Understanding ICT Accessibility: Standards, Requirements, and Best Practices

Author: Level Access

Information and communication technology (ICT) accessibility is the practice of designing websites, software, documents, hardware, and other digital technologies to ensure equal access for people with disabilities.

From banking and shopping to work and education, ICT shapes how people access everyday services.

When these technologies aren’t accessible, routine tasks can become difficult, time-consuming, or impossible for people with disabilities. For example, a website menu that only works with a mouse can prevent keyboard users from reaching important pages, while poorly labeled fields in an online banking form can make it difficult for a screen reader user to complete a payment.

Inaccessible ICT can also carry commercial and regulatory consequences. Laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the European Accessibility Act (EAA), and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act set accessibility requirements for ICT.

Depending on the applicable law and jurisdiction, organizations that fail to meet these requirements may face enforcement action, including financial penalties or restrictions on selling certain products and services.

Even without a direct legal obligation, inaccessible ICT can damage customer relationships, restrict access to regulated markets, and leave people with disabilities unable to use products and services effectively.

This article covers what ICT accessibility includes, which standards and laws apply, and five steps you can take to build accessibility into the technology you create, buy, and maintain.

Key insights

• Information and communication technology (ICT) accessibility means ensuring ICT—such as websites, software, documents, and hardware—meets the different accessibility needs of users with disabilities.
• Accessibility requirements vary by market. In the European Union, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) applies to certain products and services. In the U.S., the ADA sets obligations for covered organizations, while Section 508 applies to ICT that federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use.
• The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide technical criteria for web accessibility, while Section 508 and EN 301 549 include additional requirements for broader ICT. Which requirements apply depends on the organization, technology, and market.
• Building and maintaining accessible ICT takes more than a one-off or occasional check. It combines automated testing, expert manual review, assistive technology testing, remediation, and ongoing governance.

What is information and communication technology (ICT) accessibility?

Information and communication technology (ICT) refers to the technology people use to create, store, display, receive, or share electronic information.

Accessible ICT is designed to work for a wide range of users, including people with disabilities. Building accessibility into ICT helps people with disabilities access information, complete tasks, and use products and services independently.

ICT can cover a wide range of technologies. The U.S. Access Board defines ICT broadly to include web pages, mobile applications, software, electronic documents, telecommunications equipment, and self-service technology such as kiosks and transaction machines. In Europe, EN 301 549 applies a similarly broad definition, covering ICT products and services from websites and software to hardware and self-service terminals.

Different standards provide accessibility requirements for ICT across markets. In the U.S., the Access Board and General Services Administration support federal agencies in meeting Section 508 requirements, while EN 301 549 sets accessibility requirements for ICT products and services in Europe.

Why ICT accessibility matters

An estimated 1.3 billion people globally live with disabilities and this number is expected to rise as populations age.

Technology is part of everyday life, from finding work and accessing education to arranging healthcare and managing finances. When ICT isn’t accessible, these everyday tasks can become harder to complete independently, limiting privacy, choice, and equal access.

In fact, ICT accessibility is recognized internationally as a human rights issue. Article 9 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities regards access to information, communications, and related technologies as part of full participation in society.

Accessibility is also a legal and commercial requirement in many markets. Laws including the ADA, Section 508, and the European Accessibility Act set requirements for different organizations, products, and services.

There are commercial stakes, as well. Inaccessible ICT can affect procurement, customer access, and market entry. Public-sector and enterprise buyers increasingly request accessibility documentation before awarding a contract, often an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) produced using the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT®). An outdated ACR, or a product that doesn’t hold up under testing, can stall a deal or send the buyer toward a vendor with stronger evidence of accessibility.

ICT accessibility laws and standards

ICT accessibility is shaped by both laws and technical standards. WCAG, Section 508, the ADA, Section 504, the European Accessibility Act (EAA), and EN 301 549 are closely connected, but they do different jobs and do not cover exactly the same organizations, products, or technologies.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide internationally recognized technical criteria for web accessibility. WCAG builds its requirements around four principles: Content must be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. These principles are supported by specific success criteria covering areas such as alternative text, video captions, keyboard navigation, and color contrast.

WCAG was developed for web content, but its reach does not stop there. The Worldwide Web Consortium’s (W3C) WCAG2ICT guidance shows how WCAG criteria can be applied to non-web documents and software. Even so, WCAG does not cover every accessibility requirement for broader ICT, which is where standards such as Section 508 and EN 301 549 go further.

WCAG has three conformance levels: A, AA, and AAA. Level AA is the level most commonly referenced in regulation and procurement.

U.S. requirements: Section 508, Section 504, and the ADA

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act applies to ICT that U.S. federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use. The Section 508 Standards incorporate WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA criteria and add requirements for broader ICT, including hardware, software, assistive technology interoperability, and support documentation and services. For more on federal ICT requirements, read our Complete Guide to Section 508 Compliance.

