YSU Grad Student Creates Web Accessibility Scanner

Dil Rawat's A11yGuidance tool scans websites for WCAG 2.1 violations and provides guidance on fixes.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 4:21am

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Youngstown State University graduate student Dil Rawat has developed an online tool called A11yGuidance that scans websites for accessibility issues based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1. The tool provides detailed reports on violations, explanations of why they matter, and code snippets to help fix them. Rawat was inspired to create the tool after realizing how many websites are unusable for people who rely on assistive technologies, as well as a 2024 federal mandate requiring state and local government-funded websites to meet ADA accessibility standards.

Why it matters

With one in four U.S. adults having a disability and 94.8% of home pages containing WCAG 2.1 violations, Rawat's tool aims to help close the gap in digital accessibility. As more of daily life moves online, inaccessible websites exclude people with disabilities from accessing critical information and services.

The details

Rawat built the A11yGuidance tool as his capstone project for his Master of Computing and Information Systems degree at YSU. He was motivated not only by the federal accessibility mandate, but also by his own experience as a student developer realizing how many websites lack usability for those relying on assistive technologies. The tool allows users to enter any website URL and receive a detailed report on accessibility issues, explanations of why they matter, and code snippets to help fix them.

  • Rawat built the A11yGuidance tool as his capstone project for his master's degree program at YSU.
  • A 2024 federal mandate required state and local government-funded websites to meet ADA accessibility standards.
  • Rawat presented versions of his work at LAHSS-Con, the Graduate Research and Creative Showcase, and plans to present at this year's HackYSU.

The players

Dil Rawat

A graduate student in the Master of Computing and Information Systems program at Youngstown State University, who created the A11yGuidance web accessibility scanning tool as his capstone project.

Zack While

Rawat's faculty advisor, whose background in human-computer interaction has helped guide Rawat in shaping the project's design and usability.

Derrick McDowell

The mayor of Youngstown, who met with Rawat to discuss accessibility reports for the City of Youngstown, Mahoning County Public Health, and WRTA websites.

Oak Hill Collaborative

A nonprofit organization that was inspired by Rawat's presentation and encouraged him to reach out to other nonprofits who might find A11yGuidance helpful.

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What they’re saying

“When I started working as a student developer, I didn't know much about accessibility. Over time, I realized how many websites aren't usable for people who rely on assistive technologies. That's when I knew I wanted to build something that could help.”

— Dil Rawat, Graduate Student

“Everything is online now, education, health, legal information. When a website isn't accessible, it means someone is being left out. I wanted to help close that gap.”

— Dil Rawat, Graduate Student

“He always gives me a new way to look at things. It's been really helpful having his perspective.”

— Dil Rawat, Graduate Student

“Accessibility is becoming a priority everywhere.”

— Dil Rawat, Graduate Student

“Now, whenever I look at a website, the first thing I notice is the color contrast or whether the text is readable. In any job I take in the future, accessibility will always be one of the first things I think about.”

— Dil Rawat, Graduate Student

What’s next

Rawat plans to continue upkeep of the A11yGuidance tool after graduation, as web content is frequently changing and all new digital content from April forward must remain compliant throughout its life cycle. His goal is to help the thousands of public entities across the country that are racing to meet the new federal accessibility guidelines.

The takeaway

Rawat's A11yGuidance tool demonstrates how students can leverage their academic projects to create real-world solutions that address pressing societal needs, in this case improving digital accessibility for people with disabilities. His work highlights the growing importance of accessibility in web design and development, and the role that developers can play in ensuring no one is excluded from accessing critical online information and services.