WCAG 2.2 Compliance, Explained
Below, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the steps you can take to conform to WCAG standards.
According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 1.3 billion people worldwide have a disability. These disabilities range from auditory and visual to cognitive and neurological, but each affects how these individuals participate in the digital world.
With the growing population of individuals with disabilities, you need an accessible site. To do that, you need a way to build content that works for real-life users and test that content for common accessibility barriers.
That’s where the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) come in. Published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), WCAG is a set of accessibility standards intended to improve digital experiences for people with disabilities.
Below, we’ll discuss WCAG 2.2, its accessibility guidelines, and how they help you create more accessible, inclusive online content.
What Is WCAG 2.2?
WCAG is published by the W3C, which also publishes standards for HTML (HyperText Markup Language), CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), and other internet technologies.
And while WCAG guidelines aren’t an enforceable law, governments around the world have adopted the guidelines as their standard for internet accessibility regulations.
Whether building a new website or looking to improve existing content, WCAG can be enormously helpful. It addresses issues that impact the user experience, including mistakes that prevent websites from working well with assistive technologies (AT). These include problems like:
- Text that doesn’t have sufficient contrast with its background (low-contrast text).
- Missing or inaccurate alternative text (alt text) for images.
- Missing captions or transcripts for videos.
- Missing form labels for input fields.
- Improper use of semantic HTML.
- “Empty” and redundant hyperlinks.
Following WCAG not only allows you to address the issues mentioned above but also makes your content more useful for people with:
- Vision disabilities
- Hearing disabilities
- Cognitive differences and disabilities
- Attention disorders
- Temporary and situational disorders (for example, people who browse the internet with their sound turned off).
The guidelines are regularly updated to reflect changes in technology. WCAG 2.2 is the newest version of WCAG and includes 86 pass-or-fail statements called success criteria. Those success criteria address common web design and development mistakes and are the official recommendation of the W3C. That means that while other versions of WCAG are still relevant, the W3C strongly recommends following WCAG 2.2 to keep content accessible for modern internet users.
You may be wondering how WCAG 2.2 differs from earlier versions. In many ways, it’s the same. It includes the success criteria from WCAG 2.1 and WCAG 2.0. However, it adds nine additional success criteria, which address issues like pointer target size, accessible authentication, and focus appearance.
Every version of WCAG is intended to make the internet a better place for folks with disabilities. Following the latest version of the guidelines helps you provide better online experiences for your users.
What is WCAG Compliance?
Although “WCAG compliance” is often used when discussing website accessibility, “WCAG conformance” is a more accurate term. That’s because WCAG is a voluntary standard — not a law.
WCAG conformance means voluntarily following the guidelines. Setting a conformance goal allows you to take the first step towards a more accessible website or mobile app and improve compliance with various non-discrimination laws.
To get closer to WCAG conformance, you’ll need to understand how WCAG guidelines are organized.
Levels of WCAG 2.2 Conformance
WCAG 2.2 consists of 86 success criteria, which are pass-or-fail statements that address accessibility barriers such as low-contrast text, ambiguous anchor text, and keyboard accessibility issues.
Those success criteria are organized into three levels of conformance: Level A, Level AA, and Level AAA. Each level includes all success criteria from the previous level. In other words, Level AA includes all Level A success criteria, while Level AAA includes all Level AA and A success criteria.
- Level A is the least strict conformance level. It addresses essential issues that are likely to impact a large number of users. Examples of Level A criteria include requirements for alt text and descriptive page titles.
- Level AA is more comprehensive than Level A and addresses additional issues such as maintaining appropriate color contrast, using headings appropriately, and keeping navigation elements in the same order from page to page.
- Level AAA is the strictest WCAG level and includes criteria that some creators may find difficult to fulfill. For example, Level AAA requires sign language interpretations for all pre-recorded multimedia content.
The bottom line: Websites should, at minimum, strive for WCAG 2.1 Level AA conformance. Many digital accessibility laws specify Level AA as essential for compliance, and websites that follow all Level AA criteria are generally considered accessible for most users with disabilities. Following the additional nine standards included in WCAG 2.2 further enhances your accessibility but it is not currently considered the standard for digital accessibility.
