International Resources

The international accessibility community produces the standards, tools, and research that underpin accessibility work in Canada. This page collects the most authoritative and useful international sources, labelled by skill level and role.

Standards bodies

W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)

w3.org/WAI — Beginner to Advanced

The Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium publishes WCAG, ARIA, and all supporting accessibility specifications. It is the authoritative source for web accessibility standards worldwide.

Key resources:

  • WCAG 2.1 — w3.org/TR/WCAG21 — the full standard with all success criteria
  • Understanding WCAG 2.1 — w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Understanding — plain-language explanations of every criterion; explains the intent, how to meet it, and common failures
  • Techniques for WCAG 2.1 — w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Techniques — specific implementation approaches (sufficient techniques, advisory techniques, failures)
  • ARIA Authoring Practices Guide (APG) — w3.org/WAI/ARIA/apg — keyboard patterns and ARIA implementation for every interactive widget; includes working examples
  • WAI tutorials — w3.org/WAI/tutorials — accessible images, tables, forms, carousels, and menus with code examples (Beginner)
  • Easy Checks — A First Review of Web Accessibility — w3.org/WAI/test-evaluate/preliminary — quick, no-tools checks any person can perform (Beginner)

Best for: Primary reference for WCAG requirements; ARIA implementation patterns; training resources for any role.

ARIA Authoring Practices Guide (APG)

w3.org/WAI/ARIA/apg — Advanced

The APG provides definitive keyboard interaction patterns and ARIA implementation guidance for every interactive widget type. If you are building a custom combobox, date picker, menu, or tree view, start here.

Each pattern includes:

  • Required keyboard interactions
  • Required ARIA roles, states, and properties
  • Working code examples
  • Guidance on when to use the pattern vs. native HTML

Best for: Developers implementing custom interactive components; ensuring keyboard accessibility of non-native widgets.

Learning and reference

WebAIM

webaim.org — Beginner to Advanced

WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind) at Utah State University produces some of the most widely cited accessibility training content, tools, and research. Content is practical, clearly written, and independent of specific frameworks.

Key resources:

  • Introduction to Web Accessibility — webaim.org/intro — accessible overview for anyone new to the field (Beginner)
  • Screen Reader User Survey — webaim.org/projects/screenreadersurvey — annual data on screen reader usage, browser pairings, and preferences; essential for realistic testing priorities
  • Million analysis — webaim.org/projects/million — annual analysis of the top 1 million websites for accessibility failures; reveals the most common issues
  • Contrast Checker — webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker — simple, fast WCAG contrast ratio calculator
  • WAVE tool — wave.webaim.org — enter any URL for an annotated accessibility evaluation
  • Articles on specific topics — webaim.org/articles — in-depth guides on keyboard accessibility, screen reader testing, captioning, cognitive accessibility, and more

Best for: Beginner training; practical implementation guidance; data on real-world screen reader usage.

MDN Web Docs — Accessibility

developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Accessibility — Beginner to Advanced

Mozilla’s MDN Web Docs includes comprehensive accessibility documentation alongside HTML, CSS, and JavaScript reference material. The accessibility section covers ARIA, semantic HTML, keyboard navigation, and testing.

Key resources:

  • Accessibility guides — practical guides on building accessible HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and WAI-ARIA
  • ARIA reference — complete reference for all ARIA roles, states, and properties with browser compatibility data
  • Accessibility best practices — practical design and development guidance
  • Handling common accessibility problems — debugging guide for common accessibility issues

Best for: Developers who need accessible implementation alongside technical HTML/CSS/JS reference; looking up ARIA attribute behaviour; browser compatibility data for accessibility features.

Testing tools and vendors

Deque Systems / axe

deque.com / dequeuniversity.com — Beginner to Advanced

Deque is one of the leading accessibility consultancies and the creator of the axe accessibility testing engine, which powers the most widely used automated testing tools. Deque University offers professional training.

Key resources:

  • axe DevTools — free browser extension (Chrome/Firefox/Edge) for automated page scanning; industry standard for developer use
  • axe-core — open-source JavaScript library for programmatic accessibility testing in CI/CD pipelines
  • Deque University — professional accessibility training courses; covers WCAG, testing, development, design, and management (free courses available)
  • axe rules documentation — documentation for every axe rule with explanation and fix guidance

Best for: Developers wanting automated CI testing; accessible development training; professional certification.

TPGi (Paciello Group)

tpgi.com — Advanced

One of the oldest accessibility consultancies, now part of Vispero. Produces several essential free tools alongside consulting services.

