It stands for WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). One standard reigns supreme in website accessibility standards: WCAG, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Simply put, WCAG is the benchmark for crafting web-based content (like websites and web-based applications) that can be accessed by users of all abilities, especially those relying on assistive technologies. These guidelines, set by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), form the global standard for web accessibility. WCAG is not a piece of legislation, so following its guidelines is called “WCAG conformance” instead of “WCAG compliance.” However, numerous global laws have adopted the WCAG standards, including Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). So, conformance with WCAG standards is the legal best practice for compliance with most global web accessibility regulations.
Why follow WCAG standards?
Ensuring digital experiences conform with WCAG and are accessible to people with disabilities unlocks significant business benefits:
- Expand your reach: One in four adults in the U.S. identifies as having a disability that affects their daily life, including whether they can access digital information. Embracing WCAG opens your digital doors to every user, creating an inclusive gateway accessible to users of every ability and serving the largest possible audience.
- Speed up sales cycles: For technology providers, WCAG conformance is like an “approved” sticker validating your product’s accessibility, which is required when selling to the public sector and increasingly required in the private sector.
- Reduce legal risk: Accessibility compliance is more than a checkbox. It’s a legal requirement and essential to demonstrate your brand’s values. Following WCAG standards is your best path to avoiding a costly, time-consuming lawsuit that could tarnish your brand’s reputation.
The WCAG principles
WCAG’s accessibility standards are based on four principles (often referred to as POUR):
- Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presented to users in ways they can perceive. For example, it’s essential to present information that can be perceived differently, where a user can adjust color contrast or font size or view captions for videos.
- Operable: User interface components and navigation must be functional for users in ways they can operate. For example, a user must be able to perform required interactions using a keyboard or voice commands, not just using a mouse.
- Understandable: Information and user interface operation must be understandable. For example, information and instructions should be clear, and navigation methods should be easy to understand and use.
- Robust: Content must be strong enough to be interpreted reliably by various users and types of assistive technologies. As technologies evolve, code and content should remain accessible for users of standard and current assistive devices and tools.
Let us show you how, or if, your website is meeting these principles of digital accessibility.
WCAG conformance levels
There are three levels of WCAG conformance: A, AA, and AAA. Each level builds on the previous level, like a pyramid. So, to meet Level AA, you must meet all of Level A, and to Level AAA, you must meet all of Level AA.
- Level A: This level represents the base level of conformance. Level A criteria affect the broadest group of users with the most benefits and are essential. But, with the base level of support, some barriers that impact specific user groups will still exist.
- Level AA: This is the most common target conformance level, often adopted in regulations or negotiated in legal settlements. The criteria at this level establish accessibility that works for more users, including those who use assistive technology.
- Level AAA: This is the highest conformance level achievable, meaning it covers the success criteria of all three levels. However, level AAA is not applicable or realistic in all situations. Some organizations may choose to adopt specific criteria at this level.
Is ADA the same as WCAG?
No, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) works alongside the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The ADA law points to the WCAG guidelines for guidance on how to make web content accessible. Companies can avoid a lawsuits and win government contracts by auditing their website and software based on WCAG compliance.
The WCAG is an international set of standards used to improve web accessibility. The primary focus is to make HTML accessible throughout all platforms.
Why Website Accessibility Matters
Inaccessible web content means that people with disabilities are denied equal access to information. An inaccessible website can exclude people just as much as steps at an entrance to a physical location. Ensuring web accessibility for people with disabilities is a priority for the Department of Justice. Recently, many services have moved online, and people rely on websites like never before for all aspects of daily living. For example, accessing voting information, finding up-to-date health and safety resources, and looking up mass transit schedules and fare information increasingly depend on having access to websites.
People with disabilities navigate the web in a variety of ways. People who are blind may use screen readers, devices that speak the text that appears on a screen. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may use captioning. People whose disabilities affect their ability to grasp and use a mouse may use voice recognition software to control their computers and other devices with verbal commands.
The ways that websites are designed and set up can create unnecessary barriers that make it difficult or impossible for people with disabilities to use websites, just as physical barriers like steps can prevent some people with disabilities from entering a building. These barriers on the web keep people with disabilities from accessing information and programs that businesses and state and local governments make available to the public online. However, these barriers can be prevented or removed to make websites accessible to people with disabilities.
Existing technical standards provide helpful guidance concerning how to ensure the accessibility of website features. These include the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the Section 508 Standards the federal government uses for its websites. Check out the resources section for more references.
Please get in touch with us today for an audit of your site to see if you are ADA-compatible.