Digital Accessibility: Why Website Plugins Aren’t Enough

Accessibility Is More Than a Plugin

Website accessibility is often treated as a quick fix. Install a plugin, enable a toolbar, and assume the site is compliant. While accessibility plugins can be helpful, they don’t solve the full problem and in many cases, they create a false sense of security.

True accessibility is about making sure all users, including those with disabilities, can navigate, understand, and interact with your website. That requires more than overlays and toggles. It requires thoughtful design, clean code, and real testing.

What Accessibility Plugins Actually Do Well

Accessibility plugins typically focus on surface-level adjustments, such as:

• Increasing font sizes

• Changing contrast or color schemes

• Adding keyboard navigation helpers

• Offering text-to-speech options

These features can improve usability for some visitors and are often a good starting point. However, they don’t address how the site is built underneath. Plugins work on top of your site, not within its structure.

Where Plugins Fall Short

Many accessibility issues live deeper in the site’s foundation, areas plugins can’t reliably fix.

Common problems plugins don’t solve:

• Incorrect or missing heading structure (H1–H6)

• Poor semantic HTML

• Missing or misleading alt text

• Inaccessible forms and error messages

• Improper ARIA labels

• Screen reader confusion

• Illogical tab order and navigation flow

These issues affect how assistive technologies interpret your site. If the structure is wrong, no overlay can correct it.

This is why accessibility audits often flag websites as non-compliant even when a plugin is installed.

A Real-World Example: Custom Accessibility for a Law Firm

One of our law firm clients came to NDIC after realizing that an accessibility plugin alone wasn’t enough. Given the legal industry’s higher exposure to ADA-related complaints, they wanted to be proactive, not reactive.

We worked closely with their team to implement a custom accessibility solution, which included:

• Refactoring page structure using semantic HTML

• Correcting heading hierarchy across templates

• Improving screen reader compatibility

• Making forms fully accessible with clear labels and feedback

• Ensuring full keyboard navigation

• Reviewing content clarity and reading order

The result wasn’t just improved compliance, it was a noticeably better experience for all users.

This is a common outcome of accessibility work: when a site becomes more accessible, it also becomes more usable, clearer, and more trustworthy.

Accessibility Is a Business Decision, Not Just a Legal One

Accessibility impacts more than compliance:

• It improves user experience

• It increases engagement

• It supports SEO (search engines value clarity and structure)

• It builds trust with a broader audience

Much like website performance or security, accessibility should be viewed as an ongoing responsibility, not a one-time task.

Plugins Are Tools – Not Solutions

Accessibility plugins can play a role, but they should be treated as assistive tools, not complete solutions.

Real accessibility requires:

• Audits and testing

• Code-level fixes

• Content review

• Ongoing monitoring as your site evolves

At NDIC, we approach accessibility the same way we approach performance, security, and SEO: as part of the overall health of your website.

Accessibility in the Real World Requires Real Implementation

There’s no shortcut to accessibility. Every website is different, and meaningful compliance depends on how your site is built, maintained, and updated over time.

If you’re relying solely on a plugin, you may be exposed without realizing it. A proper review can help you understand where you stand and what steps actually matter.

Is Your Website Truly ADA Compliant?

If you’re unsure whether your website truly meets ADA accessibility requirements, our team can help. Contact NDIC to schedule an accessibility review and receive a customized recommendation based on your site’s structure and goals.