Key accessibility checks for a bilingual website in the UAE

Why a bilingual website needs its own accessibility checklist

When you build a site that serves both Arabic and English readers, you are not simply translating text. You are designing for two reading directions, two script systems, and often two sets of user expectations. A standard accessibility check that works well for a monolingual English site will miss critical issues that affect half your audience. The goal is a site that feels natural to everyone, regardless of which language they choose or which direction they read. This article covers the practical checks that matter most for a bilingual website in the UAE, with a focus on real usability rather than theoretical compliance.

Start with the language switcher and its placement

The language switcher is the first thing many visitors look for. If it is hard to find or behaves unpredictably, you lose trust before the content is even read. Place the switcher in a consistent location on every page, typically at the top right in an English layout and top left in an Arabic layout. The label should be clear: "العربية" and "English" are better than flags or vague icons. The switch should go directly to the equivalent page in the other language, not to a generic homepage. Test that the action works on every viewport size, especially mobile, where the switcher can get buried in a collapsed menu.

Check the right-to-left layout thoroughly

Arabic is read from right to left, and your layout must mirror accordingly. This is not just about flipping text alignment. The entire page structure should reverse: the sidebar moves to the left side, the logo shifts to the right, navigation items reverse order, and form fields float to the right. Pay attention to icons that imply direction, such as arrows for "next" and "previous" or back buttons. In an Arabic interface, an arrow pointing left typically means forward, and pointing right means back. If your design uses a single CSS framework for both languages, test that the framework applies the correct direction values for each language version. A common mistake is to apply direction: rtl globally without also adjusting text-align, float, and flexbox orders for individual elements.

Arabic typography requires different font choices and spacing

Arabic script is cursive and has complex shaping rules. Not every font supports Arabic well, and many standard web fonts render Arabic characters poorly, with broken connections or inconsistent stroke widths. Choose a font family that is designed for Arabic text and includes proper glyphs for all common characters, including diacritics such as tashkeel (harakat). Test the font at various sizes and weights, especially in headings and navigation, where spacing problems become obvious. Also watch for text expansion: Arabic text is typically longer than its English equivalent, often by 20 to 30 percent. A button that fits "Submit" in English may overflow or wrap awkwardly in Arabic. Design your containers, buttons, and menu items with enough flexibility to accommodate the longer text, or use CSS properties like word-break and overflow carefully to avoid clipping.

Navigation and menus must work in both reading directions

Bilingual navigation is more than swapping menu item order. Drop-down menus, mega-menus, and fly-out panels each have a default direction that may need to be reversed. If your main menu has a submenu that flies out to the right in English, it should fly out to the left in Arabic, or the submenu may go off-screen. Test every level of navigation on desktop and mobile. On mobile, consider whether your hamburger menu slides in from the correct side. Also check the keyboard navigation order: when a user tabs through the Arabic version, the focus should move from right to left across the page, matching the visual reading flow. If your markup uses tabindex or relies on the DOM order, you may need to adjust it for the rtl layout.

Hreflang tags and language metadata

Search engines need clear signals about which language a page is in and which page is the equivalent in the other language. Use hreflang tags in the head of each page to point to its counterpart. For example, the English page should include a link element with rel="alternate" and hreflang="ar" pointing to the Arabic URL, and vice versa. This helps search engines index the correct version for users based on their language preferences and prevents duplicate content issues. Also set the lang attribute on the html element correctly for each page: lang="en" for English, lang="ar" for Arabic. This attribute affects screen reader pronunciation, browser spell-check, and font rendering. If you serve the same URL for both languages and rely on a cookie or browser setting to switch, you may need a different approach, such as using a URL parameter or subdirectory, to make the language clear to search engines.

Content localization goes beyond translation

Accessibility is not only technical, it is also cultural. A phrase that works perfectly in English may be confusing or even offensive in Arabic, even if translated correctly. For example, dates, times, and phone number formats differ. Arabic users expect Friday as a weekend day, a different calendar for religious holidays, and a different number system for digits (though Western Arabic numerals are widely understood). Check that your forms, error messages, and confirmation pages use the local conventions. Also consider the imagery and icons you use: a thumbs-up gesture, a handshake, or a piggy bank may carry different meanings in different cultures. A culturally aware design reduces cognitive load and makes the site feel built for the audience, not just translated for them.

Test with real users and real content

No checklist can replace actual user testing. Recruit people who read Arabic as their primary language and watch them navigate your site. Pay attention to where they hesitate, where they click the wrong thing, and where they switch back to English. You will discover issues that no automated tool catches, such as a confusing label in a form, a menu that is too narrow for the Arabic text, or a button that is too close to another element. Run the same tests on mobile devices, where the layout is more constrained. If you cannot run a full user test, at least ask a native Arabic speaker to review the site and give feedback on readability, flow, and cultural appropriateness.

Keep performance in mind for both languages

Arabic fonts and additional CSS for rtl support can add weight to your pages. A font file that includes Arabic glyphs may be larger than a Latin-only font, and the extra CSS rules for direction and alignment can also add up. Optimise by subsetting fonts to include only the characters you actually use, and by serving the appropriate font file only when the Arabic version is loaded. Use a content delivery network to cache assets close to your users. A fast site is an accessibility feature in itself, especially for users on slower connections or older devices. NetSoft IT Dubai recommends running performance tests on both language versions separately and comparing load times. A discrepancy often indicates that one version has unoptimised assets or unnecessary redirects.

Accessibility standards and testing tools

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) apply to both languages, but some success criteria need extra attention for bilingual sites. For example, the "meaningful sequence" criterion (WCAG 1.3.2) requires that the reading order of content is correct regardless of direction. The "identify purpose" criterion (WCAG 1.3.6) may require labels in both languages for controls. Use automated tools such as axe or WAVE to scan each language version separately. These tools will flag issues with contrast, heading structure, and missing alt text, but they will not catch direction-related problems or cultural mismatches. Manual review remains essential. Keep a checklist of your own that covers both the standard WCAG checks and the bilingual-specific items mentioned here. Review that checklist after every content update or design change.

Plan for ongoing maintenance

A bilingual site is not a one-time project. As you add new pages, features, or content blocks, the accessibility of both language versions can drift apart. Establish a process where every new piece of content is reviewed in both languages before going live. Use a style guide that includes accessibility rules for images, links, and forms, and make sure your content writers and developers are aware of the direction and cultural considerations. Schedule a quarterly audit of the entire site, testing both languages on multiple devices and with multiple browsers. NetSoft IT Dubai has seen how small inconsistencies, such as a missing lang attribute on a new page or a misaligned button in the Arabic version, can accumulate and frustrate users over time. A proactive maintenance plan keeps the experience consistent and inclusive.

Final thought

Building a bilingual website in the UAE that is genuinely accessible means thinking about language, direction, and culture from the start. The checklist above covers the main technical and design areas, but the real measure of success is how easily someone can complete their task, whether they read right to left or left to right. Each check you make brings you closer to a site that feels native to both audiences.