Accessibility Audit for a Nonprofit Health Website
Improving usability for older adults and people with disabilities
I evaluated the accessibility of the ConnectWI website to identify usability barriers affecting navigation, readability, and task completion. Through automated scans and manual testing, I uncovered issues that could prevent users from independently accessing critical health resources.
Client
Wisconsin Coalition for Social Connection (WCSC)
My Role
Accessibility Audit
UX Evaluation
Documentation
Reporting
Tools
WAVE
Keyboard Testing
Screen Reader
Timeline
4 Weeks
Mar - Apr 2026
Team
Independent Project
Problem
Key user actions were inaccessible, especially for older adults and keyboard users.
Users relying on keyboard navigation were unable to complete key tasks such as donation and form submission
Low contrast text made important information difficult to read for older users
Inconsistent interaction patterns increased cognitive load and reduced predictability
This audit was conducted using a combination of automated tools and manual testing methods across different parts of the website.
Automated Testing
Tools: WAVE (web version and Chrome extension)
Coverage: Full website scan
Manual Testing
Keyboard Navigation (Tab-based testing)
○ Coverage: Tested across the full website
○ Focus: Reachability, focus order, and interaction behavior
Screen Reader Testing (VoiceOver)
○ Coverage: Homepage and donation flow
○ Focus: Content structure, navigation clarity, and focus behavior
Due to time and scope constraints, screen reader testing was focused on key user flows rather than the entire site.
Approach
Balancing speed, real user behavior, and consistency
Step 1 - Automated Scanning
Quickly identifies recurring issues at scale
Step 2 - Manual Testing
Reveals interaction issues missed by automated tools
Step 3 - Cross-page Validation
Ensures consistency and reduces cognitive load
This combination allowed me to balance efficiency with real user experience, ensuring both technical compliance and usability.
Key Findings
Critical flows are inaccessible without a mouse
Users cannot track their position when navigating, making exploration frustrating and inefficient.
Text readability is compromised for older users
Older users may struggle to read key information, especially in content-heavy sections.
Inconsistent interaction patterns increase cognitive load
Users must relearn how similar elements behave, slowing down task completion.
These issues create barriers to task completion across multiple interaction layers — from navigation (keyboard) to perception (contrast) and behavior (consistency).
Deep Dive
Focus Breaks Down in the Donation Flow
Context
The donation flow uses modal overlays and nested interactions to guide users through contribution steps.
Issue
Focus skips key interactive elements
Focus remains on background content and becomes unpredictable as users navigate deeper into the flow.
Impact
Users cannot track their position, leading to confusion and loss of control during key interactions.
Why it matters
For keyboard users, this can make completing a donation difficult—or even impossible.
More broadly, it reflects a breakdown in interaction reliability across the entire system.
Navigation Behavior Is Inconsistent Across the Site
Context
The site relies on common navigation patterns (logos, links, buttons) to help users move across pages and content.
Issue
Identical elements (e.g., logo) lead to different destinations
Similar links behave inconsistently (same tab vs. new tab)
The same content is presented using different interaction patterns (link vs. button)
Impact
Users cannot reliably predict navigation outcomes, leading to confusion and disrupted flow.
Why it matters
Consistency is critical for building user mental models
Inconsistent behavior increases cognitive load and hesitation
It reduces trust in the interface and makes navigation feel unreliable
Testing & Discovery
Step 1 - Initial Testing
I started with standard keyboard navigation (Tab-based testing), which suggested that most elements were reachable and navigation appeared functional.
Step 2 - Unexpected Behavior
However, when testing with VoiceOver enabled in Safari, navigation became inconsistent. Focus skipped key content and jumped between sections.
In some cases, focus entered a loop between navigation and footer elements, preventing users from progressing.
Step 3 - Investigation
This raised the question of whether the issue was caused by the screen reader or the underlying navigation structure. Further testing confirmed that the issue was rooted in keyboard focus order.
Step 4 - Key Insight
The issue was not introduced by the screen reader. Instead, screen reader testing exposed gaps in the underlying interaction model by removing visual cues that typically help users compensate for navigation inconsistencies.
Conclusion
This revealed that the experience is not robust across different usage contexts, particularly for users relying on assistive technologies.
This highlights a gap between visual usability and accessibility robustness.
Recommendations
Fix Focus Order to Follow a Logical Reading Sequence
Issue
Keyboard focus does not follow a logical top-to-bottom reading order, especially under assistive technology conditions.
Recommendation
Ensure that focus order follows the DOM structure and visual hierarchy:
Align interactive elements with a logical reading sequence (left → right, top → bottom)
Avoid manually overriding focus order using tabindex unless necessary
Why it matters
A predictable focus order allows users—especially those relying on keyboards or screen readers—to navigate content efficiently and understand page structure.
Prevent Focus Loops and Ensure Forward Progression
Issue
Focus can become trapped in a loop between navigation and footer elements, preventing users from progressing through the page.
Recommendation
Ensure focus moves forward through the page without cycling unintentionally
Avoid trapping focus within navigation groups unless intentionally designed (e.g., modals)
Test tab behavior across browsers, especially Safari with VoiceOver
Why it matters
Focus loops can block access to content entirely, creating a critical barrier for keyboard and assistive technology users.
Improve Focus Management for Interactive Components
Issue
Interactive elements such as dropdown menus, search, and accessibility controls create inconsistent focus behavior.
Recommendation
Clearly define focus entry and exit behavior for all interactive components
Ensure dropdowns and overlays:
○ receive focus when opened
○ return focus to a logical element when closed
Maintain consistent interaction patterns across similar components
Why it matters
Consistent focus management reduces confusion and ensures users can predict how interactions behave.
Validate Accessibility Across Browsers and Assistive Technologies
Issue
Navigation appears functional in Chrome but breaks in Safari with VoiceOver, revealing inconsistencies across environments.
Recommendation
Include cross-browser accessibility testing as part of QA:
○ Safari + VoiceOver
○ Chrome + screen reader (e.g., NVDA if applicable)
Test both:
○ keyboard-only navigation
○ screen reader-assisted navigation
Why it matters
Accessibility issues may not appear in standard environments but can significantly impact users relying on assistive technologies.
Reflection
Tools ≠ Truth
Automated tools are useful for identifying issues at scale, but they cannot capture real interaction barriers such as keyboard traps or navigation confusion.
Accessibility is about behavior, not just compliance
Accessibility issues are not just about meeting WCAG standards, but about enabling users to complete tasks independently and confidently.
Communication matters
Translating technical findings into clear, actionable insights is critical when working with non-technical stakeholders.