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What are Accessibility, WCAG, and A/AA/AAA?
Quick introduction
Quick introduction
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Accessibility is the practice of making your websites usable by as many people as possible.
You might also think of accessibility as treating everyone the same, and giving them equal opportunities, no matter what their ability or circumstances.
Accessibility is the practice of making your websites usable by as many people as possible.
You might also think of accessibility as treating everyone the same, and giving them equal opportunities, no matter what their ability or circumstances.
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We traditionally think of this as being about people with disabilities
.
But the practice of making sites accessible also benefits other groups such as those using mobile devices, or those with slow network connections.
We traditionally think of this as being about people with disabilities
.But the practice of making sites accessible also benefits other groups such as those using mobile devices, or those with slow network connections.
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What kinds of disabilities are we looking at?
- People with visual impairments
- People with hearing impairments
- People with mobility impairments
- People with cognitive impairments
What kinds of disabilities are we looking at?
- People with visual impairments
- People with hearing impairments
- People with mobility impairments
- People with cognitive impairments
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The W3C has published a large and very detailed document that includes very precise, technology-agnostic criteria for accessibility conformance.
These are called the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
The W3C has published a large and very detailed document that includes very precise, technology-agnostic criteria for accessibility conformance.
These are called the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
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WCAG’s 4 guiding principles require content to be:
- Perceivable
- Operable
- Understandable
- Robust
WCAG’s 4 guiding principles require content to be:
- Perceivable
- Operable
- Understandable
- Robust
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Perceivable
Users must be able to perceive it in some way, using one or more of their senses.
The key here is that text can be converted to other forms that people with disabilities can use.
For example, it can be spoken by a screenreader or converted to large print.
Perceivable
Users must be able to perceive it in some way, using one or more of their senses.
The key here is that text can be converted to other forms that people with disabilities can use.
For example, it can be spoken by a screenreader or converted to large print.
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Operable
Users must be able to control UI elements (e.g. buttons must be clickable in some way — mouse, keyboard, voice command, etc.).
If someone cannot use a mouse or touchpad, they can navigate by keyboard or by voice command software.
Operable
Users must be able to control UI elements (e.g. buttons must be clickable in some way — mouse, keyboard, voice command, etc.).
If someone cannot use a mouse or touchpad, they can navigate by keyboard or by voice command software.
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Understandable
The content must be understandable to its users.
If someone clicks on a navigation menu, it behaves like a navigation menu. If a button says, “Read More” it does what you expect it to do.
Understandable
The content must be understandable to its users.
If someone clicks on a navigation menu, it behaves like a navigation menu. If a button says, “Read More” it does what you expect it to do.
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Robust
The content must be developed using well-adopted web standards that will work across different browsers, now and in the future.
Everything can roll up to the newest and shiniest hardware and not break.
Robust
The content must be developed using well-adopted web standards that will work across different browsers, now and in the future.
Everything can roll up to the newest and shiniest hardware and not break.
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The WCAG guidelines have three levels of conformance that you can meet: A, AA and AAA.
- Level A is the minimum level
- Level AA includes all Level A and AA requirements
- Level AAA includes all Level A, AA, and AAA requirements
The WCAG guidelines have three levels of conformance that you can meet: A, AA and AAA.
- Level A is the minimum level
- Level AA includes all Level A and AA requirements
- Level AAA includes all Level A, AA, and AAA requirements
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A - is the most basic, and must be implemented
AA - requires a bit more commitment and is desired to have
AAA - is the most difficult to conform, e.g. you should have a transcriptionist to provide live captions as well as a sign language interpreter on live streams
A - is the most basic, and must be implemented
AA - requires a bit more commitment and is desired to have
AAA - is the most difficult to conform, e.g. you should have a transcriptionist to provide live captions as well as a sign language interpreter on live streams
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You cannot partially meet a WCAG level. You have to meet every one of the level guidelines.
E.g. if you state that your site is AAA compliant, it should meet every requirement from A, AA and AAA list.
You cannot partially meet a WCAG level. You have to meet every one of the level guidelines.
E.g. if you state that your site is AAA compliant, it should meet every requirement from A, AA and AAA list.
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What level should you aim for?
Most organizations and governments have decided on Level A and AA as the minimum level of conformance
In other words - A is a must, AA would be good.
AAA -
What level should you aim for?
Most organizations and governments have decided on Level A and AA as the minimum level of conformance
In other words - A is a must, AA would be good.
AAA -
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Sources and further read:
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Learn/Accessibility/What_is_accessibility#so_what_is_accessibility
https://www.levelaccess.com/what-is-wcag/
https://myaccessible.website/blog/wcaglevels/wcag-levels-a-aa-aaa-difference https://www.knowledgebase-script.com/kb/article/accessibility-for-knowledge-management-section-508-and-wcag-221.html
Sources and further read:
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Learn/Accessibility/What_is_accessibility#so_what_is_accessibility
https://www.levelaccess.com/what-is-wcag/
https://myaccessible.website/blog/wcaglevels/wcag-levels-a-aa-aaa-difference https://www.knowledgebase-script.com/kb/article/accessibility-for-knowledge-management-section-508-and-wcag-221.html
