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Beyond WCAG: ISO norms and global standards powering digital accessibility

Is accessibility only about WCAG? Think again. Global ISO norms quietly shape the digital landscape


What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “accessibility in tech”? We bet it’s WCAG, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, now a de facto standard in web and EdTech alike. But here’s a provocative question: what if your digital product, platform, or classroom experience is shaped even more by “invisible” international standards you rarely hear about, perhaps nestled deep in the ISO library?


In the rush to comply with accessibility laws or pass a procurement audit, organizations typically default to checklists, legal requirements, and “AA” web compliance. Yet, behind the scenes, a whole family of ISO standards, spanning software engineering, user interfaces, AI, and quality management, sets the foundational rules that, when followed, create products inherently more accessible to all.


An understanding of these broader ISO norms is critical for technical teams, educators, and digital transformation leaders who want their solutions to work – not just to “comply.”


Accessibility at a crossroads: beyond the web, into the whole digital experience


Twenty years ago, accessibility was almost a niche topic for web designers and a few pioneering educators. Fast forward to 2024: accessibility is a mainstream obligation, from campus LMS platforms to public service apps, robotics, AI-powered chatbots, and VR classrooms.


Yet, confusion reigns outside (and sometimes inside) EdTech teams: is “being accessible” just about ARIA attributes or the color contrast checker? Does accessibility stop at website code? Questions like these reflect a larger, but often overlooked, shift: digital inclusion is now shaped by a broad international standards infrastructure, spanning far beyond WCAG.


Here’s a true story: a European higher education platform set out to become truly inclusive. After months of ticking web accessibility checklists, they found many issues weren’t captured: error-prone file exports, obscure menu paths, inaccessible documentation, and awkward cross-platform integrations. Their breakthrough? Turning to the broader world of ISO standards, they discovered techniques that helped them build not just a better website, but a better product, one that by design serves all users, regardless of ability.


More than checklists: key ISO standards powering accessibility, even if not labeled “accessibility”


The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) develops voluntary, consensus-based, market-relevant international standards that support innovation and provide solutions to global challenges. Accessibility is embedded not just in explicit accessibility standards, but also throughout software quality, usability, ergonomics, and procurement norms.


1. Invisible foundations: the “non-accessibility” ISO standards shaping inclusive software


Many technical standards driving accessibility aren’t labeled “for accessibility.” Here are some of the most impactful:


  • ISO/IEC 25010:2011 (System and Software Quality Models) – Defines characteristics such as usability, reliability, and quality in use. “Accessibility” is explicitly listed as a sub-characteristic. By aiming for these, software teams inherently bake in accessibility thinking.


  • ISO 9241 family (Ergonomics of Human-System Interaction) – Instead of being “about” accessibility, these standards cover interactive system design, visual display readability, menu navigation, input devices, and more. For example:

    • ISO 9241-171:2008 covers “Guidance on Software Accessibility.”

    • ISO 9241-210:2019 on “Human-centred design for interactive systems” mainstreams design that anticipates all users from the start.


  • ISO/IEC 40500:2012 – WCAG 2.0 itself was adopted as this ISO standard, offering a globally recognized benchmark that’s sometimes specified in cross-border contracts and procurement.


  • ISO/IEC 30141:2018 (Internet of Things – Reference Architecture) – While not “about” accessibility, it embeds principles ensuring that connected devices (from smart boards in classrooms to healthcare wearables) are inclusive by design.


Software procurement, integration, and cross-platform design often cite ISO standards for software engineering, interoperability, document exchange formats, and even information security. These standards, while generic, have accessibility implications: documentation must be machine-readable, consistent, multilingual, and error-robust, important for assistive tech users.


2. Explicit accessibility: ISO standards directly targeting digital inclusion


  • ISO/IEC 24751 series (Individualized Adaptability and Accessibility in e-Learning, Education and Training) – Guides the customization of learning environments for students with disabilities; particularly relevant for educational software.


  • ISO/IEC 30071-1:2019 (Accessibility requirements suitable for public procurement of ICT products and services in Europe) – Specifies requirements for software, hardware, and support services. It’s used in procurement to ensure accessibility is not an afterthought.


  • ISO 14289-1:2014 (PDF/UA – Universal Accessibility) – Sets requirements for accessible PDF documents, so important in education and government.


These are just a few examples among many. While WCAG rightly dominates web content, most public-sector contracts and enterprise procurement standards now reference several ISO norms to specify requirements beyond websites: downloadable software, backend systems, reporting dashboards, and exported content must all conform.



