You've decided to make your website accessible to people with disabilities. Now what? The first thing you need to know is that there are two web accessibility standards which are used: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 and Section 508. This guide will explain what each of the web accessibility standards is, the differences between them, which to use, and the levels of web accessibility. Let's get started!
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is the leading group which sets international standards for the web. In 1997 they launched a project called the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). Two years later, they released the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The guidelines apply not just to websites but also to devices like cell phones. WCAG became the de facto standard and is used by many countries.
In 2008, the WAI updated the standards by publishing the WCAG 2.0. These standards replaced the previous standards of WCAG 1.0.
WCAG 2.0 has four principles which state that websites must be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. There are a total of 12 guidelines under each of these principles. In order to make sure a website is meeting these guidelines, there are a total of 61 testable “success criteria.” Here is how it looks:
You can use tools like Acquia Web Governance's accessibility checker to see whether your web pages are passing or failing each of the testable success criteria. Note, however, that some of the tests aren’t as simple as pass/fail. Some tests require a human check to make sure the website meets the guideline.
For example:
One of the guidelines under the “perceivable” principle is that websites should, “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.”
If you do not have alt tags for images, then the test will come back as an error. However, not all images need alt tags — such as when the image is purely decorative. A human check would show that the image actually doesn’t need a text alternative to make the web content perceivable.
There are three levels of web accessibility established under WCAG 2.0. Level A is the least strict and the level which most closely resembles Section 508. Level AAA is very strict. For example, to be in compliance with AAA standards, your website would need to have a prerecorded sign language interpretation for all prerecorded audio in media. You have probably seen this on TV broadcasts of important government announcements; the interpreter is shown in a small box in the corner of the screen.
If you meet level AA, it means that you meet all of the criteria of level A and level AA. If you meet level AAA, it means meeting the criteria of levels A, AA, and AAA.
It is very difficult to always be in compliance with level AAA. Most companies and organizations worrying about accessibility should strive for level AA. At this level, they will be legally compliant in most countries, can avoid lawsuits, and provide a good experience for all users.
The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) was enforced to ensure equal opportunity for people with disabilities through the establishment of design standards for the construction and alteration of facilities in the built environment. ADA compliance relates to areas of public life including jobs, school, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public, whereby discrimination against individuals with disabilities is strictly prohibited. Although meant to cover physical access barriers, new lawsuits under the act have expanded the definition of areas of public accommodation to include websites and online applications. While there are no set legal guidelines in place for web accessibility under the ADA, the WCAG 2.0 level AA is used as a standard for reference.
Due to this new understanding of the scope of the ADA, there has been a spike in ADA lawsuits for various websites across the U.S. To learn about what you can do if you end up with an ADA demand letter and an impending lawsuit, read our guide on how to address this matter appropriately.
Federal agencies in the United States are required to comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Section 508 relates to government information and communications technology and addresses the requirements of all federal agencies to make their electronic documents and information accessible to those with impairments or disabilities. A recent refresh of this law moved to have conformance reflect the criteria from the WCAG 2.0 AA standard which meant that all web content, digital documents, and software should at minimum adhere to WCAG 2.0 Level AA to be compliant under Section 508.
The different legislation surrounding web accessibility can be quite confusing. To help you navigate the legal landscape, read these tips on how to protect your site from accessibility lawsuits.
Section 508 and the ADA only apply to companies that operate within the USA. If you're within the EU, you will instead be subject to the EU Web Accessibility Directive. Learn more about this directive in this quick overview.
And if you want to understand how your website stands up to any or all of these legislations, get a free site accessibility scan today.
| What is WCAG and what are the levels of web accessibility? |
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The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are international standards published by the W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative. The current WCAG 2.0 standards are built on four principles — websites must be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust — supported by 12 guidelines and 61 testable success criteria. WCAG defines three levels of conformance: Level A is the least strict and most closely resembles Section 508; Level AA covers all Level A criteria plus additional requirements; and Level AAA is the strictest, requiring measures like prerecorded sign language interpretation for all prerecorded audio. Most organizations should strive for Level AA, which provides legal compliance in most countries and a good experience for all users.
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| How does the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) apply to websites? |
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The ADA was originally enacted to ensure equal opportunity for people with disabilities by setting design standards for physical facilities, but recent lawsuits have expanded the definition of \"areas of public accommodation\" to include websites and online applications. While the ADA does not set explicit legal guidelines for web accessibility, WCAG 2.0 Level AA is used as the de facto reference standard. Because of this expanded scope, ADA-related web accessibility lawsuits have spiked across the U.S., making it increasingly important for organizations to ensure their websites meet recognized accessibility standards.
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| What is Section 508 and who needs to comply with it? |
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Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires U.S. federal agencies to make their electronic documents, information, and communications technology accessible to people with disabilities. A recent refresh of the law aligned its conformance requirements with WCAG 2.0 Level AA, meaning all web content, digital documents, and software must at minimum meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA standards to be Section 508 compliant. Section 508 applies only to federal agencies operating within the United States — organizations in the EU are instead subject to the EU Web Accessibility Directive.
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