Switch devices and Braille keyboards are other common accessibility technologies that allow people with various disabilities to participate on the web.
Accessible websites Your agency for accessible webdesign
Today, digital accessibility is not a “nice to have” - it is a must. Accessibility guarantees the accessibility of websites for everyone and also improves usability and SEO ranking. Because digital experiences are for everyone.
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Digital accessibility mandatory since 2025
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) makes digital accessibility mandatory for many companies and organizations. The law also recognizes the importance of the accessibility of digital platforms, which is why increasingly higher standards are being set not only in the public sector but also in the private sector. If you act early, you can avoid expensive improvements later on. Digital accessibility has already been a requirement for public institutions such as municipalities, ministries, universities, the post office, broadcasting etc. in the past. In Austria, the EEA will be implemented in the Accessibility Act (BaFG) from June 28, 2025. This will also make accessibility mandatory for
- Retail (e-commerce, B2C)
- Banks and financial services
- Telecommunications
- Media (streaming/media libraries)
- Transport services and travel providers
- Providers of digital books and content
- Digital administrative services
In general, if a consumer contract such as a purchase or appointment booking can be made on the website, the website must comply with the BaFG.
You can also find exciting insights into the new law from our accessibility expert in our blog post.
Is your digital service accessible?
If you have to answer “no” to at least one of these questions, we will be happy to support you with our accessibility audit to make your digital offering accessible.
- Does your website comply with the WACG guidelines?
- Is your website optimized for different input/output devices?
- Know the accessibility of all web components?
- Is your team trained and confident in dealing with digital accessibility?
Accessibility is more than just a requirement – it’s important to us
In the digital world, there still is an unfortunate perception in many places that accessibility is merely a recommendation and does not necessarily have to be taken into account. However, equal social and economic participation for people with disabilities is a human right. According to statistics, between 15 and 25 percent of all people are physically impaired or disabled permanently or at least once during their lives.
What barriers are there?
People with disabilities regularly encounter barriers online. Here are a few examples:
- Visually impaired people cannot read texts if the contrast between the font and background is too low.
- Blind people are dependent on so-called screen readers, which read the website or app to them. However, the digital application must also be optimized for screen readers. Images cannot be perceived if they have not been provided with alternative text.
- Deaf people cannot hear audio content unless it is accompanied by alternative text.
- Physically disabled people cannot use a computer mouse and are therefore dependent on the keyboard. They cannot navigate through a website or app in accordance with expectations if the navigation logic has not been technically defined.
- Mentally disabled people (e.g. with learning disabilities) cannot understand demanding texts with technical language, foreign words or long sentences if they are not available in plain language as an alternative.
- Elderly people with declining physical or mental capacity are also affected.
All people can be confronted with situational limitations (e.g. surroundings with bright sunlight, surroundings with an audio ban, foreign language, etc.).
Laws, guidelines and standards
The law also recognizes the importance of the accessibility of websites and other digital platforms, which is why increasingly higher standards are being set not only in the public but also in the private sector. The following laws apply in Austria:
- WZG (Web Accessibility Act)
- BGStG (Federal Disability Equality Act)
- BaFG (Accessibility Act, since 2025)
The following guidelines and standards (as amended) have been established for the specific evaluation of the legal implementation of digital content
- WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines with conformance levels A, AA and AAA)
- EN 301 549 (uropean standard “Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services”)
Many good reasons
Apart from legal protection, operators of accessible websites have a number of advantages:
- Extended target group: You reach more users, including people with disabilities and older people.
- Essential for some, useful for all: An accessible design is more intuitive and user-friendly for everyone.
- Strengthening the brand image: By clearly communicating accessibility, you demonstrate social responsibility and promote a positive corporate image.
- Search engine optimization (SEO): Accessible websites are more accessible to search engines.
- Legal certainty: You avoid legal risks by complying with legal requirements at an early stage.
Accessible design is better for everyone. Example: Clear forms.
Accessibility is a team sport.
Perfect accessibility requires one thing above all: a strong team for all disciplines: concept, design, editing and technical implementation.
Our services in the area of accessibility
We prefer to think about accessibility from day one: in the requirements, concept, design and technical implementation. Nevertheless, it is never too late to make an existing website or app accessible. Our team also has the necessary expertise in every discipline. Here is an overview of our services:
Use of artificial intelligence (AI) – innovation for inclusion
AI opens up new ways to proactively break down digital barriers and make content more widely accessible. We use the potential of AI specifically for:
- Maximum comprehensibility: Automated translation of complex texts into plain language.
- Accessible media formats: AI-generated subtitles, audio descriptions for video/audio content.
- Conveying visual information: Automatic, meaningful image descriptions (alt texts) for screen readers.
- Intuitive interaction: AI-based, accessible chatbots as alternative navigation and information paths.
- Efficient barrier identification: Automated analyses of websites for technical hurdles (contrasts, code, navigation) to ensure WCAG compliance.
Our motto is “It’s all about the user”, and by that we really mean all users.
Hans Auer.
Managing Director, Design, Project Managemant
