Why Accessibility Starts with Writers: How Content Teams Can Prevent 508 Violations
- Juliana Hale
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
When most people hear the phrase “Section 508 compliance,” they think of developers, designers, or the final PDF remediation step. But long before code or layout comes into play, accessibility begins with something much simpler, the words themselves.
Content teams have more influence over accessibility than they know. Clear, well-structured, consistent writing prevents the majority of 508 violations before they ever reach a designer or remediator. When writers build accessibility into their workflow, organizations save time, reduce remediation costs, and ensure that people with disabilities can reliably access information.
Here’s how content creation, partnered with thoughtful design, lays the foundation for digital accessibility.
1. Clear Writing = Clear Access
508 isn't just about screen readers or color contrast, it’s also about understandability.
Writers can prevent violations by:
Using plain language (short sentences, everyday words) so information is accessible to users with cognitive or reading disabilities.
Keeping paragraphs short and scannable.
Using consistent terminology across documents
Avoiding jargon or defining it the first time it appears.
Perceivability is important because it lays the foundation for accessibility; if content cannot be perceived in the first place, clarity and usability cannot follow.
Designers can reinforce both clarity and perceivability with:
Ample white space
Adequate line spacing
Readable font sizes
Logical layouts
High-contrast text
Perceivability matters because it ensures that every user can receive the information in a way their assistive technology can interpret and present clearly, regardless of visual, auditory, or cognitive limitations. Clear writing paired with clean visual layout ensures information is both understandable and perceivable. These are two major cornerstones of accessibility.
2. Headings and Structure Are Not Optional, They Are Necessary
One of the most common 508 issues comes from unstructured content. Structure affects perception and navigation as much as clarity. Screen readers rely on headings to navigate, summarize, and jump between sections. With this in mind, strong heading structure is essential.
Writers can reinforce a logical structure by:
Planning content outline first
Making header hierarchy easy to follow and identify
Using headings to describe the purpose of each section, not stylistic phrases (“Fun Facts!” tells a screen reader user nothing)
While writers establish the hierarchy, designers bring it to life by applying visual cues that help all users understand and navigate the content.
Designers can make heading flow obvious by:
Style headings consistently.
Ensure visual hierarchy matches the underlying tag structure.
Together, writers and designers create logical structure that benefits screen reader users and sighted readers. This is the curb-cut effect in real time. The "curb-cut effect" is the principle that when a design is created to meet the needs of a specific group, but it ends up benefiting a much wider audience. The term originated from the creation of curb cuts (ramps at sidewalks) to help people in wheelchairs, which also improved access for people with rolling suitcases, parents with strollers, and delivery workers with carts.
3. Links Must Make Sense Out of Context
Screen readers allow users to pull up a list of links on a page. If every link reads "Click here," they have no idea where they’re going.
Writers can prevent violations by:
Writing descriptive, meaningful links
Not recommended: “Click here”
Recommended: “Download the 2026 benefits guide”
Avoiding URLs typed out in body text
Keeping link text short but clear
While writers clarify a link’s purpose, designers reinforce that clarity through consistent, accessible visual cues.
Designers support link accessibility by:
Ensuring links are visually distinct
Providing clear focus states for keyboard users
Maintaining contrast ratios for both default and hover/focus styles
When link text and visual treatment align, users with visual disabilities can navigate confidently.
4. Alternative Text Starts with Writers, Not Tools
Alternative Text, or more commonly referred to as Alt Text, plays a pivotal role in digital accessibility. Alt text is a brief written description that communicates the purpose of an image to users who cannot see it. Auto-generated alt text is improving, but it still misses nuance, context, and intent. Writers should decide why an image is there before describing what it is.
Writers can prevent violations by:
Writing alt text that conveys purpose (not just description)
“A woman holding a phone” → not recommend, too literal
“User viewing her account dashboard on mobile” → recommended, meaningful
Marking decorative images as decorative
Coordinating with designers early to determine which images convey information
Designers support effective alt text by ensuring images are used and presented in ways that make their purpose clear.
Designers ensure images:
Are not used as the only way to convey important information.
Have clear labels on charts, infographics, and diagrams.
Avoid text baked into graphics (a major 508 violation source). This can be solved through OCR (optical character recognition), it but adds extra work and obstacles to accessibility.
When content and design collaborate, alt text becomes intentional and effective.
5. Tables, Lists, and Data Need Writer Input First
Tables often break accessibility when content teams use them for layout instead of data.
Writers can prevent violations by:
Using tables only for data.
Providing clear and concise column headers.
Keeping table structure simple. No merged cells unless necessary.
Using lists for actual lists (bulleted/numbered), not improvised formatting.
Designers strengthen table accessibility by using layouts that keep data clear and easy to interpret.
Designers can accomplish this by:
Maintaining visible table headers
Avoiding overly complex table styling
Ensuring list indentation and spacing are consistent
Good writing structure = good tag structure = fewer remediation hours.
6. Don’t Rely on Design to Fix Writing-Based Problems
508 remediation teams frequently see issues that began with content, not layout:
Redundant wording
Inconsistent headings
Charts without explanations
Images without context
Complex instructions
If writers fix these upfront, designers and remediators can focus on ensuring technical compliance and usability, not restructuring content.
7. Accessibility Is a Team Sport, But Writers Set the Tone
The best accessibility outcomes happen when writers, designers, developers, and remediators collaborate early. But writers are the first line of defense against 508 violations because they determine:
Message clarity
Content structure
Terminology
Link purpose
Image intent
Alt text meaning
Document flow
When content teams take accessibility seriously from the start, the entire organization produces materials that are inclusive, compliant, and easier to read for everyone.
Great Accessibility Begins Before Design or Development
At Splash Box, we see it every day: When writers prioritize accessibility, everything else becomes easier.
Accessibility isn’t only a technical requirement. It’s a communication skill. It’s a design foundation. It’s a commitment to every person who uses your content. And it all starts from square one.
If you’re ready to start your accessibility journey or need copywriting or design help, contact Splash Box today at info@splashbox.com.
Written by: Juliana Hale