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If you’re new to web accessibility, you may have heard of “WCAG,” or the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. But understanding all the technical terms and how they affect you and your business can be a bit overwhelming.
While WCAG forms the basis for web accessibility laws, there may be additional criteria you need to meet to achieve compliance in your country. Navigating these requirements can be complex and ever-changing, but even a small amount of WCAG knowledge can make a big difference. In this guide, we’ll explore what WCAG is, why it matters and its core principles.
What is WCAG, and why does it matter?
WCAG is a set of standards developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to make web content accessible to people with disabilities. Using these guidelines when creating websites and other digital platforms is important because it ensures everyone has equal access to and use of information on the web.
WCAG provides three conformance levels to help you measure how accessible your website is: A, AA and AAA. Each level builds on the previous and has a specific number of success criteria you need to meet. Think of it as an accessibility scale, with Level A being the lowest and Level AAA being the highest standards.
You may think everyone should aim for Level AAA, and while that may seem ideal, it’s not always possible or even necessary for every website. Many industry experts recommend aiming for Level AA conformance to make your website reasonably accessible since it addresses most of the significant barriers that users may face.
How does WCAG impact web accessibility laws around the world?
Meeting WCAG requirements is not just about promoting digital inclusivity; it also carries legal implications for your website and business. Many countries have already enacted or are in the process of developing laws and regulations which explicitly reference WCAG as the standard for achieving accessibility. Let’s take a look at some of these laws:
1. U.S.
Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act are the primary laws that govern web accessibility in the United States. Both reference WCAG 2.0 Level AA conformance as the acceptable accessibility standard for website content.
However, the Revised 508 Standards includes some additional requirements not covered by WCAG. These include specific requirement for assistive technology support, accessibility of electronic documents such as PDFs and Word documents and more.
2. Canada
In Canada, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) sets accessibility standards that apply to both public and private organizations in Ontario. Other provinces in Canada, such as Manitoba and Nova Scotia, have adopted similar accessibility laws that sets WCAG 2.0 AA as the benchmark for compliance.
Organizations under the AODA must also meet some requirements not specified in WCAG documents. These include:
• Providing information in accessible alternative formats, such as braille or large print, on demand.
• Publishing an accessibility statement on their website that details steps taken to make web content accessible and contact details to report any issues.
• Creating in-house accessibility policies and submitting a compliance report to the Government of Ontario.
• Providing accessibility training for employees and volunteers who interact with the public or develop web content.
3. Europe
The Web Accessibility Directive (WAD) sets the framework for web accessibility in the European Union. It mandates that all public sector websites and mobile applications should meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Countries such as Germany, France and Italy have already adopted the WAD into their national legislation, with subtle differences in some cases.
For instance, federal agencies in Germany are required to meet Priority I of the Barrier-Free Information Technology Regulation (BITV 2.0), which merges WCAG Levels A and AA. However, all landing pages and main navigation menus (referred to as “central navigation and entry points”) must meet Priority II—an equivalent of WCAG Level AAA conformance.
How can businesses meet WCAG requirements and comply with web accessibility laws in their country?
The first step is to evaluate your website’s accessibility. Conduct a thorough audit to identify any accessibility barriers. This involves manual testing and using automated evaluation tools to identify common issues that users face when using your website.
Once you’ve identified accessibility issues, the next step is to fix them using WCAG 2.1 AA best practices. This can include improving color contrast, providing text descriptions for images and multimedia content, and ensuring proper heading structure. I’ve also written previously on how to improve your website’s accessibility.
After making the necessary accessibility adjustments, you’ll need to conduct further testing to make sure you have properly addressed all the issues. You may find that you inadvertently added some new ones, especially if you fixed them yourself. That’s why I always recommend getting the help of an accessibility expert for remediation processes. (Disclosure: My company helps with this, as do others.)
If you decide to work with an expert, always maintain open and clear communication between you (or your development team) and the expert. If they suggest a change and you’re not clear why, just ask; never assume. This will help your team learn and avoid similar pitfalls in the future.
When the expert provides recommendations, document them. This documentation can act as a valuable reference for future projects or if you’re legally required to demonstrate compliance efforts.
Also ask the expert if they can conduct workshops with your team. Practical, hands-on experiences can provide a deeper understanding of the issues at hand and how to fix them.
Remember, accessibility is an ongoing commitment. To learn more about WCAG and accessibility, you can explore resources on the W3C website and other authoritative blogs. Online courses, tutorials and webinars can also help deepen your understanding and further your accessibility efforts.
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