Accessibility based on WCAG 2.1

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.