Accessibility Interview Questions

Master inclusive design principles and WCAG compliance for accessible technology

WCAG 2.1 Guidelines Overview

The Four Principles of Accessibility (POUR)

Perceivable

Information must be presentable in ways users can perceive through their available senses

Operable

Interface components must be operable by all users regardless of their abilities

Understandable

Information and UI operation must be understandable to all users

Robust

Content must be robust enough to work with various assistive technologies

WCAG Conformance Levels

Level A: Minimum level of accessibility
Level AA: Standard level for most organizations (legal requirement in many jurisdictions)
Level AAA: Highest level, typically not required for entire websites

Common Accessibility Interview Questions

Fundamental Concepts

  • "What is web accessibility and why is it important?"
  • "Explain the difference between accessibility and usability."
  • "What are the main types of disabilities that affect web usage?"
  • "How do you test for accessibility compliance?"
  • "What is the business case for accessibility?"

Technical Implementation

  • "How do you implement proper heading structure for screen readers?"
  • "What are ARIA labels and when should you use them?"
  • "How do you ensure keyboard navigation works properly?"
  • "What is the minimum color contrast ratio for WCAG AA compliance?"
  • "How do you make forms accessible to assistive technology?"
Example: Accessible Form Implementation
<label for="email">Email Address *</label>
<input type="email" id="email" name="email" required
       aria-describedby="email-error">
<div id="email-error" role="alert" aria-live="polite">
  Please enter a valid email address
</div>

Assistive Technology Knowledge

Screen Reader Compatibility

  • "How do screen readers interpret web content?"
  • "What is the difference between NVDA, JAWS, and VoiceOver?"
  • "How do you test with screen readers?"
  • "What are skip links and why are they important?"
  • "How do you make dynamic content accessible to screen readers?"

Other Assistive Technologies

  • "How do voice recognition software users navigate websites?"
  • "What considerations are needed for switch navigation?"
  • "How do eye-tracking devices work with web interfaces?"
  • "What are the requirements for magnification software compatibility?"
  • "How do you design for users with cognitive disabilities?"

Design and UX Accessibility

Visual Design Considerations

  • "How do you design for users with color blindness?"
  • "What are the requirements for focus indicators?"
  • "How do you ensure sufficient color contrast?"
  • "What font sizes and spacing are recommended for accessibility?"
  • "How do you design accessible icons and graphics?"

Interaction Design

  • "How do you design accessible navigation menus?"
  • "What are the requirements for touch target sizes?"
  • "How do you handle time-based content accessibly?"
  • "What considerations are needed for modal dialogs?"
  • "How do you design accessible data tables?"

Color Contrast Requirements

• Normal text: 4.5:1 contrast ratio (AA) or 7:1 (AAA)
• Large text (18pt+ or 14pt+ bold): 3:1 (AA) or 4.5:1 (AAA)
• Non-text elements: 3:1 contrast ratio
• Use tools like WebAIM's contrast checker for verification

Testing and Quality Assurance

Automated Testing Tools

  • "What are the limitations of automated accessibility testing?"
  • "Which tools do you use for accessibility auditing?"
  • "How do you integrate accessibility testing into CI/CD pipelines?"
  • "What is the role of browser extensions in accessibility testing?"
  • "How do you prioritize accessibility issues found by automated tools?"

Manual Testing Approaches

  • "How do you perform keyboard-only navigation testing?"
  • "What is the process for screen reader testing?"
  • "How do you test with users who have disabilities?"
  • "What should you check when testing color and contrast?"
  • "How do you validate ARIA implementation?"

Legal and Compliance Aspects

Accessibility Laws and Standards

  • "What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and how does it apply to digital products?"
  • "Explain Section 508 compliance requirements."
  • "What is the European Accessibility Act?"
  • "How do you ensure compliance with AODA (Ontario) requirements?"
  • "What are the consequences of non-compliance with accessibility laws?"

Documentation and Reporting

  • "How do you create an accessibility statement?"
  • "What should be included in an accessibility audit report?"
  • "How do you track and measure accessibility improvements?"
  • "What documentation is needed for legal compliance?"
  • "How do you communicate accessibility requirements to stakeholders?"

Scenario-Based Questions

Problem-Solving Scenarios

  • "A user reports that they cannot access a dropdown menu with their keyboard. How do you investigate and fix this?"
  • "Your team wants to use a color-only system for status indicators. How do you make this accessible?"
  • "A complex data visualization needs to be made accessible. What approaches would you take?"
  • "You discover that your site's main navigation is not working with screen readers. What steps do you take?"
  • "How would you make a video player accessible to users with various disabilities?"

Approaching Accessibility Scenarios

1. Identify the specific accessibility barriers
2. Consider multiple disability types that might be affected
3. Reference relevant WCAG guidelines
4. Propose both immediate fixes and long-term solutions
5. Suggest testing methods to validate the solution

Best Practices and Implementation

Development Best Practices

  • Use semantic HTML elements appropriately
  • Implement proper heading hierarchy (h1-h6)
  • Provide alternative text for images and graphics
  • Ensure all interactive elements are keyboard accessible
  • Use ARIA attributes only when necessary
  • Test with actual assistive technology users

Team Integration Strategies

  • Include accessibility requirements in user stories
  • Conduct accessibility reviews in design phases
  • Provide accessibility training for all team members
  • Establish accessibility testing protocols
  • Create accessibility guidelines and documentation
  • Involve users with disabilities in the design process

Ready to Champion Accessibility in Your Organization?

Master accessibility principles and create inclusive digital experiences for everyone

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