Aaron Preece
In many of our AccessWorld articles, we talk about the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), but usually, this is in passing. We haven’t often gone into significant detail about what these guidelines are for those who may not be familiar. For this article, we will take a closer look at the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, explaining what they are, why they are important, and why they are so frequently referenced in accessibility work.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines were developed as a project of the World Wide Web Consortium. Since their inception, they have been updated several times to keep up with advancements in web technology. While initially focused on websites, WCAG can now be applied to mobile apps and other types of digital technology. Due to their widespread adoption, as well as their incredible detail and organization, WCAG has become the gold standard for measuring accessibility on the web and in similar digital contexts.
Increasingly, governments adopting standards for digital accessibility compliance are using WCAG as their benchmark. For example, a recent ruling under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires covered organizations to meet specific WCAG standards. For more information, see this blog post from our website.
Organization of the Guidelines
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines are organized around four principles of accessibility: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust.
Perceivable means that the information must be presented in ways that can be perceived by people with disabilities. For instance, ensuring content is accessible to screen readers, adding labels to elements, and providing alternative text for images are examples under this principle.
The second principle, Operable, ensures that users can interact with the site or application in accessible ways. This includes enabling keyboard navigation and ensuring that interactive elements are usable.
The third principle is Understandable. This means that users must not only perceive the content but also be able to comprehend it. Clear language, avoiding excessive jargon, and maintaining consistent navigation are critical here.
Finally, Robust refers to content being compatible with a wide range of technologies. This includes various browsers, operating systems, and assistive tools, ensuring accessibility across different platforms.
Each principle is further divided into guidelines, which are then broken down into success criteria. These success criteria provide specific, measurable requirements for accessibility.
Levels of Conformance
WCAG defines three levels of conformance:
Level A: This represents the most basic requirements for accessibility. If these criteria are not met, content may be completely inaccessible to people with disabilities.
Level AA: Most organizations aim for this level of conformance. It provides a more comprehensive standard of accessibility, addressing a wider range of needs and disabilities.
AAA is the most stringent and comprehensive level of accessibility. Usually, this particular conformance level is used selectively for specific disabilities that may need it, but otherwise, it may not be practical for many situations.
Other Considerations and Details
When reviewing the guidelines, you will notice references to normative and non-normative content.
Normative content refers to the official guidelines and success criteria. These define the specific requirements that developers must meet.
Non-normative content includes supporting materials such as introductions, examples, and the "Understanding Success Criteria" pages. These resources provide additional context and guidance but are not requirements themselves.
After introducing the principles, guidelines, and success criteria, WCAG includes a section dedicated to helping users understand how to comply with the standards. Following this, there is a comprehensive glossary of terms to clarify the language used in the guidelines. Even familiar terms may have specific meanings in this context, so reviewing the glossary can be helpful to ensure accurate interpretation.
The "Understanding Success Criteria" pages also provide detailed explanations of how meeting specific criteria benefits individuals with various disabilities. If you are interested in the specific barriers faced by particular groups, these pages offer valuable insights into the issues they may encounter when using digital content.
Why WCAG Is Helpful
If you're a web developer who is looking to make your website or other digital asset more accessible, you can't go wrong with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. They are incredibly detailed, well-organized, and link to a wide range of resources to help you make your website as accessible as possible.
While originally designed for the web, WCAG is flexible enough to be applied to other digital platforms, such as mobile apps, desktop software, and even operating systems.
For accessibility advocates, familiarity with WCAG can be an essential tool. Referencing specific success criteria provides solid support when requesting changes to an interface, helping organizations understand what needs to be done and why. Citing these standards often equips teams with the actionable information they need to make meaningful improvements in accessibility.
