Accessible Development Skills

Build accessible applications from the ground up

Semantic

HTML

Modern

Frameworks

High Demand

Skill

What is Accessible Development?

Accessible development is the practice of writing code that creates inclusive, usable experiences for people with disabilities. Accessible developers understand how assistive technologies work and implement WCAG requirements at the code level.

Accessible developers go beyond basic HTML to implement proper semantic structure, ARIA attributes, keyboard navigation, focus management, and other accessibility features. They understand how screen readers interpret code and ensure their implementations work correctly with assistive technologies.

The role requires deep knowledge of HTML semantics, ARIA specifications, JavaScript accessibility patterns, and framework-specific accessibility features. Accessible developers work closely with designers and testers to ensure that accessibility requirements are properly implemented.

With the increasing focus on digital accessibility compliance, accessible developers are in high demand. Organizations need developers who can build accessible products from the start, not fix accessibility issues after the fact.

Core Development Skills

Semantic HTML

Using proper HTML elements that convey meaning to assistive technologies.

Proper heading hierarchy (h1, h2, h3, etc.)
Semantic elements (nav, main, article, section, aside, footer)
Form elements with proper labels (label, input, select, textarea)
List elements (ul, ol, dl) for lists
Table elements (table, thead, tbody, th, td) with proper structure
Button vs anchor: Use button for actions, anchor for navigation

ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications)

Using ARIA to enhance accessibility when HTML isn't sufficient.

Roles: Define element purpose (button, dialog, menu, etc.)
States: aria-expanded, aria-selected, aria-checked, aria-disabled
Properties: aria-label, aria-labelledby, aria-describedby
Live Regions: aria-live for dynamic content announcements
Landmarks: aria-label for landmark regions
Use ARIA sparingly - prefer semantic HTML when possible

Focus Management

Ensuring keyboard users can navigate and interact with all functionality.

Logical tab order (follow visual order)
Visible focus indicators on all interactive elements
Skip links for main content
Focus traps for modals and dialogs
Focus management for dynamic content (return focus after closing modals)
No keyboard traps (users must be able to navigate away)

Keyboard Events

Implementing keyboard shortcuts and keyboard-accessible interactions.

Standard keyboard shortcuts (Enter, Space, Arrow keys)
Custom keyboard shortcuts (document and allow users to disable)
Keyboard navigation for custom components (dropdowns, menus, carousels)
Escape key to close modals and dialogs
Arrow key navigation for lists and grids

Forms & Inputs

Creating accessible form experiences.

Proper label association (label for, aria-label, aria-labelledby)
Error messages with aria-describedby
Required field indicators (aria-required, visual indicators)
Fieldset and legend for grouped inputs
Input types (email, tel, url, number, etc.) for appropriate keyboards
Autocomplete attributes for form autofill

Framework-Specific Skills

React Accessibility

React Aria: Adobe's accessible component library
Focus Management: useRef, useEffect for focus control
Event Handlers: onClick, onKeyDown for keyboard support
Portals: ReactDOM.createPortal for modals
Accessible Components: Building reusable accessible components
Testing: @testing-library/react for accessible testing

Angular Accessibility

CDK A11y Module: Angular's accessibility toolkit
Focus Trap: cdkTrapFocus directive
ARIA Directives: Built-in ARIA support
Live Announcer: For screen reader announcements
Accessible Forms: Reactive forms with proper labels

Vue Accessibility

Accessible Vue: Vue accessibility patterns
v-focus: Focus management directive
ARIA Attributes: Binding ARIA in templates
Event Handling: @keydown, @keyup for keyboard support

Career Path & Salary Expectations

Accessible developers are in extremely high demand:

Salary Ranges (2025)

Junior Developer: $70,000-$95,000
Mid-Level Developer: $95,000-$130,000
Senior Developer: $130,000-$180,000
Lead Developer: $160,000-$220,000

Career Opportunities

Frontend development teams
Accessibility-focused companies
Enterprise development teams
Consulting firms

Critical Skill: Every development team needs accessibility expertise
Career Growth: Accessibility skills open doors to senior and lead roles
Remote Opportunities: Many accessible development roles are remote-friendly

Find Development Jobs

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Last Updated: January 2025