I was recently looking at the 2024 WebAIM Million Report. Published annually by WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind), the report provides a large-scale analysis of the state of web accessibility across one million home pages. It identifies the most common accessibility barriers, tracks trends over time, and highlights areas where improvement is needed.
The 2024 report delivered a mix of encouraging and concerning insights about web accessibility. One standout finding is that government and education websites continue to perform better than other sectors when it comes to accessibility. This is no accident. Policies, regulations, and structured support systems have played a key role in these improvements.
This progress didn’t happen in a vacuum; laws and regulations to protect the rights of disabled people were hard-won through decades of advocacy by disabled people and their communities. Activists like Judy Heumann, who played a pivotal role in securing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and countless other disability rights advocates fought tirelessly to make accessibility a legal and moral imperative.
However, without continued advocacy, we are at risk of losing the protections these policies provide—and with them, the progress they have made possible.
With the attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and accessibility initiatives at the federal and state levels, including threats to Section 504, such as in Texas v. Becerra, and efforts to dismantle the federal Department of Education, we are at risk of watching accessibility advancements unravel.
With the attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and accessibility initiatives at the federal and state levels, including threats to Section 504, such as in Texas v. Becerra, and efforts to dismantle the federal Department of Education, we are at risk of watching accessibility advancements unravel.
The Good News: When Policies Exist, Accessibility Improves
The good news is that advocacy works. Government and education websites have been consistently ahead of other industries in implementing accessibility improvements.
The WebAIM report suggests that formalized policies, regulations, and enforcement mechanisms have contributed to this success in these sectors. Compliance with Section 508, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) has created accountability, leading government and educational institutions to achieve higher levels of accessibility compliance than other sectors.
This progress is critical. When public-facing government websites are accessible, they ensure that people with disabilities can access essential services—from healthcare and unemployment benefits to tax information and voting materials. The education sector’s improvements also mean that students, faculty, and the public have better access to learning resources.
These advancements demonstrate that accessibility improvements are achievable with commitment, enforcement, and ongoing investment—but they remain inconsistent and vulnerable to setbacks.
The Threat: Rollbacks in DEI and Accessibility Initiatives
The current political climate poses a serious threat to accessibility efforts. Across the U.S., there has been an increasing movement to defund and dismantle DEI and accessibility programs and initiatives. Many agencies that once led the way in accessibility are facing budget cuts, staffing reductions, and policy reversals that seek to not only roll back inclusive practices but, in some cases, impose legal restrictions or ban them outright.
When accessibility stops being a priority at the federal level, the consequences trickle down. Without strong policies and oversight, there is a real risk that accessibility progress in government and education will stagnate or even backslide.
Accessibility is More Than Just Compliance
Access is part of the work toward disability justice and creating a world where disabled people are valued, included, and actively shaping society. The fight for accessibility happens on two fronts: preserving, protecting, and expanding legal protections while also challenging ableism and fostering a society where accessibility is fundamental, not an afterthought.
Laws and regulations, shaped by decades of advocacy from disability rights activists, play a critical role in ensuring accessibility, but they are not enough on their own. True accessibility requires shifting cultural attitudes and dismantling the deeply ingrained biases that treat disabled people as afterthoughts. We must build a world where access is assumed, not debated—a world rooted in anti-ableism, as Tiffany Yu’s Anti-Ableist Manifesto emphasizes. Accessibility isn’t just about fixing barriers; it’s about challenging the biases and structures that create them in the first place.
Both fights must happen simultaneously. Protecting and expanding legal protections is critical—without them, accessibility becomes a privilege rather than a right. At the same time, we must also combat ableism and shift cultural attitudes so that accessibility is not just a legal requirement, but an intrinsic part of how we build digital spaces and society as a whole. Through both legal action and cultural transformation true digital inclusion becomes possible.
What Can Be Done to Protect Progress?
Organizations are already leading the fight to protect accessibility rights, and supporting their work is crucial.
- The Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF) is actively working to stop attacks on Section 504 and has issued strong statements against efforts to dismantle the Department of Education. Learn more about their work and what you can do to get involved here: Protect 504 and DREDF’s Statement on the Department of Education.
- New Disabled South is fighting for disability justice across the southern U.S., working at the intersection of racial, economic, and disability justice. More about their work: New Disabled South.
While federal-level shifts are concerning, there are ways to protect and continue accessibility progress:
- Advocate for strong accessibility laws at the state and local levels. If federal enforcement weakens, state and local governments can take the lead in requiring digital accessibility.
- Hold organizations accountable. Even if regulations become more relaxed, businesses, nonprofits, and public institutions must continue to prioritize accessibility as a best practice. This means recognizing the dangers of complying in advance—when organizations preemptively strip accessibility and DEI efforts at the mere threat of enforcement. This kind of retreat weakens collective resistance and emboldens those pushing for the erasure of accessibility and DEI efforts. Instead of folding under pressure, organizations must double down on their commitments to inclusion, ensuring accessibility remains a core principle regardless of external threats.
- Educate yourself and others on accessibility with a mindset of progress over perfection. Accessibility isn’t an end goal, it’s a process, and no one gets everything right all the time. Rather than fearing mistakes, the goal should be continuous improvement—taking steps to understand accessibility principles and integrate them into everyday practices. Committing to small, consistent efforts to make digital spaces more inclusive add up to meaningful change. The more professionals understand accessibility, the better digital spaces will be for everyone.
- Lead with bold action. Now is the time to be proactive and courageous in the fight for accessibility. Nonprofits, businesses, and individuals can step up and set the standard. This means embedding accessibility into digital strategies, pushing back against regressive policies, and fostering spaces where inclusion is the norm, not an afterthought. Progress is made not by those who comply out of obligation but by those who lead with conviction, ensuring accessibility remains central regardless of political shifts.
- Hire and center disabled people in decision-making roles. Disability-led advocacy ensures that accessibility efforts are not just well-intentioned, but deeply informed by lived experience. Organizations committed to accessibility must prioritize employing disabled professionals, valuing their expertise, and supporting their leadership in shaping more inclusive policies and practices.
Moving Forward
The WebAIM Million Report offers both hope and a warning. The improvements in government and education sectors show that when accessibility is prioritized, meaningful progress is possible. But these gains are fragile. Without continued advocacy, policy enforcement, and a broader cultural shift that actively challenges ableism, we risk sliding backward.
The work ahead is clear: we must continue to advocate, resist backslides, and push forward. Not just to protect accessibility, but to embed it as a core societal value, woven into every system and structure.
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