Section 504 adds accessibility and non-discrimination obligations for organizations receiving federal financial assistance. The exact requirements depend on the federal agency and context. For example, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requirements address the accessibility of web content, mobile apps, and programs and activities delivered through digital technology.

The ADA reaches much further into public- and private-sector digital experiences. Title II requires state and local governments to make covered web content and mobile apps accessible, using WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the technical standard. That responsibility can extend to web content and mobile apps provided on their behalf by third parties, making accessibility especially critical for vendors selling digital products and services into the public sector.

Title III applies to businesses open to the public and requires equal access to their goods and services, including those offered online. Inaccessible websites and apps can therefore create legal and commercial risk for private businesses.

The European Accessibility Act and EN 301 549

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) sets accessibility requirements for certain products and services in the EU, including computers, smartphones, payment terminals, ATMs, ticketing and check-in machines, e-commerce, consumer banking, and electronic communications.

EN 301 549 is a European standard for ICT accessibility, covering areas including web content, software, electronic documents, hardware, telecommunications, and self-service terminals. It incorporates WCAG criteria where relevant and includes additional requirements for broader ICT.

The EAA and EN 301 549 play different roles: The EAA sets legal requirements for products and services in scope, while EN 301 549 provides technical accessibility requirements for ICT. Organizations operating in Europe should identify which legal requirements apply and which technical standards and evidence are relevant to the products and services they offer.

Five steps to improve information and communication technology (ICT) accessibility

Improving ICT accessibility can be a large undertaking, especially when your organization manages many different digital products, software, and third-party tools. These five steps will help you divide the work into manageable stages, address priorities first, and sustain progress over time.

1. Focus on your highest-impact ICT

If you lead ICT accessibility, you may be responsible for a large and varied ICT portfolio, including websites, applications, electronic documents, and third-party tools. The volume of ICT requiring testing and remediation can make it difficult to know where to begin.

Start by evaluating the ICT methods people use most and where accessibility improvements would benefit people with disabilities the most. Depending on your environment, this could include your main website, mobile app, kiosks, essential forms, widely used applications, or frequently accessed electronic documents. Also consider which products and services fall within the scope of laws that apply to the markets you serve, such as the EAA, ADA, or Section 508. Remove outdated content where possible, then prioritize the remaining assets in phases.

2. Audit your priority ICT

An accessibility audit identifies the barriers users encounter across your priority websites, applications, electronic documents, software, and information kiosks. Can someone complete an online form using only a keyboard? Does a screen reader clearly announce every field, button, and error message? Are your information kiosks barrier-free?

A robust audit combines automated scanning with expert manual review and testing with assistive technologies. It provides a clear account of what’s working, where barriers remain, and which issues should be addressed first.

3. Build accessibility in from the start

Use your audit findings to identify where existing ICT needs remediation but also make accessibility part of how new digital experiences are designed, developed, and procured from the start. This is especially important for technology such as kiosks and other physical ICT, where accessibility issues can be more difficult and expensive to address after deployment.

For existing ICT, prioritize issues according to their impact on people with disabilities, how widely they occur across your ICT portfolio, and the legal or commercial risk involved. Assign clear ownership and realistic deadlines.

Accessibility should remain part of the life cycle as content, products, and requirements change. Include regular monitoring, testing, and review to maintain accessibility over time.

Documenting issues, decisions, and progress also gives your organization a clear record of its accessibility work when customers, regulators, or procurement teams ask how accessibility is being addressed.

4. Deepen ICT accessibility knowledge across teams

Designers, developers, content authors, procurement teams, and compliance leads all make different decisions that affect accessibility. Generic training can build awareness, but people also need guidance that reflects the decisions they make in their own roles.

Give teams practical resources they can use as they work, such as examples, checklists, toolkits, and clear guidance in a shared resource hub. Organizations making the strongest progress build accessibility into everyday work, rather than treating it as an occasional reminder.

5. Bring in specialist support

An expert accessibility partner can help you turn findings into action, interpret technical and legal requirements, and build processes that work across your ICT portfolio. They can also support procurement, testing, remediation, training, and ongoing monitoring.

External guidance is especially valuable when your organization operates across jurisdictions and manages complex ICT portfolios, or needs to understand how requirements such as the EAA, Section 508, ADA, WCAG, and EN 301 549 apply to different products and services. With the right support, accessibility becomes easier to manage, sustain, and improve as your ICT evolves.

Build and maintain accessible ICT with a trusted partner

ICT portfolios are always evolving. Lasting progress is only possible when accessibility is treated as a sustained program, embedded in how your organization plans, builds, procures, and manages ICT.

With more than 25 years of digital accessibility experience, Level Access combines technology, expert services, and role-based training to help organizations work toward WCAG and EN 301 549 conformance, address applicable requirements under the EAA, Section 508, and ADA, and sustain progress as their ICT environment changes.

To learn how we can strengthen your ICT accessibility program, contact us today.