Accessibility Skill

Skill ID: accessibility
Version: 2.0
Updated: 2026-07-16

Purpose

Activate this skill when A web or native user interface is created, changed, or assessed for accessibility.

Why

An accessibility acceptance matrix, semantic implementation, automated results, keyboard and screen-reader evidence, and documented exceptions is the minimum reviewable deliverable for this domain. A generic "inspect, change, test" loop omits the domain decisions and failure evidence needed for production use.

Trigger Conditions

A web or native user interface is created, changed, or assessed for accessibility.
The requester expects an implementation, design, audit, or release decision in this domain.

Required Inputs

The exact target and acceptance criteria.
Repository-pinned versions, environment constraints, and available evidence.
Data classification, effect permissions, and owner where the procedure can affect external systems.

Produced Artifacts

An accessibility acceptance matrix
semantic implementation
automated results
keyboard and screen-reader evidence
documented exceptions.

Procedure

Identify user flows and apply WCAG 2.2 AA success criteria, platform semantics, and target assistive technologies.
Implement native elements first; define names, roles, values, landmarks, headings, labels, errors, and live announcements.
Design keyboard order, visible focus, focus restoration, pointer alternatives, zoom/reflow, contrast, motion, and timeout behavior.
Run automated checks, keyboard-only walkthroughs, zoom/reflow, forced-colors, and screen-reader tests on critical flows.
Record criterion-level evidence, defects, severity, owner, remediation, and any formally approved exception.

Verification

Verify no keyboard trap, logical focus order, programmatic labels/errors, 200% zoom and reflow, contrast, reduced motion, and critical-flow screen-reader completion.

Unhappy Paths and Recovery

Automated tools cannot prove conformance. If custom widgets fail expected interaction, replace with native controls or implement the relevant APG pattern fully.

Concrete Example

Validate a modal: dialog semantics, labelled title, initial focus, tab containment, Escape behavior, focus return, background inertness, and screen-reader announcement.

Do Not Use This Skill When

Do not claim WCAG conformance from an automated scanner alone.

Tradeoffs

The required domain artifacts and verification cost more than a generic implementation pass, but they expose assumptions, safety gates, and operational limits before release.

Anti-Patterns

Substituting a generic checklist for the domain procedure above.
Claiming a gate passed without retaining the exact command, inspected artifact, or observed signal.
Expanding scope or executing an external effect without target-specific approval.

Enterprise Considerations

Apply repository ownership, separation of duties, data residency and retention, audit evidence, and approved-tool policies to every produced artifact. Redact secrets and regulated data from examples and logs.

Checklist

Trigger and anti-trigger evaluated
Required inputs and domain artifacts complete
Procedure followed in order
Verification evidence retained
Recovery, rollback, owner, and residual risk recorded

Authoritative Sources

Changelog

2.0 (2026-07-16): Replaced the cloned generic procedure with domain-specific artifacts, workflow, recovery, examples, and sources.
1.1: Initial standardized structure.