicapees
• Designing a responsible digital service (fr): https://www.24joursdeweb.fr/2025/concevoir-un-service-numerique-responsable-dans-une-organisation-produit
• Well-known products of inclusive design: https://makeitfable.com/article/accessibility-is-the-origin-of-human-centered-design/
• Some predictions for 2026:
  • https://webaim.org/blog/2026-predictions/
  • https://buttondown.com/access-ability/archive/five-accessibility-trends-to-watch-in-2026/
• A tool that tests WCAG 2.2 and APCA contrasts (method for calculating future AG 3): https://mgifford.github.io/contrast-plus/

Other #

• A quizz about a11y, nice: https://www.accessionaire.com/
• Trump administration and a11y, sad: https://zeldman.com/2025/12/13/accessibility-is-a-human-right-cruelty-a-human-wrong/
• Misconceptions about disability: https://tetralogical.com/blog/2025/12/03/common-misconceptions-about-disability/
• Products designed for people with disabilities but useful for everyone, very interesting (fr): https://emmanuelle-aboaf.netlify.app/blog/article/quand-les-innovations-pensees-pour-les-personnes-handicapees-deviennent-universelles
• Recruiting people with disabilities: https://hrreview.co.uk/analysis/analysis-diversity/henny-swan-accessible-recruitment-is-everyones-business/38438