What is the WCAG Compliance?
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are a set of guidelines for creating accessible web content. The guidelines were developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), an international organisation that develops web standards.
WCAG compliance refers to the extent to which a website or web application meets the guidelines set out in the WCAG. The guidelines are organised into three levels of conformance: A, AA, and AAA, with each level building upon the previous one.
Here are some of the key areas covered by the WCAG:
- Perceivable: This refers to ensuring that web content is presented in a way that can be perceived by all users, including those with vision, hearing, or other sensory impairments.
- Operable: This refers to ensuring that web content can be navigated and operated by all users, including those with mobility or dexterity impairments.
- Understandable: This refers to ensuring that web content is clear and understandable to all users, including those with cognitive or learning disabilities.
- Robust: This refers to ensuring that web content is compatible with a wide range of assistive technologies and web browsers.
WCAG compliance is important for a number of reasons, including:
- Legal compliance: In many countries, including the United States and European Union, there are laws and regulations that require websites to be accessible to people with disabilities.
- Increased audience: By making a website or web application accessible, organisations can increase their potential audience by including people with disabilities who might otherwise be unable to use their services.
- Improved usability: By following the guidelines set out in the WCAG, organisations can create web content that is easier to use for all users, regardless of ability.
- Better search engine optimisation: By making a website more accessible, it can also be made more search engine friendly, which can improve its visibility and ranking in search results.
Overall, WCAG compliance is an important aspect of creating inclusive and accessible web content that can be used by all people, regardless of ability.
