Your Web Content According To WCAG Standards

If you want your site’s content to be more accessible to people with disabilities, it’s a good idea to design it according to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

This will ensure equality, expand your audience, improve website performance, and positively impact your reputation.

In this short but useful article, we will introduce you to WCAG and how you can achieve more thanks to it.

What Is WCAG Compliance?

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, known also as WCAG Compliance, are a set of standards created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Their job is to make web content more accessible for people with disabilities worldwide 

These guidelines are widely recognized and accepted internationally. WCAG’s main goal is to improve the accessibility of web content.

This is how a website should look to be accessible for people with disabilities:

• Understandable – the information and user interface operation should be user-friendly. This includes using easy-to-understand language, consistent navigation, and clear instructions.

• Perceivable – all of the information and interface components should be presentable to users in ways they can comprehend. This includes providing alternate text for images and captions for videos.

• Functional – the interface and navigation must work smoothly to ensure ease of use of the site. This is required regardless of how users use the site, including keyboard and mouse.

The Importance of WCAG Compliance

WCAG compliance is important in creating an inclusive and accessible online space.

Here are some reasons why:

• Legal requirements – in many countries it is required by law that all websites are easily accessible for people with disabilities. Failure to comply may result in fines.

• Better accessibility – people with different disabilities should be able to access and interact with your website easily. Thanks to this, the user experience is improved, which is also important for your business.
• Expanding market reach – approximately 15% of the world’s population has some form of disability. Therefore, creating an accessible site for people with disabilities can significantly expand your audience’s reach.

WCAG Compliance Levels

The WCAG guidelines are categorized into three levels of compliance:

• Level A – basic accessibility level. If your website has an A rating, you should work on improving it by fixing existing issues and improving accessibility.
• Level AA – an intermediate level of accessibility that most websites strive to achieve.
• Level AAA – this is the highest level of accessibility and is the most difficult to achieve.

The abovementioned levels can serve as a benchmark for improving your site.

How To Achieve WCAG Compliance?

You can achieve WCAG compliance in several steps:

• Create content with short sentences and paragraphs that is easy-to-read. 
• Add alt text to all images on your site.
• Provide transcripts and captions for the video and audio content.
• Use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) rules to improve digital accessibility.
• Make sure that the keyboard navigation is easy for people with disabilities.
• Use audio descriptions to describe the visual elements of the multimedia content.
• Don’t use colors that are too bright. They can distract the user or irritate their eyes.

WCAG vs. ADA Compliance

While both the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) address web accessibility, their scopes, legal frameworks, and international applications differ significantly.

ADA Compliance

The ADA, enacted in 1990, is a comprehensive civil rights law in the United States aimed at preventing discrimination against individuals with disabilities.

While the ADA does not explicitly address web accessibility, it requires that people with disabilities must have equal access to all areas of public life, including employment, government services, and public accommodations. 

WCAG Compliance

In contrast, the WCAG is a set of international guidelines specifically focused on web content accessibility.

Created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), WCAG provides a detailed framework to make web content more accessible to people with various disabilities.

Here are some key differences that you should know about.

Legal Framework:

• ADA is a law enforced by the DOJ with potential legal consequences for non-compliance, if you are concerned you should consult with a lawyer, there are 1.3 million lawyers but you will want to seek one specialised in ADA law.
• WCAG is a set of guidelines without direct legal enforcement but widely recognized as the standard for web accessibility.

Scope:

• ADA applies within the United States and covers all areas of public life, with increasing emphasis on websites.
• WCAG is globally recognized and specifically focuses on web content accessibility.

Specifications:

• ADA provides a broad mandate for non-discrimination without detailed technical requirements.
• WCAG offers specific, detailed criteria for web accessibility, making it a more practical tool for web developers.

By understanding the nuances between WCAG and ADA compliance, businesses can better navigate the legal and practical aspects of making their websites accessible to all users.

Trusting Tools For WCAG Compliance

Several tools and software, such as QualiBooth, provide a detailed analysis of your website’s accessibility. They show if your site has accessibility issues and give advice on how to fix them.

In addition, these tools also perform in-depth analysis and continuous monitoring that can significantly improve your site’s performance and accessibility.