What is WCAG?

Web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG) are a set of standards that define how website content should be designed and published to be more accessible to people with disabilities, such as hearing, visual, physical, and more.

WCAG standards were published as a W3C recommendation and is maintained by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Working Group. The WCAG standards were also reviewed by software developers, W3C members, and other W3C groups and interested third parties.

The WCAG standards help individuals, businesses, and organizations design websites that are more accessible for consumers. It also helps improve the overall usability and functionality of a website.

Under WCAG 2.0 guidelines, published in 2008, websites must perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.

There are twelve individual guidelines under these four principles that influence the design of all websites.

Some of these guidelines include:

• Provide text alternatives for non-text content so individuals can change the text into other formats as needed.
• Provide alternatives for time-based media, such as captions, transcripts, sign language, etc.
• Create content that can be presented in different ways without losing its information or structure.
• Make it easier for users to see and hear content, such as separating the foreground from the background using colour, audio control, text size, etc.
• Make all functionalities of the website available on the keyboard.
• Provide users with enough time to read and use content. If there are time restrictions, consider providing users with the ability to extend or turn off the time limit.
• Provide ways to help users navigate, locate, and identify content by adding page titles, links, headings, etc.

WCAG compliance is very important and can provide consumers, and businesses, with a lot of benefits. If you need help with WCAG compliancy, contact us for help today.