Accessibility Insights from Student's Software Engineering Projects

With over 95% of the top one million websites not being fully accessible, teaching digital accessibility to computing students is crucial. In this study, conducted over three spring semesters within a Software Engineering project course, we introduced dedicated sprints focused on accessibility. During these sprints, students were taught about various types of disabilities, accessibility principles, web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG), and various automated and manual techniques to test for accessibility. Students utilized automated tools to identify accessibility issues in their web projects and subsequently dedicated another sprint to address and resolve these issues. We systematically documented common accessibility mistakes students make, highlighting the WCAG 'success criteria' that require careful instructional focus. Additionally, we identify which accessibility issues are frequently and easily resolved by students and which challenges persist despite their efforts. This comprehensive analysis provides valuable insights, enabling the computing education community to effectively integrate and emphasize accessibility instruction in their curricula, ultimately fostering more inclusive and accessible web development practices.