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Understanding WCAG: A Guide to Web Accessibility

This is the first post of my new Astro blog.

Understanding WCAG: A Guide to Web Accessibility

Shawn Sandy (Ally.Cafe) ~

Introduction to WCAG

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are a set of guidelines created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to ensure web content is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. These guidelines help web developers create content that is more accessible and usable for everyone. The latest version, WCAG 2.2, builds on previous versions to further enhance web accessibility.

WCAG is organized around four principles, often abbreviated as POUR:

  • Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presented to users in ways they can perceive.
  • Operable: User interface components and navigation must be operable.
  • Understandable: Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable.
  • Robust: Content must be robust enough to be interpreted by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.

Each guideline under these principles is categorized into three conformance levels:

  • A: The most basic web accessibility features.
  • AA: Deals with the biggest and most common barriers for disabled users.
  • AAA: The highest and most complex level of web accessibility.

Key WCAG 2.2 Guidelines

1. Perceivable

Text Alternatives (Guideline 1.1)

Provide text alternatives for any non-text content so that it can be changed into other forms people need, such as large print, braille, speech, symbols, or simpler language.

Example:

<img src="example.jpg" alt="A beautiful sunrise over the mountains">

Adaptable (Guideline 1.3)

Create content that can be presented in different ways without losing information or structure.

Example: Use semantic HTML to ensure content structure is clear:

<h1>Main Title</h1>
<p>This is a paragraph of text under the main title.</p>

2. Operable

Keyboard Accessible (Guideline 2.1)

All functionality should be available from a keyboard.

Example: Ensure interactive elements are focusable and usable via keyboard:

<button>Click Me</button>

Provide ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are.

Example: Use descriptive titles and headings:

<h1>About Us</h1>
<p>Welcome to our company...</p>

3. Understandable

Readable (Guideline 3.1)

Make text content readable and understandable.

Example: Use clear and simple language:

<p>Click the button to submit your information.</p>

Predictable (Guideline 3.2)

Make web pages appear and operate in predictable ways.

Example:

Ensure navigation is consistent across pages:

<nav>
  <ul>
    <li><a href="home.html">Home</a></li>
    <li><a href="about.html">About</a></li>
  </ul>
</nav>

4. Robust

Compatible (Guideline 4.1)

Maximize compatibility with current and future user agents, including assistive technologies.

Example: Use standard HTML5 elements and attributes:

<input type="text" aria-label="Username">

Best Practices for Implementing WCAG

  1. Use Semantic HTML: Always use HTML elements according to their intended purpose. This helps screen readers and other assistive technologies understand and present the content correctly.
  2. Provide Alt Text for Images: Ensure all images have descriptive alt text unless they are purely decorative, in which case they should have an empty alt attribute (alt="").
  3. Ensure Keyboard Accessibility: Make sure all interactive elements can be navigated and used with a keyboard.
  4. Use ARIA Landmarks: Use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) landmarks to help assistive technologies navigate the page.
  5. Test with Assistive Technologies: Regularly test your site with screen readers and other assistive technologies to ensure it is usable by all.

Additional Resources

By following these guidelines and best practices, you can help ensure that your web content is accessible to all users, regardless of their abilities.

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