3. Quality, risk, and reliability: “indirect” ISO norms and accessibility


Consider ISO/IEC 27001 (Information Security Management Systems), ISO 9001 (Quality Management Systems), and other foundational standards. What do they have in common with accessibility?


  • Documentation and error handling: If an application is crash-prone, unpredictably changes layout, or fails to explain errors, users with cognitive or visual disabilities face much greater barriers. ISO process and quality standards require that systems are maintainable, predictable, and well-documented, a boon for accessibility.


  • Continuous improvement: Accessibility is not a one-off fix. ISO quality standards emphasize continual improvement and feedback loops, pushing organizations to embed accessibility into ongoing product upgrades and process reviews.


4. The Interlock: ISO, WCAG, and National Laws


Ever wondered why major procurement frameworks (like the EU’s EN 301 549 and Section 508 in the US) often reference both WCAG and ISO standards? It’s because WCAG (as ISO/IEC 40500:2012) forms a legal baseline for web, while ISO norms fill coverage gaps for everything else: hardware, video conferencing, standalone apps, AI, and documents.


Takeaway: If your organization aspires to robust, future-proof accessibility, especially in education, healthcare, fintech, or any regulated sector, you must look beyond the web. ISO norms connect procurement, product roadmaps, and even non-digital accessibility (like kiosks or printed reports).



Real-world lessons and resources


So, how do these standards play out in reality? Here are three compelling, real-world case studies and lessons:


  1. From web to software quality: The NHS digital journey

    The UK’s National Health Service (NHS Digital) implemented ISO/IEC 25010 and software lifecycle standards to underpin all of its digital health products. By not limiting efforts to WCAG alone, their digital ecosystem supports not just patient information websites, but also clinical document systems, e-prescribing interfaces, and mobile apps. NHS Digital's standards repository shows how ISO norms infuse accessibility throughout the tech stack.


  2. Procurement power: IBM’s design accessibility in enterprise software

    IBM’s procurement and product teams rely on ISO/IEC 30071-1 and ISO 9241 guidelines for design, testing, and public reporting. This structure ensures that not only websites but also API documentation, PDF exports, and even workflow automation are built to be accessible, and that accessibility is measurable in bid processes. IBM accessibility standards openly emphasize ISO’s role in operational accessibility.


  3. Education at scale: European university cyberspace standards

    Several EU universities, in compliance with the European Accessibility Act and EN 301 549, require e-learning platforms and exam software to declare conformance with ISO/IEC 24751 and ISO 14289-1, in addition to WCAG. The result? Tools that are customizable for diverse learners, not just in interface but in export, reporting, and data formats. EN 301 549 guidance (public sector example) maps out the interplay between national, European, and ISO standards for digital products in education and government.


Accessibility Strategy


Here’s what savvy CTOs, product owners, and education leaders should reconsider and implement:


  • Audit for ISO, not just WCAG: When reviewing your digital estate, ask not just about web content, but about software quality, documentation, file exports, and procurement policies. What ISO norms are silently required in your market?


  • Build cross-functional accessibility governance: Accessibility can’t be a “web designer” problem. Develop joint standards workshops with QA, legal, content, UI designers, and procurement. Use ISO/IEC 25010 or 9241 as your shared roadmap.


  • Insist on accessible documentation, APIs, and exports: If your exports, dashboards, or internal tools are inaccessible, even if the website passes audits, real users will be excluded. ISO standards ensure formats stay robust, localizable, and truly accessible.


  • Keep accessibility iterative: Adopt ISO quality management concepts: gather user feedback, monitor incidents, and treat accessibility improvements as continuous, not one-off.


Want to read more about practical accessibility and EdTech strategy?



Digital accessibility grows up


WCAG may remain the best-known entry point, but future-proof, robust accessibility, especially across education software, public procurement, and global platforms, depends on a much wider landscape of ISO standards. By rooting your software process and procurement with ISO guidance, you move from “box-ticking” to real inclusion, innovation, and resilience.


If you want your product to reach truly everyone, start with standards, then look for the ones you haven’t heard of yet. Accessibility isn’t just the domain of designers: it lives in the heart of quality, usability, and inclusive software engineering.


What does your organization overlook in its accessibility journey? Are there hidden ISO norms influencing your roadmap or procurement? Let us know or join the conversation in our Accessibility Category.


Stay tuned for future spotlights on procurement standards, AI, and the international movement for digital inclusion that goes far beyond the browser.

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