The Equality Edit – So, What’s the Big Deal with Web Accessibility Anyway? with Joe Collett

 Esi Hardy (Host): 

Hello and welcome to The Equality Edit. I’m Esi Hardy. This is the podcast where we unpack equality one story at a time. 

I’ll introduce today’s guest, Joe, in a moment. Joe and I first connected earlier this year when he built a brilliant new website for Celebrating Disability. We also bonded over our mutual admiration for Brian Butterfield and his “top tips” for business leaders so let’s see if Joe can match him today. What do you think, Joe? 

Joe (Guest): 

I’ll give it my best shot we’ll see how it goes! 

Esi: 

Perfect. Joe, over to you. Please introduce yourself and tell us what you do. 

Joe: 

I’m Joe a web designer and developer. I’ve been in the industry for over a decade, moving from junior web designer to UI team lead and then development manager. A couple of years ago, my life changed in a positive way, which led me to create Squee, a company focused on website accessibility and inclusive design. That’s also how you and I connected, Esi through a shared commitment to inclusion. 

Esi: 

Exactly. Let’s talk about web accessibility, what is it, and why does it matter? 

Joe: 

For me, web accessibility means designing and building websites that as many people as possible can use, including disabled people. Why it matters: in the UK, around 1 in 4 people are disabled; globally it’s about 1.3 billion. With that many people, accessibility should be a priority. 

Yet a WebAIM annual study of the top one million websites found 96% had significant accessibility issues. That’s a lot of barriers. There’s also the Purple Pound, inaccessible websites are estimated to cost UK businesses nearly £20 billion a year. So this isn’t only a social imperative; it’s a strong business case. 

Esi: 

That figure is huge, and it tracks with what I’ve seen. Before working with you, I asked previous developers to make my site accessible. They said they were doing it, but it became clear they weren’t. It showed me that while we might not be technical experts, we still need to know enough to ask the right questions and check the basics. 

Joe: 

Completely. Even many developers aren’t taught accessibility in depth. That’s why simple checks are useful. One I recommend is the Tab Test. Load your site, press Tab, and watch what happens. Ideally you’ll first see a “Skip to main content” link. Keep tabbing: can you see where focus is? Can you open the menu with Enter or Space and move through it with the keyboard? If it works via keyboard, it’s more likely to work better with screen readers. 

Esi: 

I tried VoiceOver on my Mac recently. I did the tutorial and then navigated a site, it was hard. That experience really brought home how one broken element can stop someone from using your website altogether. 

Joe: 

Exactly. Proper structure matters: headings in order, correct landmarks, meaningful link text, and semantic HTML. Screen readers rely on that structure. If it’s wrong, navigation becomes confusing or impossible. 

Esi: 

At one point, someone emailed me to say my site fell short on accessibility. The previous developer’s response was, “No one else has complained.” Of course they haven’t, people who face barriers can’t get far enough to complain. It was a wake, up call. 

Joe: 

Right, and many people will simply leave rather than report issues. Analytics won’t tell you who’s using a screen reader or navigating by keyboard, so you can’t rely on that to measure impact. We need to assume those users are there and build for them. 

Esi: 

And we need to remember: things we didn’t know before aren’t our fault, but they are our responsibility to act on. What can non, developers do today to improve their website or brief their developers better? 

Joe: 

Two buckets: manual checks and automated checks. 

Manual checks: 

• Keyboard/Tab Test: Ensure visible focus, operable menus, and forms. 

• Colour Contrast: The most common issue. Test foreground vs background (e.g., button text vs button colour) with a contrast checker. 

• Forms & Labels: Each input needs a proper, coded label. Clicking the label should move focus into the input. Placeholder text alone isn’t enough. 

Automated checks: 

Use reputable automated tools as a guide. They won’t catch everything, but they’ll flag many common issues and help you prioritise fixes. 

Esi: 

We’ll link to the tools Joe mentioned in the show notes, and to Joe’s blog on Celebrating Disability that walks through practical checks. Now, Joe, you mentioned a personal turning point that led to Squee. Will you share that story? 

Joe: 

Of course. After my daughter Eloise was born, we received a post, birth diagnosis of a very rare form of Down syndrome. Those early days were full of mixed emotions and, looking back, I can see how ableist assumptions, social ones and my own, shaped our reactions. We connected with a local Down syndrome charity, found peer support, and learned a lot. Eloise later had successful heart surgery and is thriving. 

That experience made me reflect on how I wanted to use my skills. I’m passionate about web design, so I focused my career on accessibility, to help make the web more inclusive for my daughter and for everyone. 

Esi: 

Thank you for sharing that. Peer support is powerful. We’ll include your partner’s Instagram account in the show notes for new parents who want real lived experience. 

Back to accessibility: what’s the bigger picture, especially around compliance and legislation? 

Joe: 

In the UK, the Equality Act applies to digital services, so websites should not discriminate against disabled people. Public sector sites must meet WCAG 2.1 AA. Beyond that, the European Accessibility Act is a major development. It applies across the EU, and even UK businesses serving EU consumers may need to comply, especially as they scale. Regardless of thresholds, it’s smart to embed accessibility now. Retrofitting later is more expensive than designing accessibly from the start. 

Esi: 

Agreed. Embedding accessible practices today builds capability, reduces future costs, and serves customers better, now and as you grow. 

Joe: 

Exactly. Start small and build habits: write meaningful alt text, check contrast, structure headings, keep link text descriptive (“Contact us” beats “Click here”). Even on social: go easy on emojis. Screen readers read them aloud, which can disrupt comprehension, especially if used as bullet points. If you use them, place them at the end of a sentence, not mid, flow. 

Esi: 

Noted! Finally, who influences your work? 

Joe: 

My biggest influence is Eloise. Professionally, I’ve learned from mentors early in my career, and from accessibility leaders like Leonie Watson (W3C). Organisations such as WebAIM and AbilityNet have fantastic resources. And, Esi, working with you, and others in the inclusion space, has sharpened my thinking on language, communication, and practice. 

Esi: 

Thank you, Joe. Where can people find you? 

Joe: 

Find me at squee.design and on LinkedIn as Joe Colette and Squee Web Design. I’m always happy to chat accessibility. 

Esi: 

Brilliant. Joe, thanks for joining us. And thanks to everyone listening and watching. See you next time on The Equality Edit. Bye!