Why Website Accessibility Matters

Web accessibility ensures that websites and digital content are usable by people of all abilities, including those with vision, hearing, motor, or cognitive impairments. It involves creating digital spaces where users can:

• Adjust text size for easier reading
• Navigate without a mouse
• View content in high contrast
• Disable motion and distracting animations
• Mute auto-playing media
• And much more.

For many, these features are not “nice to have” — they are critical to engaging with digital content independently.

While building websites for clients across multiple industries, we noticed a recurring gap: most websites are not accessible.

Not because business owners don’t care, but because:

• Accessibility often feels intimidating or technical
• Many “compliance” tools are expensive or bloated
• Most plugins don’t play well with all browsers or devices
• And frankly, there’s little clear guidance on where to start

So we asked ourselves: What if we fixed this? What if we built a tool that just works simply, beautifully, and freely?

Our in-house team built a lightweight, powerful accessibility widget that:

• Works seamlessly across modern browsers (including Safari and mobile)
• Empowers users to control how they experience your content
• Is easy to install and customize
• Doesn’t compromise design or performance
• Is completely free to use and share

From adjustable font sizes, line heights, and letter spacing to media muting, readable fonts, and screen reader support, this tool covers the essentials without overcomplicating the experience. Best of all, it respects your site’s design integrity, and doesn’t interfere with your layout or branding.

We didn’t build this tool as a sales feature. We built it because we believe in equal access. Accessibility is a human right, not a premium add-on.

And we know that:

• Small businesses shouldn’t have to pay thousands to make their websites usable
• Nonprofits shouldn’t have to sacrifice accessibility for budget
• Designers and developers shouldn’t need to reinvent the wheel

So we’ve open-sourced the Accessibility Tool you see on our website to remove those barriers. Use it, improve it, build on it. No cost. No strings attached.

Yes, accessibility helps protect your business from legal risk. ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance is becoming a serious concern for anyone with a digital presence. But beyond regulations and lawsuits, this is about respecting and welcoming every user who visits your site.

It’s about a grandmother trying to read the church bulletin, a student navigating college resources, or a veteran with low vision reading about home repairs.

By offering this tool publicly at no cost, we’re making it easier for everyone to say “yes” to inclusion without needing to be a developer, designer, or accessibility expert.

Just generate the custom code, copy and paste it into your website, and let it do its thing!

While the Accessibility Tool by Ape Forge provides a powerful front-end solution for users (allowing them to adjust text size, contrast, spacing, motion, and more) it’s important to understand that true ADA compliance requires more than just an accessibility widget.

This tool solves a significant part of the accessibility equation, but it’s not a complete solution on its own. Website builders, developers, and business owners still need to ensure that the foundational elements of their site are built with accessibility in mind. That includes:

• Proper alt text for all images so screen readers can convey meaning
• Keyboard navigability, ensuring users can move through the site without a mouse
• Descriptive link text (e.g., “Learn more about our services” instead of just “Click here”)
• Correct use of semantic HTML, such as heading structures (<h1>, <h2>, etc.) for screen reader interpretation
• Clear focus states for forms and buttons
• ARIA labels and roles where appropriate
• Ensuring forms are labeled and accessible
• Making sure media has captions or transcripts
• And verifying that color contrast meets WCAG guidelines, not just user-adjustable but structurally sound from the start

Think of the Accessibility Tool as a powerful enhancer. It empowers users and solves many usability concerns, but the foundation still matters. Without proper markup and accessible content strategies in place, you’re only halfway there.

At Ape Forge, we encourage anyone who installs this tool to also evaluate their site’s structure and content. If you’re not sure where to start, reach out to us, we offer accessibility audits and consulting to help bring your entire site up to standard.

ADA compliance isn’t just about checking boxes, it’s about creating a digital space where everyone feels welcome.

We’re proud of what we’ve created — but we’re even more excited about what you’ll do with it.

Whether you’re a solo creative, a business owner, or a developer, or just someone with a website, we invite you to:

• Add the Accessibility Tool to your site
• Share it with others who need a simple, powerful accessibility solution
• Talk to your web team about inclusive design
• Reach out if you’d like help making your entire site accessible

At Ape Forge, this is more than a little bit of code. It’s a stance. A signal that the web should work for everyone and it starts with us. Every website Ape Forge builds will include this tool to help make website more accessible for everyone.

Want help installing it or customizing it for your site?
Set up a meeting! We’re here to help.