Cordwainer Access Yes Accessibility Plugin

Overview

The Cordwainer site requires an ADA-compliant accessibility plugin to meet legal obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Web accessibility law applies to websites in the same way physical accessibility requirements apply to buildings — failure to accommodate users with disabilities (poor vision, colorblindness, motor impairments) exposes the client to lawsuit risk.

Mark is responsible for installing and configuring the plugin. See ^[1] for broader client context.

Plugin Selection: Access Yes

The chosen plugin is Access Yes. A previous accessibility plugin was trialed but broke the Cordwainer site and was removed. Access Yes was selected as the replacement based on:

~10,000 active WordPress installations
4.5-star rating
Confirmed compatibility with the Cordwainer site

Configuration Notes

Icon placement: Bottom-left corner (bottom-right is conventionally reserved for chatbots)
Icon color: Blue — intentionally distinct from the site's color scheme so it reads as a utility widget, not a design element
The plugin generates an accessibility widget that exposes standard controls (contrast, text size, etc.) to end users
After activation, a full cache flush may be required before the widget appears on the frontend

Why This Matters

Without an accessibility plugin, the site is legally exposed. A plaintiff's attorney can argue the site discriminates against users with disabilities and pursue action under the ADA. Installing a recognized accessibility plugin is the minimum viable mitigation for this risk.

"There is a legal requirement that you have it." — Mark Hope

Action Items

[ ] Mark: Install and configure the Access Yes plugin on the Cordwainer WordPress site
[ ] Mark: Verify the widget renders correctly on the frontend after cache flush
[ ] Mark: Confirm icon is positioned bottom-left and visually distinct from site branding

^[1]
^[2] (if created)
^[3] (if created)