Accessible web design
Accessible web design from a Deaf-owned studio
Accessible web design means building a website that people can use regardless of how they see, hear, move, or read, following the WCAG 2.2 AA guidelines. Twist Web Studio is a Deaf-owned studio in Austin, Texas, and accessibility is part of every project rather than an upgrade you pay extra for.
What makes a website accessible
Accessibility is not a widget you bolt on. It is a set of decisions made while the site is being designed and built.
- Text and interface colors that meet WCAG 2.2 AA contrast levels
- Everything reachable and operable with a keyboard, with a visible focus ring
- Headings in a logical order so screen reader users can navigate by structure
- Images with meaningful alternative text, and decorative images marked as decorative
- Forms with real labels, clear error messages, and no time traps
- Captions and transcripts for video, including ASL content where it matters
- Layouts that still work at 200 percent zoom and on a small phone
- Respect for reduced-motion preferences
Why a Deaf-owned studio approaches this differently
Our founder, Theodore "TJ" Owens, is Deaf. Accessibility is not a compliance checkbox we read about, it is how we use the web every day. That shows up in the details: video that leads with captions rather than adding them later, visual wayfinding that does not rely on sound, and plain language that does not assume English is anyone's first language.
Accessibility consulting on an existing site
If you already have a site, we can work as an accessibility consultant instead of a designer: review what is there, prioritize the barriers by real impact, and either hand your team a fix list or make the changes ourselves.
Related client work
Nonprofit / community services
Deaf Action Center case study
A bilingual ASL-first nonprofit site where video is a primary content type, not an afterthought.
Community organization
Austin Deaf Club case study
A social hub for a 100-year-old club, with an events calendar members actually use.
ASL interpreting agency
Rooted Connections case study
A calm, high-contrast site for an interpreting agency where access is the product, not an afterthought.
Questions
Common questions.
Where to go next
Build something everyone can use.
Tell us about your project. We will show you what accessible design looks like for your organization specifically.
Start a project