What are web content accessibility guidelines?
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 are a series of accessibility guidelines from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) that explain how to make web content accessible to people with disabilities.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 are organized into three levels of conformance:
- Level A — deals with the most basic web accessibility features
- Level AA — signifies the biggest and most common barriers for disabled users
- Level AAA — addresses the highest (and most complex) level of web accessibility
For each guideline, there are testable success criteria, which are at three levels: A, AA, and AAA.
There are four web content accessibility principles that will help you know web accessibility better. Mastering and knowing these principles will aid you in creating quality web experiences.
web content accessibility principles
The web content accessibility guidelines are categorized under these four principles and they are, Perceivable, Operable, Understandable and Robust.
Perceivable
Information and user interface components must be presented to users in ways they can perceive. Content should be perceivable through sight, sound (hearing) and touch. Content should be transformable from one format into another easily. example, Text (perceivable by sight) should be transformable into audio by using a text-to-speech screen reader (perceivable by hearing) and into Braille by using a refreshable Braille display (perceivable by touch).
How to ensure content is perceivable?
- Provide text alternatives for any non-text content so that it can be changed into other forms for people who need it, such as large print, braille, speech, symbols or simpler language.
- Give alternatives for time-based media.
- Create content that can be presented in different ways (for example simpler layout) without losing information or structure.
- Make it easier for users to see and hear content including separating foreground from background.
Operable
User interface components and navigation must be operable. Content must be navigable using various input methods. Remember not everyone uses a mouse to operate a computer always. Some may use a keyboard or an onscreen keyboard, voice input etc. to navigate. Online content needs to be navigable and operable by these various input methods.
How to ensure content is Operable?
- Make all functionality available from a keyboard.
- Provide users enough time to read and use the content.
- Do not design content in a way that is known to cause seizures.
- Provide ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are.
Understandable
Information and the operation of user interface must be understandable. Websites must use clear terms, simple instructions and explain complex issues. It should function in a way that users understand, by avoiding unusual, unexpected or inconsistent functions.
Writing the content in plain language, explaining jargon, expanding acronyms and using consistent and intuitive navigation are a few ways to make a site more understandable.
How to ensure content is understandable?
- Make text content readable and understandable.
- Ensure web pages appear and operate in predictable ways.
- Help users avoid and correct mistakes.
Robust
Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies. A website must meet recognized standards, such as using clean HTML and CSS.
Robust content works across operating systems, different browsers, and even on mobile devices. The site visitors should be able to choose their own technologies to access, read and interact on the site.
It should allow them to customize their technologies to meet their needs, which include accessibility needs.
How to ensure content is robust?
- Maximize compatibility with current and future user agents, including assistive technologies.
Websites designed with accessibility in mind create a better experience for all users, not just those with disabilities.
