Accessibility First

A design and pedagogical philosophy that treats accessibility as a foundational requirement from the very beginning of a project or course of study, rather than addressing it as an advanced topic or retrofit at the end. The term draws an analogy to building construction: structures built with accessibility in mind from the start integrate features like ramps seamlessly, while older buildings require elaborate and often unsightly retrofits. In software development and web design, an Accessibility First approach integrates accessibility considerations into every stage of design and implementation, producing more naturally accessible outcomes with less effort than retrofitting.