For more detailed guidance, check out our post, ‘Understanding the Difference Between A, AA, and AAA Conformance.’
How Does WCAG Affect Accessibility laws?
We’ve noted that WCAG is not a law, but a voluntary set of standards.
However, while WCAG is not legally enforceable, it’s the basis for many non-discrimination laws. Some of those laws incorporate WCAG by reference — the success criteria from WCAG appear within the text of the law, word for word.
Other laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), do not have specific technical standards. However, there’s substantial precedent establishing WCAG Level AA conformance as a reasonable level of accessibility.
Below, we’ll explain how WCAG conformance impacts compliance with three primary digital accessibility laws. For additional examples, check out our International Accessibility Law Repository post.
The Americans with Disabilities Act
Title III of the ADA prohibits discrimination based on disability in public accommodations and commercial facilities.
Think of the ADA as a rule that ensures no one is left out because they might experience the world differently. That applies to web content, too: If your website doesn’t work for people with disabilities, it can be just as serious of an issue as a missing wheelchair ramp or another physical barrier.
But don’t take our word for it — the Department of Justice (DOJ), which enforces ADA compliance, has issued web guidance recommending following WCAG or the government’s own Section 508 standards (which are based on WCAG).
Title III of the ADA applies to:
- Private businesses
- Non-profit organizations
- Other agencies that operate as “places of public accommodation.”
Title II of the ADA, which applies to state and local government agencies, also requires web accessibility. In 2023, the DOJ also proposed a rule that would establish clear technical standards for Title II compliance that align with WCAG Level AA.
Following any version of WCAG can improve compliance with the ADA. However, the best practice is to follow the latest version of the guidelines, which is WCAG 2.2 in this case.
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits federal agencies from discriminating against people with disabilities. It also requires federal agencies to make their electronic information technology accessible, including web pages, digital documents (such as PDFs), and software.
Of course, that’s much easier with clear technical standards. In 1998, Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act to create those standards. Over time, Congress has approved additional updates to make sure that the requirements of Section 508 are appropriate for current technologies.
Section 508 applies to:
- Federal agencies in the United States.
- State, county, and municipal authorities that receive financial assistance from the U.S. government.
- Universities, museums, galleries, medical centers, and other organizations that receive federal funding.
- Any contractor — regardless of size or services offered — that wants to work with the U.S. government.
In 2018, Section 508 was “refreshed” to incorporate WCAG 2.0 Level AA success criteria. At this time, it doesn’t require conformance with WCAG 2.2.
However, WCAG 2.2 includes all of the success criteria from WCAG 2.0, and following the additional criteria can significantly benefit users. That’s extremely important for organizations that serve the public. If people can’t use your content, you leave them out of the conversation.
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act
Not all non-discrimination laws are federal. States and provinces can also enforce digital accessibility — the AODA is a great example.
The AODA is a broad law that aims to improve transportation, customer service, and employment opportunities for Ontarians with disabilities. It also includes requirements for information and communications, which are based on (you guessed it) WCAG.
The AODA applies to:
- Government bodies in Ontario.
- Non-profit organizations in Ontario.
- Commercial organizations in Ontario with 50 or more employees.
The AODA requires conformance with WCAG 2.0 Level and Level AA. While WCAG 2.2 isn’t explicitly necessary for AODA compliance, following WCAG 2.2 is strongly recommended since the law includes a process for changing the AODA standards over time.
Why Should I Care About WCAG 2.2 Conformance?
The apparent reason to care about WCAG 2.2 — and digital accessibility as a whole — is that people with disabilities are an essential part of your audience.
The World Health Organization estimates that 1.3 billion people worldwide live with disabilities. In the United States, about 1 in 4 adults have a disability. And that number is only increasing.
With those statistics in mind, following WCAG standards has clear benefits, including:
- More traffic via enhanced search engine optimization (SEO) and a higher audience reach.
- A better user experience, which leads to increased sales, better engagement, and lower bounce rates.
- Creates a more inclusive website and removes barriers users face when navigating web pages.
- Improves accessibility to content from a variety of devices, including mobile phones, tablets, and assistive technology.
Lowers the chance of a lawsuit being filed under the ADA or other non-discrimination laws.
