About
Accesserty Signal: Making Web Accessibility Visible at a Glance
A Chrome extension that surfaces accessibility signals directly in Google Search — and opens the door to improvement.
When we think about “web accessibility,” we often think of screen readers, keyboard support, or WCAG checklists. But for most users — with or without disabilities — the experience of a website begins much earlier:
At the moment you search for something on Google.
You’re presented with ten blue links. Which one do you click?
You try the first. It loads slowly, has pop-ups, and the navigation is confusing. You try another. It's fast but hard to read, and you can’t even tell where the content begins. You keep going… hoping the next site is better.
What if the accessibility of a website was visible before you clicked?
This is the core idea behind Accesserty Signal — a lightweight Chrome extension that shows accessibility scores next to each search result.
Powered by Lighthouse, each badge reflects a machine-audited accessibility score, helping users choose more accessible sites at a glance.
a11y: 88
It’s not a rating system. It’s not about shame. It’s simply a signal — a quiet, helpful nudge.
Why does this matter?
Because “accessible” doesn’t always mean usable — and certainly not visible. Many sites pass technical audits, but still feel overwhelming, cluttered, or unusable with a keyboard.
And for users who rely on screen readers, large fonts, or simplified navigation, trial-and-error is exhausting.
Signal helps reduce that burden.
Users can also report issues — with clarity and empathy
Signal includes a feedback form that lets users report issues they face on any site. But unlike vague comment boxes, this form:
Uses common accessibility pain points (like keyboard traps, poor contrast, flashing content)
Requires no technical jargon
Allows anonymous submission
Routes issues to Accesserty for review — and, when possible, to participating websites
We’re not crowdsourcing complaints. We’re building a channel for constructive, actionable, human-centered feedback.
For websites that care, there's a path to show it
If a website responds to issues and commits to ongoing improvements, we reflect that effort with an updated badge:
a11y: 88 maintained
It’s a small way to signal:
“We care about how people experience our site.”
No paid rankings. No sponsorships. Just a clear, opt-in commitment to accessibility.
Built for everyday users, not just auditors
Accesserty Signal isn’t for legal compliance officers or enterprise-level reports. It’s for people who want to know what they’re clicking into — and developers who want to close the feedback loop.
How it started: One person, one idea
Accesserty is a solo-built project powered by curiosity, empathy, and a bit of AI support.
What started as a simple Chrome form became a small ecosystem:
Signal — surface accessibility before the click
DevCheck — simulate real-world challenges like color blindness or screen blur
UI Kit — offer accessible components from the start
Console — manage user feedback and collaborate with site owners
Try it now — and help shape a more inclusive web
You can install Accesserty Signal from the Chrome Web Store and start seeing accessibility signals right away.
If you ever felt unsure which link to click, or frustrated by a hard-to-navigate site — Signal is for you.
Thanks for reading, and if you have thoughts, I’d love to hear them.
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