Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

TLDR

Review and follow W3C's WCAG2.1 Level AA guidelines. 

Why Am I Reading This?

The university complies with W3C’s WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Website content creators must follow the guidelines.

W3C's principles, guidelines and criteria may seem a bit dry, intimidating or overwhelming, like drinking from a fire hose.

Start with W3C's 4 main principles, summed up in a short acronym: "POUR" - a bit less dry.

POUR stands for Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust.

Getting dry again. 

What’s next? Turn on the fire hose?

WCAG In Plain English

WCAG - It's a lot. 

Maybe you have a photographic memory. 

Maybe you clicked on the link to W3C’s WCAG guidelines, and you’re done.  If so, you can probably ignore everything below and I’m jealous of your talent. ARE YOU ALSO THE BOY WHO LIVED?!

For everyone else…

After reading the WCAG guidelines, you might feel like the restaurant patron in Monty Python’s movie, The Meaning of Life. He ate and ate and ate some more. Until finally he could eat no more. And then the waiter presented him with a final after-dinner mint. (Look it up on Youtube. Warning – It’s gross. But hilarious).

One useful resource that tries to explain many criteria in simple, plain English is Martin Underhill’s WCAG But In Language I can Understand blog. Of course, simplification skips over details. Martin leaves out some of the criteria. But his blog is a good starting point.

Watch a Video – Or Three

Martin’s blog helps, but some people like to watch a fun video to learn. You’re in luck! Check out Silktide’s What In the World is WCAG? Series. It describes different WCAG criteria with short and simple, fun to watch videos. 

Videos with cats. 

Cats are fun. Unless you’re a mouse. 

But I digress.

Here’s a sample video from Silktide’s series, on Keyboard accessibility.

AI is your Frenemy

Once you get a feel for WCAG from the above materials, you can always turn to AI for additional help before heading back to W3C's guidelines. Think of AI as your friendly guide through the world of web accessibility.

AI can explain WCAG criteria and provide examples. AI can also provide recommendations and solutions for simple to complex issues.

Here’s a sample prompt I gave Perplexity AI:

“Explain WCAG 2.1 in simple terms”

Here’s the results:

WCAG 2.1 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1) is a set of international standards designed to make websites and digital content accessible to people with disabilities. These guidelines help ensure that everyone—including those with visual, hearing, physical, speech, cognitive, and neurological disabilities—can use and interact with web content effectively.

In simple terms, WCAG 2.1 is about making the web usable for everyone.

The Four Main Principles (POUR)

WCAG 2.1 is built around four key principles, often remembered by the acronym POUR:

• Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presented in ways that all users can perceive (e.g., providing text alternatives for images so screen readers can describe them).
• Operable: Users must be able to operate the interface (e.g., all functionality should be available from a keyboard, not just a mouse).
• Understandable: Content and operation of the interface must be understandable (e.g., clear instructions and predictable navigation).
• Robust: Content must work reliably with current and future technologies, including assistive devices like screen readers.

How WCAG 2.1 Works

• Guidelines and Success Criteria: WCAG 2.1 is organized into guidelines under each principle. Each guideline has specific "success criteria"—clear, testable requirements that web content must meet to be considered accessible.
• Conformance Levels: Each success criterion is assigned a level:
  • A (minimum),
  • AA (mid-range, most commonly required),
  • AAA (highest).
• Technology-Neutral: The guidelines are not tied to any specific technology, so they apply to websites, PDFs, apps, and more.

What’s New in WCAG 2.1?

• WCAG 2.1 builds on WCAG 2.0 by adding new requirements, especially to address mobile accessibility, low vision, and cognitive disabilities.
• Sites that meet WCAG 2.1 also meet the older WCAG 2.0 standard.

Examples of What WCAG 2.1 Covers

• Providing alt text for images so screen readers can describe them.
• Ensuring keyboard navigation works for all interactive elements.
• Making sure text is readable and can be resized.
• Avoiding content that could trigger seizures (like flashing animations).
• Ensuring forms are labeled so users know what information to enter.

Why It Matters

Following WCAG 2.1 makes your website or app more usable for everyone, not just people with disabilities. It also helps organizations meet legal requirements in many countries.

In summary:
WCAG 2.1 helps you create digital content that is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for all users, regardless of ability.

Maybe I should have just pasted Proximity AI’s explanation into this document and called it a day?

Proximity AI also provides references. You can check its source documents to learn more. 

Trust AI, but verify.