WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)
What does WCAG mean?
WCAG, or Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, are a set of internationally recognized standards developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) under its Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). These guidelines aim to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities, including those with visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, language, learning, and neurological disabilities.
How does WCAG work?
WCAG is organized around four core principles, often abbreviated as POUR:
- Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presented in ways that users can perceive. This includes providing text alternatives for non-text content and checking that content is adaptable.
- Operable: User interface components and navigation must be operable. For example, all functionality should be available via a keyboard, and users should have enough time to read and use content.
- Understandable: Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable. This involves making text readable and predictable and helping users avoid and correct mistakes.
- Robust: Content must be robust enough to be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.
Each principle contains guidelines and specific success criteria that provide testable statements to measure conformance.
Implementing WCAG checks that websites and digital content are accessible to a broader audience, including individuals with disabilities. Adhering to these guidelines not only promotes inclusivity but also helps organizations comply with legal requirements in various jurisdictions, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the United States and the Equality Act in the United Kingdom.
WCAG has evolved over time to address emerging technologies and user needs:
- WCAG 2.0: Published in 2008, it established the foundational guidelines.
- WCAG 2.1: Released in 2018, it added 17 success criteria to address mobile accessibility, low vision, and cognitive disabilities.
- WCAG 2.2: Published in October 2023, it introduced 9 additional success criteria, focusing on users with cognitive and learning disabilities and users of mobile devices.
Each version is backward compatible, meaning content that conforms to WCAG 2.2 also conforms to WCAG 2.1 and 2.0.
WCAG defines three levels of conformance:
- Level A: The minimum level of accessibility.
- Level AA: Addresses the most common barriers for disabled users; often the target level for websites.
- Level AAA: The highest level of accessibility, addressing the most complex needs.
FAQs about WCAG
Any organization that provides web content, especially those in the public sector or serving the public, should aim to comply with WCAG to improve accessibility and meet legal obligations.
There are various tools available, such as the WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool and the Axe Accessibility Checker, which can help identify accessibility issues on your website.
While WCAG itself is not a law, many countries reference WCAG standards in their accessibility legislation, making compliance effectively mandatory to meet legal requirements.
WCAG 2.2 builds upon 2.1 by adding new success criteria to address additional user needs, particularly focusing on users with cognitive and learning disabilities and those using mobile devices
Yes. Although WCAG was originally developed for websites, its principles also apply to mobile apps. Many of the success criteria, such as text alternatives, touch target size, and keyboard accessibility, are relevant so that mobile apps are accessible to users with disabilities.