For organizations using the Drupal content management system, the good news is that the platform is already built with accessibility in mind. 

But meeting Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements involves more than just a default setup. It takes planning, ongoing maintenance, and a thorough understanding of how Drupal’s capabilities can support compliance.

Here are 7 practical steps you can take starting today to improve ADA compliance for your Drupal site.

1. Start With an Accessible Drupal Theme

The theme you choose is a core determining factor in whether your site supports ADA best practices. If you choose to create a custom theme, make sure your dev team is familiar with accessibility coding standards. If you choose an existing theme, follow these guidelines:

• Look for those that follow WCAG 2.2 AA standards, such as Claro, Gin, or Bootstrap5-based themes, or other accessibility-optimized options.
• Avoid themes with poor contrast ratios or inaccessible navigation patterns.
• Ensure your theme uses semantic HTML and ARIA landmarks out of the box.

2. Make the Most of Drupal Accessibility Modules

Drupal’s modular ecosystem makes it easier to maintain ADA compliance. While modules can’t solve every accessibility issue, they do contribute to a stronger foundation of compliance. Consider enabling or installing:

• Editor/Accessibility Helper Modules — Tools like the CKEditor Accessibility Checker plugin or Filter module help validate content — and flag any related issues — before it’s published.
• Automatic Alternative Text — Uses AI to generate alt text for images; works best to supplement (not replace) human review.
• Block ARIA Landmark Roles — Adds ARIA roles to block regions for improved screen reader navigation.
• Text Resize — Allows users to easily adjust text size without breaking page layouts.
• Style Switcher — Provides high-contrast or low-distraction modes to improve readability.

3. Commit to Accessible Content Practices

Drupal gives your site editors the tools they need to easily manage content, but accessibility depends largely on how that content is structured. Training your content contributors is just as important as optimizing your site technically. Make sure everyone on your team follows these accessibility best practices for content:

• Write descriptive alt text for every meaningful image.
• Use proper heading hierarchy (H1 → H2 → H3) instead of manually styling text.
• Ensure that all link text is descriptive; avoid vague phrases like “Click here”.
• Add transcripts or captions for videos, webinars, and audio content.
• Whenever possible, avoid text that is embedded within images; if you must use it, provide accessible alternatives.

4. Improve Keyboard Navigation

Many users rely on keyboards — not mice or touchscreens — to navigate. To accommodate their needs, make sure to address the following:

• Ensure menus and interactive elements are reachable and operable using the tab, enter, and spacebar buttons.
• Confirm focus indicators are visible and easy to follow.
• Build complex interactive components (like sliders, accordions, tabs, and modal dialogs) using accessible JavaScript patterns or trusted Drupal component libraries.

The bottom line: If users can’t interact with your site via keyboard alone, it won’t meet ADA requirements, period.

5. Monitor Color Contrast and Visual Design

Design choices have a huge impact on accessibility and ADA compliance. Tools like Stark, ColorZilla, or browser-based accessibility inspectors can help you evaluate visual accessibility. Other important considerations include:

• Follow WCAG contrast ratios (4.5:1 for text; 3:1 for large text).
• Ensure buttons and links stand out clearly from surrounding text.
• Avoid relying on color alone to convey meaning — pair the use of color with icons, labels, and/or patterns.

6. Focus on Forms

Forms are one of the most common ADA trouble spots. Even if you’re using Webform or Contact Forms, both support accessibility features, but they still require proper configuration. Remember to:

• Make sure every form field (like text boxes, dropdowns, or checkboxes) has a clear label that assistive technologies — such as screen readers — can automatically recognize and read out loud. In other words, someone using a screen reader should hear what the field is for (e.g., “Email address”) when they navigate to it, not just encounter a blank input.
• Use required-field indicators that screen readers can recognize and announce.
• Ensure form steps and validation follow predictable, linear paths for your users.
• Provide clear error messages and avoid color-only cues.

7. Conduct Regular Audits & Testing

Accessibility isn’t a one-time project; it requires continual monitoring. And while Drupal’s flexibility makes updates easy, it also means issues can be introduced just as easily without proper review. Perform quarterly audits to benchmark where your site stands and where it can improve — prioritizing updates that will have the biggest impact on UX and compliance.

• Recheck accessibility whenever you launch new features or update your theme. You can use automated tools such as WAVE, axe, Siteimprove, or Drupal’s built-in accessibility checker (available in some editors).
• Encourage content editors to run accessibility checks before publishing.
• Document standards, patterns, and workflows to ensure consistency.
• Conduct manual testing with keyboard-only navigation and screen readers like NVDA or VoiceOver (the built-in macOS tool).
• Review content types and templates for recurring issues, such as missing alt text fields or inaccessible form layouts.

Improving and maintaining ADA compliance for your Drupal website is entirely achievable with the right approach. By combining accessible design choices, CMS configuration, content governance, and ongoing testing, you can provide an inclusive experience for every user — and reduce your exposure to potential legal issues.