The Four Key Principles of WCAG
WCAG outlines four guiding principles for digital accessibility: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. Together, these principles from the acronym POUR — they can be used to help businesses create content that is accessible for everyone.
Get into the habit of using the POUR principles when creating content. It’s a great way to conform with WCAG standards and, more importantly, they help you anticipate issues that might impact your users.
Perceivable
Perceivable simply means that all information and user interface (UI) components must be presentable and perceivable to all users. Nothing should be “invisible” to any of their senses, and you shouldn’t rely on a certain type of sensory perception.
Here are a few ways to make content perceivable:
- Provide text alternatives for non-text content: This includes offering a text description for images, graphs, or videos, ensuring that users who can’t see these elements still have access to the same information. This also increases compatibility with screen readers.
- Add captions to video content: Incorporate captions into pre-recorded and live videos. This helps people who are Deaf or hard of hearing by providing a textual representation of the audio.
- Add pre-recorded audio descriptions to video content: For videos that are not live, include audio descriptions. These narrations describe visual elements, catering to users who are blind or have low vision.
- Ensure adequate color contrast: Make sure there is sufficient color contrast between text and its background using tools like AudioEye’s free color accessibility checker. This is important for readability, especially for users with color vision deficiency (CVD) and other vision impairments.
Operable
Operable means that people can use your content. They can fill out forms, order products, and navigate with the technologies they use every day. Web or device interface and navigation, such as controls and buttons, should be operable in various ways to ensure people with different abilities can use them.
When your website is truly operable, it works with all of those technologies, and it doesn’t require users to do something they cannot do.
Here are a few ways to make content operable:
- Make all functionality keyboard accessible: Your users should be able to operate your digital content with a keyboard alone (without a mouse). You can test this by learning basic keyboard commands and navigating your content.
- Avoid flashing content: Avoid content that flashes more than three times in any one-second period, or keep the flash below WCAG’s thresholds. This limits seizure risks for specific users and makes content much more operable for people with vision disabilities and neurocognitive conditions.
- Avoid time limits: Provide enough time for users to read and use content. If you must use time limits, notify users — don’t surprise them by logging them out or ending a process.
Understandable
Understandable means following the best user experience (UX) design practices: People of all abilities can figure out how your website works without too much effort.
In other words, the content and user interface should be easy to understand. Here are a few ways to make content understandable:
- Use language tags: Specifying the language (for example, English) of content on a page allows screen readers to determine the correct pronunciation rules. Visual browsers can also display appropriate characters.
- Use consistent navigation: Make sure repeated navigation elements appear in the same order on every page. This helps people get where they want to go — and while it’s particularly useful for some users with cognitive conditions, it’s helpful for everyone.
- Provide instructions and labels: Write relevant, clear, and simple instructions when user input is required. Use appropriate labels so that fields are understandable for assistive tech people.
Robust
Robust means that content works well and remains accessible, even as technologies and user agents (such as web browsers) evolve.
Here are a few ways to make content more robust:
- Establish the name, role, and value of each element: Ensure the name and role of each user interface element can be programmatically determined (read by a machine). Otherwise, some technologies (such as screen readers) may not be able to present the content to users.
- Create accessible status messages: Status messages must be programmatically determinable so they can be presented to the user without receiving focus.
Maintain Compliance with AudioEye
To follow WCAG 2.2 Level AA, test your content regularly, remediate issues as you find them, and test each fix. Just as importantly, you’ll need to fix those problems the right way. Otherwise, you may accidentally introduce new issues that impact your users.
This is where AudioEye comes in. Our Digital Accessibility Platform is designed to make WCAG 2.2 much easier — and to allow businesses of all sizes to benefit from the best practices and accessibility.
Our solution combines powerful AI-based automation testing with human-based expert assessments. Some of our features include:
- Active Monitoring that continuously tests your content.
- Automated remediations that find and fix common accessibility issues.
- Expert legal support, managed remediation, custom training, and more.
From start-up businesses to eCommerce enterprises, AudioEye provides complete resources for building accessible, inclusive online experiences that conform to the latest WCAG standards.
Get started with a free accessibility scan that identifies common accessibility issues on your site. Or book a demo to learn more about AudioEye.
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