Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 covers a wide range of recommendations for making web content more accessible.

According to the W3C, content on a web page or web applications (including text, images, forms and sounds) should be:

  • Perceivable: usable regardless of a person’s ability to see, hear or touch.
  • Operable: usable forms, controls and navigation.
  • Understandable: content and interface are clear and easy to understand.
  • Robust: content can be used reliably by a wide range of devices.

It is important that accessibility is an on-going commitment. While a site may comply with WCAG 2.1 at its launch, those standards also need to be maintained as new content and features are added. Factors that help improve accessibility include:

  • Using clear labels for navigation and important buttons.
  • Using clear and simple language.
  • Ensuring that information does not rely solely on colour.
  • Providing accessible documents.
  • Providing Alternative (Alt) Text, transcripts or captions for video and audio content. A good summary may be provided to identify what the video/audio is about.
  • Provide information in alternate formats to make it more accessible to a diverse range of people. See Written Text Guidance, Alternate formats.
  • Evaluating the accessibility of a website. When developing or redesigning a site, evaluating accessibility early and during the development process can identify accessibility problems when it is easier to address them.

Tools

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) provides a list of web accessibility evaluation tools.

Learn more

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) provides Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.

Find out more about the Code of Practice on Accessibility of Public Services and Information Provided by Public Bodies.