Subscribe to Our Newsletter!How to Comply with accessibility lawsHow to make new or significantly updated websites accessible for people with disabilities.Who must Comply with accessibility lawsBy law, you must make new and significantly refreshed public websites accessible if you are:a private or non-profit organization with 50+ employees; ora public sector organizationThe organization that controls the website must meet the accessibility requirements.Compliance deadlineBeginning January 1, 2014: new public websites, significantly refreshed websites and any web content posted after January 1, 2012 must meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level ABeginning January 1, 2021: all public websites and web content posted after January 1, 2012 must meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA other than criteria 1.2.4 (live captions) and 1.2.5 (pre-recorded audio descriptions)TermsControlling a websiteThis means you have control over the website’s:appearancefunctionalitycontentNew websiteThis means the site has a new web address, or a significantly new look and feel. A website is not considered new if you are simply adding a new page or a new link.Significantly refreshed websiteThis means you are keeping the same web address, but you are making changes such as:a new look and feel to the websitehow users navigate around ita major update and change to the content of the websiteContentContent means any information that may be found on a web page or web application, including text, images, forms and sounds.WCAG 2.0 Guidelines to Comply with accessibility lawsWCAG 2.0 is an internationally accepted standard for web accessibility developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), an international team of experts.Following these guidelines should make it easier for everyone to access your website and content.Levels of web that Comply with accessibility lawsEach guideline has three levels of accessibility: A, AA and AAA. Newly created or refreshed websites must meet level A. Later, your website will need to meet Level AA. Meeting Level AAA is not required at this time.In most cases you must meet the Level A criteria before you can meet the Level AA criteria.How to Comply with accessibility lawsYour public website and its content must meet WCAG 2.0, as outlined in the Accessibility Standard for Information and Communications. We’re phasing in the WCAG 2.0 requirements to make it easier for you to build accessibility into your organization’s website.You don’t have to make your internal website (intranet) accessible. You don’t have to modify content posted before 2012. If asked, you will need to work with individuals to make the content available to them in an alternate format such as large print or braille.According to Ontario’s accessibility laws, new and significantly refreshed websites must meet and Comply with accessibility laws, following success criteria for each level:Comply with accessibility laws: Level AGuideline 1.1: Provide text alternatives for non-text contentSuccess Criterion 1.1.1 Non-text contentGuideline 1.2: Provide alternatives for time-based mediaSuccess Criterion 1.2.1 Audio-only and video-only (Prerecorded)Success Criterion 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded)Success Criterion 1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded)Guideline 1.3: Adaptable contentSuccess Criterion 1.3.1 Info and relationshipsSuccess Criterion 1.3.2 Meaningful sequenceSuccess Criterion 1.3.3 Sensory characteristicsGuideline 1.4: Distinguishable contentSuccess Criterion 1.4.1 Use of colorSuccess Criterion 1.4.2 Audio controlGuideline 2.1: Keyboard accessibleSuccess Criterion 2.1.1 KeyboardSuccess Criterion 2.1.2 No keyboard trapGuideline 2.2: Provide users enough time to read and use contentSuccess Criterion 2.2.1 Timing adjustableSuccess Criterion 2.2.2 Pause, stop, hideGuideline 2.3: Don’t design content in a way that is known to cause seizuresSuccess Criterion 2.3.1 Three flashes or below thresholdGuideline 2.4: Navigable contentSuccess Criterion 2.4.1 Bypass blocksSuccess Criterion 2.4.2 Page titledSuccess Criterion 2.4.3 Focus orderSuccess Criterion 2.4.4 Link purpose (in context)Guideline 3.1: Readable text contentSuccess Criterion 3.1.1 Language of pageGuideline 3.2: Predictable web pagesSuccess Criterion 3.2.1 On focusSuccess Criterion 3.2.2 On inputGuideline 3.3: Input assistanceSuccess Criterion 3.3.1 Error identificationSuccess Criterion 3.3.2 Labels or instructionsGuideline 4.1: CompatibleSuccess Criterion 4.1.1 ParsingSuccess Criterion 4.1.2 Name, role, valueComply with accessibility laws: Level AAGuideline 1.4: Distinguishable contentSuccess Criterion 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum)Success Criterion 1.4.4 Resize textSuccess Criterion 1.4.5 Images of textGuideline 2.4: Navigable contentSuccess Criterion 2.4.5 Multiple waysSuccess Criterion 2.4.6 Headings and labelsSuccess Criterion 2.4.7 Focus visibleGuideline 3.1: Readable text contentSuccess Criterion 3.1.2 Language of partsGuideline 3.2: Predictable web pagesSuccess Criterion 3.2.4 Consistent