Nonprofit Member Services Portal
A disability services nonprofit needed an accessible member portal where clients could manage services, schedule appointments, and access resources.
This is an illustrative composite scenario, not a client testimonial or a claim of measured client results.
The Challenge
Existing solutions were not accessible to the organization's clients. Many of them use screen readers, switch access devices, and other assistive technologies. Off-the-shelf platforms failed basic keyboard navigation and had no ARIA support.
Our Solution
Built a custom accessible web application from the ground up with React, TypeScript, and carefully implemented ARIA patterns. Every component was designed and tested against real assistive technology from the first sprint — not retrofitted at the end.
How We Approached It
- Requirements gathering with the organization and direct input from users who rely on assistive technology
- Component-level accessibility built in at design phase — no separate a11y sprint
- All interactive patterns (modals, date pickers, filters) built to ARIA Authoring Practices Guide specifications
- Testing with NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, Switch Access, and keyboard-only throughout development
- Staff training on accessible content creation before handoff
Key Takeaways
- Building with AT users in the requirements phase — not just the testing phase — eliminated entire categories of ARIA errors.
- Keyboard navigation patterns require deliberate design decisions that cannot be retrofitted cheaply.
- The organization now has a platform that actually serves its full membership.
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