digital accessibility
Accessibility is not a one-time goal—it’s a continuous process. It takes awareness, ongoing updates, and a shared commitment.
Dopstart supports you at every step: from the first audit to the final accessibility statement, offering a free initial consultation. Start today.
Digital accessibility is now a real responsibility for all organizations working online, whether public or private. It’s not just about legal compliance, but about the desire to deliver inclusive, barrier-free digital experiences. Whether you’re a designer, developer, communication manager, or business owner, knowing how to start making your website accessible is the first step toward building a fairer digital space for everyone.
In this article, you’ll find clear guidance on obligations, best practices, tools, and resources to help you start building a strong and compliant accessibility strategy.
Digital accessibility refers to the ability of websites, apps, digital documents, and services to be usable by everyone, including people with permanent or temporary disabilities. It ensures that digital content can be perceived, understood, navigated, and interacted with by all users, regardless of physical or cognitive limitations.
Blind users rely on screen readers. Always provide meaningful alt text.
<img src="team-photo.jpg" alt="Team of Dopstart at work">
Form fields must be clearly labeled for accessibility.
<label for="name">Full Name</label>
<input type="text" id="name" name="name">
Ensure elements are keyboard-focusable. Use semantic elements or define roles properly.
<button >Or for custom buttons:
<div role="button" tabindex="0" >Use a minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio for body text as per WCAG recommendations.
Not accessible:
color: #bbb;
background-color: #eee;
Accessible:
color: #000;
background-color: #ffffff;
The legal framework: The Stanca Law
Italy’s approach to digital accessibility is based on Law no. 4 of January 9, 2004, known as the Stanca Law. It requires all public sector websites and services to be accessible to people with disabilities.
Key principle:
“Everyone has the right to access digital public services, including persons with disabilities.”
AGID (Agency for Digital Italy) is responsible for:
The AGID Guidelines on accessibility are aligned with WCAG 2.1, and apply to:
Mandatory compliance in Italy: at least WCAG 2.1 level AA
All public entities must publish a digital accessibility statement which includes:
Example: https://form.agid.gov.it
To comply with AGID, attached documents must be accessible. An accessible PDF must:
Use tools like Adobe Acrobat Pro, LibreOffice, or Microsoft Word Accessibility Checker.
Until recently, digital accessibility was mostly considered a responsibility of public administrations. But since 2022, private companies have also come under specific legal obligations.
Following the EU Directive 2019/882, Italy implemented this regulation via Legislative Decree 82/2022. It extends digital accessibility obligations to large private companies offering essential public services online.
According to AGID’s Accessibility Guidelines for Private Entities, the following businesses are obligated:
Examples include:
These companies must:
Accessibility is now a legal requirement, not just a best practice.
This marks a turning point: digital accessibility becomes a part of corporate legal compliance, like data protection or cybersecurity.
Accessibility also:
An insurance provider over the revenue threshold must ensure:
AGID and Italian regulators can perform audits and apply administrative sanctions for:
If your business falls under these requirements—or you want to get ahead of the law—Dopstart offers a free consultation and full support in achieving technical and legal compliance.
Digital accessibility starts with inclusive design. It’s not just about complying with WCAG standards through code—it’s about thinking accessibly from the first wireframe.
Accessible interfaces:
1. Color contrast
Ensure text stands out clearly from its background.
CSS Example:
body {
color: #000;
background-color: #fff;
}
Aim for at least a 4.5:1 contrast ratio for body text.2. Readable typography
Avoid small or overly stylized fonts. Stick to sans-serif fonts and ensure line height is adequate.
body {
font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;
font-size: 16px;
line-height: 1.6;
}3. Logical structure and keyboard navigation
Design with semantic HTML and ensure users can navigate using the keyboard alone.
<header>...</header>
<nav>...</nav>
<main>...</main>
<footer>...</footer>
4. Clickable and clearly labeled buttons
Make sure all clickable areas are large enough and have clear labels.
<a href="/contact" class="button">Contact Us</a>
cssCopiaModifica.button {
padding: 0.75rem 1.5rem;
font-size: 1rem;
} 5. Visual and textual feedback
Users should receive immediate feedback on their actions, including form errors or successful submissions.
<p role="alert">Email is required.</p>
Italy’s AGID Design Guidelines for digital public services define:
Thinking inclusively pays off. It improves the user experience for everyone, reduces drop-off rates, enhances SEO, and builds trust in your brand.
In an increasingly digital world, excluding 20% of the population means missing out, ethically and economically. Ensuring web accessibility is not just a compliance issue—it’s a strategic move.
Making your website accessible isn’t a one-time task—it’s a continuous process of improvement. Whether building a new site or updating an existing one, digital accessibility starts with awareness, structure, and the right tools.
Start by identifying existing barriers:
Useful tools:
Check your website against WCAG 2.1, targeting Level AA for legal compliance.
Example:
<img src="banner.jpg" alt="Team of Dopstart working together">Avoid generic <div> and <span> for structure. Use:
<header>, <nav>, <main>, <section>, <footer>
Example:
<main>
<section>
<h1>About Us</h1>
<p>Welcome to our website...</p>
</section>
</main>
Make sure all elements are focusable and usable with the keyboard (Tab, Enter, Arrow keys).
<div role="button" tabindex="0" >Label every input field clearly:
<label for="email">Email address</label>
<input type="email" id="email" name="email" required>Make sure your PDFs and other documents are:
If you’re a public organization or required by law, submit your accessibility statement on form.agid.gov.it.
Accessibility is a design culture. Educate your content creators, developers, and designers. Review accessibility regularly.
If your organization needs to improve its website’s web accessibility, Dopstart offers a free initial consultation. We support public and private entities through every step: audits, design, development, testing, and compliance verification with AGID accessibility guidelines. Get in touch to build a truly inclusive digital experience.
Ready to make your website more accessible and WCAG-compliant?
Download the Dopstart checklist, with all the key steps in Italian and English to start improving your site’s accessibility today.
1. What does digital accessibility mean?
The ability of websites, apps, and digital tools to be used by anyone, including those with disabilities.
2. What is the Stanca Law?
The Italian law that enforces digital accessibility for public sector websites.
3. Are private companies required to comply?
Yes, if they meet certain criteria and provide essential services digitally.
4. What are the WCAG levels?
Three levels: A, AA, AAA. Italian law requires level AA.
5. What is an accessibility statement?
A document outlining a site’s accessibility level and any non-compliant areas.
6. What is AGID’s role?
AGID sets the accessibility rules and monitors public website compliance.
7. How do you test a website for accessibility?
With automatic validators, manual checks, and assistive technology testing.
8. Is accessibility useful for everyone?
Absolutely—it benefits users with or without disabilities.
9. What’s the difference between accessibility and usability?
Accessibility is about inclusion; usability is about ease of use.
10. Can Dopstart help make my site accessible?
Yes, we provide full support, starting with a free consultation.
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