WCAG, or the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, are the standards set in place by a collaboration between the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), member organizations, and the public to help make the web more accessible to all users, including those with disabilities or limitations.
About the W3C
The W3C is an international public-interest nonprofit that relies on staff, member organizations, and the public to help develop practical, solution-based web standards for the benefit of all users. Part of W3C’s mission is to continuously work to uncover the most innovative solutions that keep up with fast-growing technology and fast-changing web trends so that users with disabilities can always access web content as easily and efficiently as possible. As a result, the W3C frequently implements updates, strategies, and expectations for web content creators and website owners to abide by.
About the WAI
The WAI is an initiative founded by the W3C to develop strategies, standards, and resources that provide people with disabilities fair access to web content.
Why Does WCAG Matter?
No one wants to feel excluded. But for a long time, before the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was officially passed in 1990, people with disabilities or limitations were often excluded from many things that able-bodied people could easily access. Efforts were made voluntarily before the passing of the ADA to help make private and public spaces more accessible. However, the 1990 ruling made ADA compliance enforceable to help ensure that people with disabilities would be intentionally included rather than accidentally excluded or excluded by default.
It’s crucial for a business with a physical location or a public space to be compliant with ADA standards and guidelines so that the building, office space, or outdoor space meets the requirements set forth by the ADA.
Businesses and public entities must ensure accessibility in online spaces, as well. Web accessibility is just as important as physical accessibility so that everyone, regardless of their condition, can access the content published on the web.
So, how can businesses, both private and public, create websites and other web content that are ADA-compliant? They can achieve this by following the WAI’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. WCAG exists to benefit both users and those who provide the content users want to engage with on the web.
Relying on WCAG for web development matters for many reasons, three of the leading ones being:
- It helps businesses create websites and web content that is universally accessible to all users, including those who are physically or mentally limited.
- It supports users who may suffer from varying degrees of visual impairment, hearing impairment, mobility limitations, cognitive limitations, photosensitivity, speech impairment, and more.
- It minimizes a business’s risk of facing hefty fines, penalties, and legal fees for ADA violations.
If a user is unable to reasonably access a website’s content, they have the right to pursue a lawsuit, which could force the business to pay fines and penalties in addition to legal fees. Ensuring compliance with WCAG is not only for the purpose of inclusivity but also for protection.
How Many Versions of WCAG Are There?
The WAI continuously updates WCAG to ensure new technologies, solutions, or lapses in accessibility are covered, addressed, or resolved. It’s crucial for WCAG to remain up to date with modern designs, trends, developments, and growth within the ever-changing digital landscape.
WCAG 1.0 was first published in 1999 and was primarily focused on HTML.
Its second iteration, WCAG 2.0, was published in 2008 and is the version that first introduced the four main principles that website development and design should consider: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.
The third version, WCAG 2.1, was published in 2018 and amended many of the guidelines featured in WCAG 2.0 and also focused heavily on the solutions needed for mobile web browsing.
As of 2023, we are using the fourth version, WCAG 2.2, which has further improved upon previous versions and now includes guidelines and criteria that better benefit those with low vision, cognitive limitations, learning disabilities, and physical restrictions like motor disabilities.
How Many Requirements Are There in WCAG 2.2?
WCAG 2.2 contains 86 success criteria that developers and designers should follow for the sites they produce to comply with the standards and best practices for web accessibility.
Within WCAG, there are three levels of conformance that web designers need to consider: Level A, AA, and AAA. The 86 success criteria fall into any of these levels based on either what is required by current laws or what is necessary for a user’s success on a particular website. Some criteria are not legally required to be included, but they could be useful for complete and universal accessibility.
Level A
Level A includes the most basic web accessibility criteria, or the criteria that address the accessibility needs of the broadest audience. Just a few examples of criteria in level A include:
- Content is navigable with a keyboard
- Images have alt-text
- Videos have captions
- Assistive tools, such as screen readers, can access the content
Legally, all level A criteria are required to be met.
