What is WCAG and why it is so important in web development industry?

13 July 2023

In today’s digital landscape, websites and online platforms are an integral part of our daily lives. However, not everyone has the same ability to access and navigate these digital spaces. People with disabilities, including those with visual, hearing, cognitive, and physical impairments, often encounter barriers that make it difficult or impossible to use websites and other digital content. This is where the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) come into play.

What is WCAG?

The WCAG is a set of guidelines developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to ensure that web content is accessible to people with disabilities. The guidelines cover a wide range of topics, from the use of colors to the way content is presented on a page. The WCAG is organized into four main principles, each with its own set of guidelines:

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

Each principle is further broken down into specific guidelines, with each guideline having success criteria. These success criteria are used to determine whether a website meets the guidelines or not.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines success criteria

WCAG success criteria are specific guidelines that websites must follow in order to meet accessibility standards. There are three levels of conformance to these guidelines: Level A, Level AA, and Level AAA.
Here are some examples of WCAG success criteria at each level:

Level A:

Text alternatives: Provide text alternatives for any non-text content so that it can be read by screen readers.
Keyboard accessibility: Ensure that all functionality on your website is accessible via keyboard commands, as some users cannot use a mouse.
Contrast: Establish the color contrast between text and background meets a minimum ratio, to make the text legible for users with low vision.

Level AA:

Captions and audio descriptions: Provide captions for pre-recorded video content and audio descriptions for any video content that is essential for understanding the website’s content.
Navigation: Ensure that website navigation is easy to understand and consistent across all pages.
Resize text: Allow users to resize text up to 200% without causing content to overlap or become obscured.

Level AAA:

Sign language interpretation: Provide sign language interpretation for all pre-recorded video content.
Consistent navigation: Ensure that website navigation remains consistent across all pages, including when using different devices.
Low background noise: Be sure that any background audio on your website does not interfere with the user’s ability to hear important audio content.

By following these success criteria, websites can provide a more inclusive and accessible experience for all users, including those with disabilities.

Why is WCAG so important in the web development industry?

The importance of WCAG lies in its ability to ensure that websites are accessible to as many people as possible. By following the guidelines, web developers can ensure that people with disabilities can access and use their websites without barriers. This includes people with visual impairments, hearing impairments, physical disabilities, and cognitive disabilities.

Here are a few reasons why is WCAG so important in the web development industry:

Legal compliance: In many countries, including the United States, Canada, and European Union member states, web accessibility is a legal requirement. Failure to comply with accessibility standards can result in lawsuits and hefty fines. By following WCAG guidelines, web developers can ensure that their websites and digital content are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities.
Increased user base: By designing websites and digital content with accessibility in mind, web developers can expand their user base to include people with disabilities. This can lead to increased traffic, engagement, and revenue for businesses and organizations.
Ethical considerations: Accessibility is not only a legal requirement, but also an ethical consideration. Websites and digital content should be accessible to all, regardless of ability. WCAG guidelines promote inclusivity and diversity in the digital landscape.

Is there a legal requirement to implement WCAG?

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are not legally binding in most countries, but there are laws and regulations in many countries that require websites to be accessible to people with disabilities.

For example, in the United States, there are several laws that require accessibility for websites, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. These laws require federal agencies and organizations that receive federal funding to make their websites accessible to people with disabilities. The ADA also applies to businesses and non-profit organizations with physical locations that are open to the public, and many courts have interpreted the ADA to also apply to websites as places of public accommodation.

In the European Union, the Web Accessibility Directive requires public sector bodies to make their websites and mobile applications accessible to people with disabilities. This directive was transposed into national law by each EU member state.

In addition to these laws and regulations, there have been a growing number of lawsuits filed against businesses and organizations for failing to make their websites accessible. These lawsuits argue that inaccessible websites violate the ADA or other anti-discrimination laws. In some cases, courts have ruled in favor of the plaintiffs and ordered organizations to make their websites accessible.

Therefore, even though WCAG itself is not legally binding, it provides a set of guidelines that can help organizations ensure that their websites are accessible and comply with the relevant laws and regulations in their country.

Recommendations for executing web accessibility tests:

Use Automated Tools: There are many automated tools available that can help identify accessibility issues on your website. These tools can scan your website and flag any accessibility issues that need to be addressed. Some popular automated tools include Axe, Wave, and Lighthouse.
Conduct Manual Testing: While automated tools can help identify many accessibility issues, they are not foolproof. It’s important to also conduct manual testing to catch issues that may be missed by automated tools. This can include using assistive technology, such as screen readers or magnifiers, to simulate how users with disabilities would interact with your website.
Involve People with Disabilities: Involving people with disabilities in your testing process can provide valuable insights into the accessibility of your website. You can recruit people with disabilities to participate in your testing sessions or partner with disability advocacy organizations to get feedback on your website.
Follow WCAG Guidelines: WCAG provides a set of guidelines for creating accessible websites. Following these guidelines can help ensure that your website is accessible to as many users as possible. You can use WCAG as a checklist to ensure that your website meets the necessary accessibility requirements.
Test Across Devices and Browsers: Remember to test your website across different devices and browsers to ensure that it is accessible to all users. Make sure to test your website on desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones, as well as on different browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.
Document Your Results: It’s important to document the results of your accessibility tests so that you can track your progress over time. This can include creating a report that outlines the issues that were identified and the steps that were taken to address them.

Implementing WCAG guidelines on your website may seem overwhelming at first, but it’s an important step in ensuring that your website is accessible to everyone. By following these key steps, you can make your website more inclusive and accessible to people with disabilities.