identificationGuideline 3.3: Input assistanceSuccess Criterion 3.3.3 Error suggestionSuccess Criterion 3.3.4 Error prevention (Legal, financial, data)This article will help you understand the WCAG success criteria: Understanding conformance with WCAG success criteriaIf you can’t Comply with accessibility lawsSometimes it may not be possible to meet the WCAG 2.0 requirements. For example, you may have used software and other tools that predate WCAG 2.0 to develop your website.You may be able to update or repair the products you used to support accessibility. If this is not possible, make sure you use software that supports accessibility the next time you refresh your site.It may not be possible to post some content in a way that complies with WCAG 2.0. For example, it may be impossible to make some online maps and complex diagrams accessible to people with visual disabilities. In such cases you may still post the content, but you must provide it in an accessible format upon request.Tips for testing websites for accessibilityThere are a number of ways to know if your new or refreshed website is accessible:1. Automatic assessment and assistive technologyDo a final evaluation of your site using an automatic assessment to flag any issues that may not have been resolved. For example, you can review your site using assistive technology such as a screen reader to make sure the design and technical aspects of the site are accessible.2. User testing and feedbackIf possible, ask people with disabilities to test your new or refreshed site before you launch. Get feedback from customers and other site users to find out if there are any improvements needed.3. Review key milestones and changesKeep a record of the accessibility issues that have been repaired, or ask your web developer to maintain such a record. This will show you the completed work and the new level of accessibility. It will also be helpful if your organization is asked to show that your website is WCAG 2.0 compliant.4. Online accessibility checkerYou can use an online tool to check if your website is accessible. Using an online accessibility checker does not guarantee that you will find all accessibility issues with your website. It is important to have a person review the site as well.This is an example of an online accessibility checker that can help you find accessibility issues with your new or refreshed website:ACheckerComply with accessibility laws: Tips for working with web developersIf you don’t manage your website or don’t have web development experience, the following steps may help you work with a web developer to make your website Comply with accessibility laws.Determine your web developer’s level of expertiseMake sure your in-house developer or the developer you plan to hire has the expertise needed to make your website more accessible.Here are some questions you may want to ask:Are you familiar with WCAG 2.0, Level A and AA?Have you developed/refreshed an accessible website (WCAG 2.0, Level A or higher)? Do you have links or references for these sites?Do you code manually or with the assistance of a program? If you use a program, does it support accessibility?Do you test the website for accessibility using automated and manual assessments and assistive technology?Communicate your expectationsThink about accessibility from the start. When working on the website design, let your web developer know your expectations for:making the website and web content accessible (WCAG 2.0)the level of accessibility (Level A or AA), andtimelines for completing the websiteAsk for a project plan to Comply with accessibility lawsYour developer should provide you with a project plan for completing the website that complies with accessibility laws. The plan should include the following steps:identifies techniques or software used: developers should tell you if they are using accessible coding techniques or software that supports accessible websitesoutlines how your website will be tested: the plan should include automated and manual tests, as well as testing using assistive technology, such as screen readersidentifies how the site will be maintained: this could include training you or your staff on how to make changes to the website, how to create accessible content, or an agreement to maintain the websiteoutlines key deliverables and timelines: whether the developer is fixing accessibility issues or creating an entirely new website, they should be able to clearly tell you when and how the project will be deliveredContact Bwired Technologies Today and let’s talk about how we can help your website to meet all those news parameters!FONT! Canadian Newest LawNEW E-BOOK! – The Ultimate Guide to Redesigning Your Website.DOWNLOAD NOW!#uidesign#uitrends#uiux#userexperience#userinterface#uxdesign#webdesignWeb DevelopmentDan DuranAll author postsRelated PostsJune 20, 2022How To Redesign Your Website Without Confusing Your audienceby Dan DuranFebruary 16, 2021Minimum Viable Product (MVP)by Dan DuranFebruary 5, 2021Key Reasons you should be using multimedia content on your websiteby Dan DuranPrevNext