Level AA
Level AA automatically includes level A conformance, as well as additional criteria that further enhance a site’s accessibility. Many designers and developers aim to create websites that meet level AA criteria to ensure legal web accessibility compliance. Just a few examples of criteria in level AA include:
- Color contrast between text and backgrounds has a ratio of at least 4.5 to 1.
- Navigation elements should remain consistent across the site. For example, the menu should not move locations from one page to the next.
- Orientation should appropriately adjust between portrait or landscape mode when viewed on a mobile device or tablet.
For the majority of websites, level AA conformance is required.
Level AAA
Level AAA is the highest level of conformance to web accessibility a website can have. The criteria that fall into level AAA are not required, but incorporating the criteria would ensure that your website is highly accessible to all, regardless of a user’s disability or impairment. Just a few examples of criteria in level AAA include:
- Color contrast between text and backgrounds has a minimum ratio of 7 to 1.
- Videos include sign language translation and audio description.
- All actions on the site are accessible through the keyboard.
Level AAA is not necessarily required, but many web developers will incorporate some level AAA criteria into their web design to further strengthen their site’s accessibility.
What Are the Four Guiding Principles of Web Accessibility?
WCAG defines four major principles of web accessibility that all required or suggested criteria work to satisfy. These four principles are:
Perceivable
The website content must be perceivable by a user, whether they have a disability or impairment or are able-bodied. The only senses we rely on to interpret content on a website are sight and sound. Therefore, people with any degree of visual or hearing impairment should have options that still allow them to engage and interact with the information being presented.
Criteria that satisfy the perceivable principle include:
- Uploading videos with captions
- Providing alt-text for images
- Allowing for enlarged text
- Accommodating screen readers
Operable
The website should be user-friendly, with user-friendly navigation and interface. The design should be intuitive and easily operable for all people, including those with motor disabilities or other impairments who may struggle with site operation.
Criteria that can satisfy the operable principle include:
- Not adding flashing content or content that moves quickly enough to cause confusion or trigger a seizure.
- Ensuring the website is navigable with a keyboard or other tool besides a mouse.
- Not adding time limits to actions or offering alternatives to time-based actions.
Understandable
The web content and navigation should be understandable. Users of any kind should be able to land on the web page and process the content presented.
Criteria that can satisfy the understandable principle include:
- Making text readable with an easy-to-read font
- Ensuring correct color contrast ratios
- Designing the menus to be consistent and predictable
Robust
The robust principle considers how a website may be affected by evolving technology. Generally speaking, users should still be able to access a website and its content, even if technology changes or develops because the site is adaptable to such changes.
Additionally, the robust principle helps ensure that websites are not only designed to be accessible for people with one or two disabilities but are accessible to all, regardless of what permanently or temporarily impairs them.
Criteria that can satisfy the robust principle include:
- Making sure the content is compatible with a variety of browsers, assistive tools (screen readers, for example), and more.
- Creating code/markup that is easily and readily interpreted
How Can I Make My Website Accessible and WCAG-Compliant?
There are online tools and checklists available that can show you what you need to do to ensure you have a WCAG-compliant website. However, performing a self-evaluation or running your site through a free online tool is not going to show you everything; some tools only point out about 30% of compliance errors or issues without addressing the other 70%.
For a surefire way to know whether your website is WCAG-compliant and in line with the ADA, rely on the web design pros at M&R Marketing. We develop our sites with a keen focus on accessibility and compliance, and we can run checks to determine whether your website and content need an overhaul or are serving all users effectively and fairly.
Curious about your web accessibility and compliance? Let M&R help. Call 478-621-4491 and talk about your website with our skilled web designers and developers.
Our in-house team of web developers, web designers, and copywriters serves clients with accessibility-focused web design and redesign services. We ensure conformance with level A, level AA, and even some of the level AAA criteria to satisfy your users and help you remain legally compliant with W3C requirements, regulations, and best practices.
Contact one of our business development managers today to learn how our website designers can help with your web accessibility needs.
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