How to handle accessibility issues within a plugin

Let’s say you’re building a site and you need specific functionality. It could be a contact form, an event calendar, a slider, or some other feature. You install a plugin because building it from scratch isn’t realistic. Then you discover the plugin has accessibility problems. The modal won’t trap focus. The form has no labels. The carousel can’t be navigated with a keyboard. What do you do now?

The right approach depends on the severity of the issues and the resources available. Here are three options to consider.

Option 1: Fix it yourself

If the plugin is open source or you have access to the code, you can make fixes directly. Fork it, patch it, submit a pull request back to the maintainer.

• Pros: You get exactly what you need, and potentially help the broader community.
• Cons: Time-consuming, you have to maintain the fork, updates from the original plugin might break your fixes.

Option 2: Work around it

Sometimes you can compensate for plugin accessibility issues without touching the plugin itself. Add ARIA labels via JavaScript. Provide alternative ways to access the functionality. Use CSS to improve focus indicators.

• Pros: Doesn’t require forking the plugin, easier to maintain.
• Cons: Workarounds can be fragile, might break with plugin updates, doesn’t solve the root problem.

Option 3: Replace it

Find a different plugin that handles accessibility better. This is often the cleanest solution if alternatives exist.

• Pros: No technical debt, no maintenance burden.
• Cons: Switching costs, feature gaps, and the replacement might have different accessibility issues.

Always report the issue

Before you do anything, report the issue to the plugin maintainer. Many developers want to fix accessibility problems, but don’t know they exist.

When reporting, be specific:

• Describe the exact problem (e.g., “The modal dialog doesn’t trap keyboard focus”)
• Explain how to reproduce it
• Reference to which WCAG success criterion it violates (e.g., “This fails WCAG 2.4.3 Focus Order”)
• If possible, suggest a fix or point to similar plugins that handle it correctly

Check if the issue has already been reported in the plugin’s issue tracker or support forum. Someone might already be working on it, and you can add your voice to prioritize the fix.

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Plugins with accessibility problems put you in a tough spot. You can fix them, work around them, or replace them. The right choice depends on severity, resources, and alternatives. But always report the issue first – you might save everyone the trouble.