This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by OMOTAYO OMOYEMI
In today’s world, accessibility in web applications isn’t just a nice-to-have it’s essential. When I set out to build a School Management Portal for teachers, students, and administrators, my goal was not just functionality, but inclusivity.
In this post, I’ll walk you through how I approached the design and development of an accessible school portal using PHP, MySQL, and responsive web technologies. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned developer, these lessons can help you build user-friendly systems for real-world impact.
Why Accessibility Matters in School Portals
A school portal serves a diverse community: students with different learning abilities, parents accessing from mobile devices, and administrators managing sensitive data.
Making the system accessible ensures:
Equal access for all users.
Compatibility across devices.
Secure management of confidential data.
Step 1: Planning the System Architecture
Before writing any code, I drafted the core features:
- Student Information System (SIS)
- Attendance Tracking
- Grade Management
- Role-based User Authentication (Admin, Teacher, Student)
I created a simple ER diagram to design the database schema using MySQL. Key tables included users, students, classes, and grades.
ER Diagram Snapshot:
Users (user_id, name, email, role, password_hash)
Students (student_id, user_id, class_id, DOB)
Classes (class_id, name, teacher_id)
Grades (grade_id, student_id, subject, score)
Step 2: Building the Backend with PHP and MySQL
I chose PHP for server-side scripting and MySQL for the database.
Here’s a simple PHP snippet for user authentication:
<?php
// login.php
session_start();
include('db_connect.php');
$email = $_POST['email'];
$password = $_POST['password'];
$query = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE email = ?";
$stmt = $conn->prepare($query);
$stmt->bind_param("s", $email);
$stmt->execute();
$result = $stmt->get_result();
if ($row = $result->fetch_assoc()) {
if (password_verify($password, $row['password_hash'])) {
$_SESSION['user_id'] = $row['user_id'];
header("Location: dashboard.php");
exit;
} else {
echo "Invalid credentials.";
}
} else {
echo "User not found.";
}
?>
Security Note: Always hash passwords with password_hash() and use prepared statements to prevent SQL injection.
Step 3: Designing a Responsive Frontend
I implemented the frontend using HTML5, CSS3, and Bootstrap to ensure mobile compatibility.
Key Accessibility Practices:
- Use semantic HTML tags (like
<nav>,<main>,<footer>). - Ensure proper colour contrast for readability.
- Add ARIA labels for assistive technologies.
Example: Accessible Login Form
<form action="login.php" method="POST">
<label for="email">Email:</label>
<input type="email" id="email" name="email" required aria-label="Email address">
<label for="password">Password:</label>
<input type="password" id="password" name="password" required aria-label="Password">
<button type="submit">Login</button>
</form>
Tested with screen readers to verify usability.
Lessons Learned
Data Security: Encryption and role-based permissions are vital.
Mobile First: Many parents and students access portals via mobile devices.
Accessibility: Small changes like ARIA labels make a big difference.
Next Steps
This project gave me a deeper appreciation for inclusive design. Here’s what I plan to add next:
Email notifications for parents.
Data visualization for teachers (attendance, grades).
API endpoints for mobile app integration.
Building accessible systems isn’t just good practice, it’s our responsibility as developers.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by OMOTAYO OMOYEMI