Key free tools:

  • Colour Contrast Analyser — desktop application; eyedropper to sample any colour on screen; supports WCAG 2.1 and APCA contrast algorithms
  • ARC Toolkit — Chrome DevTools extension for detailed WCAG audit work with criterion-level mapping

Best for: Colour contrast checking across any application; detailed WCAG criterion auditing.

Accessible Name and Description Inspector (ANDI)

ssa.gov/accessibility/andi — Developer

Free bookmarklet from the US Social Security Administration. Highlights interactive elements and shows their computed accessible name, role, and description — essential for verifying what a screen reader will actually announce without running a screen reader.

Best for: Developers verifying accessible names in complex UI without launching a full screen reader.

PEAT — Photosensitive Epilepsy Analysis Tool

trace.umd.edu/peat — Developer / QA

Free Windows application from the Trace Research and Development Center at UMD. Analyzes video and animation for photosensitivity risks — identifies content that exceeds the WCAG 2.3.1 flash threshold.

Best for: QA engineers reviewing video content; developers validating animation safety.

Screen readers (free)

NVDA

nvaccess.org — Free, Windows

The most widely used free screen reader for Windows. Essential for developer testing. Pairs with Chrome or Firefox for web testing.

Download: nvaccess.org/download

VoiceOver

Built into macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. No download required. The primary screen reader for Apple platforms and the most used screen reader on mobile (iOS).

Enable on macOS: System Settings → Accessibility → VoiceOver Enable on iOS: Settings → Accessibility → VoiceOver

TalkBack

Built into Android. The primary screen reader for Android devices.

Enable: Settings → Accessibility → TalkBack

JAWS

freedomscientific.com — Commercial, Windows

The most widely used screen reader in enterprise and professional environments. Industry standard for blind users in workplace settings. Trial licenses available (40-minute sessions without purchase).

Best for: Testing enterprise and government applications where JAWS is used by employees; most realistic testing for professional contexts.

Books and courses

”Accessibility for Everyone” — Laura Kalbag

Practical introduction to web accessibility covering design, development, and content. Published by A Book Apart. Best for beginners across all roles.

”Apps For All” — Karl Groves

Focused on mobile accessibility for iOS and Android. Best for: mobile developers and designers.

”Inclusive Design Patterns” — Heydon Pickering

Deep dives into accessible UI component implementation. Best for: front-end developers building component libraries.

Deque University — Free Courses

dequeuniversity.com/curriculum/courses/web — Self-paced free courses on WCAG, testing, and accessible development. Includes courses for designers, developers, content authors, and managers. Best for: structured self-study for any role.

W3C EdX Courses

w3.org/WAI/courses — Free Massive Open Online Courses from W3C on web accessibility. Includes “Introduction to Web Accessibility” (W3Cx) available through edX. Best for beginners.

Communities and blogs

A11y Project

a11yproject.com — Beginner to Intermediate

Community-driven resource with checklist, resources, and blog posts on accessibility. The A11y Project Checklist provides a practical task-oriented view of WCAG requirements.

Best for: Beginner-friendly introduction to accessibility; practical checklists; community blog posts.

A11y Weekly

a11yweekly.com — Newsletter

Weekly newsletter curating accessibility articles, tools, and discussions from across the web. Excellent for staying current with accessibility developments.

Inclusive Components

inclusive-components.design — Heydon Pickering — Advanced

Deep technical analysis of accessible component patterns with extensive code examples and reasoning. Covers toggles, cards, menus, modals, notifications, and more.

Best for: Advanced developers building accessible component libraries; understanding the “why” behind ARIA patterns.

The A11Y Collective

a11y-collective.com — Training

Video-based accessibility training produced by accessibility practitioners. Courses targeted at developers, designers, and testers.

WebAIM Discussion List

webaim.org/discussion — Community

Long-running mailing list for accessibility practitioners. Discussions cover testing techniques, WCAG interpretation, screen reader behaviour, and emerging issues.

Conferences

CSUN Assistive Technology Conference

csunconference.org — Annual, Los Angeles

The largest annual conference on assistive technology and accessibility. Covers research, product development, policy, and practice.

Accessing Higher Ground

accessinghigherground.org — Annual, Colorado

Focus on accessibility in higher education — libraries, web, and digital content.

axe-con

deque.com/axe-con — Annual, free virtual

Free virtual accessibility conference from Deque. Sessions on development, design, and accessibility leadership. Recordings available after the event.