Nonprofit Member Services Portal
A disability services nonprofit needed an accessible member portal where clients could manage services, schedule appointments, and access resources.
This case study is anonymized to protect client confidentiality.
Outcomes
Accessibility Score
Screen Reader Compat.
Keyboard Navigation
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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