The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, or WCAG, are a series of guidelines designed to improve web accessibility. They are produced by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), which is the main international standards organisation for the world wide web. The guidelines are the best way of making your website as useful to as many people as possible. The current set of guidelines, called WCAG 2.0, have been in place since 2008, and are based around the principles of being Perceivable, Operable, Understandable and Robust. Having a website built using WCAG guidelines is not only good for your users, but also boosts your search engine rankings. Read on for more information on each one.
What the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines mean
The four principles outline the four things that web content must be to be considered accessible. They are a step-by-step set of technical requirements that explain how you can make your website or app accessible to people with various different disabilities. The principles are broken down as follows:
Perceivable
The principle of being perceivable means that website users must be able to perceive it in some way using one or more of their senses. Some users may not be able to use all of their senses, meaning they need to rely on assistive technology to browse your website. By making your content easier to see and hear, or offering alternative presentations of the content, such as via sign language, you will make it more easily perceivable to a wider audience.
Operable
Being operable refers to the actions people take when browsing a website, and covers the different ways in which people use the web. For example, someone with motor difficulties may need to use a keyboard to navigate a website rather than relying on a mouse or touchpad. To be operable according to WCAG, all functionality must be accessible using keyboard controls, unless it can’t be done using a keyboard, for example freehand drawing.
Understandable
A website that is perceivable and operable is no use if users cannot understand it. To be understandable, your website must have simple instructions, use clear language and terms, and explain complex principles. If technical terms or jargon is used, definitions must be provided. The text used on the website should have a reading level no higher than lower secondary education level (children around 11-14 years old). If the text requires a higher reading level than this, supplementary material explaining it is necessary, or an alternative version should be written.
Robust
For a website to be considered robust, it needs to be one that third-party technology, such as screen readers and web browsers, can rely on. Your website needs to meet recognised standards, such as using clean, valid HTML and CSS. Users should be able to choose the technology they use to interact with your website or app, without it negatively affecting their experience of your website or app.
