Building an accessible glossary in vanilla JavaScript

The article delves into the creation of an accessible glossary, inspired by a project with the e-learning platform Kognity, which aimed to enhance user accessibility. It discusses the implementation of a glossary in vanilla JavaScript, focusing on making it usable for different user profiles, such as those with mobility disabilities and screenreader users. The article outlines the challenges of ensuring accessibility, such as managing focus within the application and handling screenreader navigation, using real-world examples like HBOMax's movie title glossary to highlight common pitfalls. It emphasizes the importance of using CSS for screenreader-friendly content and provides solutions, such as removing disabled elements from screenreader view and improving navigation cues. By iterating through different development steps, the article showcases how to make the glossary accessible, not only for visually impaired users but also for those who navigate using keyboards, ultimately illustrating that accessibility requires imagination and understanding of user needs.