# Future-proofing your accessibility efforts

DevFeed: [Future-proofing your accessibility efforts](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/future-proofing-your-accessibility-efforts-9384.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://a11yproject.com/posts/future-proof-your-accessibility/>)

Author: Thomas Sjögren

Published: 2013-01-22T00:00:00Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [The A11Y Project](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/the-a11y-project.md>)

Topics: [Accessibility](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/accessibility.md>), [Web Content Accessibility Guidelines](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/web-content-accessibility-guidelines.md>), [HTML](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/html.md>), [html elements](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/html-elements.md>), [browsers](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/browsers.md>), [Web Development](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/web-development.md>)

Tags: [accessibility](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/accessibility.md>), [browsers](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/browsers.md>), [html](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/html.md>), [html-elements](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/html-elements.md>), [tech-debt](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/tech-debt.md>), [web-content-accessibility-guidelines](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/web-content-accessibility-guidelines.md>)

## AI overview

This article explains how semantic HTML and two WCAG rules--Parsing and Name, Role, Value--can make accessibility efforts more durable. It offers practical guidance on valid markup, unique IDs, correct element nesting, and accessible custom controls, while highlighting benefits for browsers, assistive technologies, and long-term technical debt.

## Source excerpt

Your future self, coworkers, and most importantly customers and clients will thank you for developing with accessibility in mind. Tech debt goes down when accessibility goes up The best way to future proof your accessibility efforts is to ensure websites and applications are built with a foundation in proper HTML semantics. We can help ensure we are future-proofing our project by following two rules from Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): Parsing and Name, Role, Value. Following these rules has the bonus value of better supporting current and future browsers and other user agents, while additionally ensuring assistive technologies (AT) such as screen readers will be more likely to correctly interpret the content of our projects. Breaking down the rules Let's define the WCAG rules and look at some quick tips to help follow them. 4.1.1 Parsing Following this rule helps ensure that browsers and AT will be able to correctly interpret your web interface without complications from poorly-structured markup. The W3C Nu HTML Checker can help you locate errors in your source or rendered markup. Any reported validation can be corrected, which will help decrease the likelihood of ATs incorrectly parsing your website. Follow the official HTML specifications for guidance on writing correct markup. Some quick tips: make sure to close open tags (<div class="a-class">...</div>), use unique ids, and don't incorrectly nest HTML elements. 4.1.2 Name, role, value This rule is related to the components and controls that make up the web interface. It helps to ensure components can have their name and role programmatically determined, and that their states, properties, and values can be set by the individual interacting with them. All standard HTML controls already meet these rules by default. The guideline is primarily aimed at developers that heavily redesign or modify the functionality of standard HTML controls, or design and/or script their own interface components and contro