Overview of Web Accessibility Compliance

Web accessibility ensures that websites are usable by people of all abilities, including those with disabilities. Compliance with established guidelines, such as the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), helps make web content more accessible to everyone.

• Accessibility is about making web content usable for all users.
• Compliance with standards like WCAG is essential for inclusivity.

Key Terms

WCAG 2.1: The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 are internationally recognized standards for web accessibility. They define levels of compliance, such as AA (standard) and AAA (enhanced).

Color Presets: Default color settings in website templates are often designed to meet accessibility standards, ensuring sufficient contrast and readability. The default color presets for the 2019 template are AA WCAG 2.1 compliant.

WAVE Tool: The WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool is an online resource that helps evaluate the accessibility of web pages by identifying potential issues.

• WCAG 2.1 provides guidelines for accessible web design.
• Color choices can affect accessibility compliance.
• Tools like WAVE help assess and improve accessibility.

Why Accessibility Compliance Matters

Ensuring your site meets accessibility standards is important for legal, ethical, and practical reasons. Accessible sites reach a wider audience and provide a better user experience for everyone, including people with disabilities.

• Accessibility broadens your site's audience.
• Compliance can help avoid legal issues.
• Accessible design improves usability for all users.

Background on Template Colors and Accessibility

The default color presets for the 2019 template are designed to be AA WCAG 2.1 compliant. If you modify these colors for branding or to achieve a higher level of compliance (such as AAA), it is important to verify that your changes maintain accessibility standards.

• Default templates are typically set to meet accessibility guidelines.
• Changing colors may impact compliance.
• Verification is needed after making color adjustments.

Evaluating Accessibility with Tools

Automated tools like the WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool can help you assess whether your site pages meet accessibility standards. These tools analyze web pages and highlight areas that may need improvement to maintain or exceed compliance.

• Accessibility evaluation tools identify potential issues.
• Regular checks help maintain compliance after changes.