WCAG 2.1 Checklist

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines or WCAG provides technical specifications to improve the accessibility of web content, websites and web applications on desktop computers, laptops, tablets and mobile devices for people with a wide range of disabilities, including auditory, cognitive, neurological, physical, speech and visual disabilities.

W3C, or World Wide Web Consortium, is a global community of accessibility experts who are striving to make the internet as inclusive as possible. The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) develops WCAG and related resources with input from individuals and organizations around the world.

The guidelines are mainly for the use of web content developers, web authoring tool developers and related professions; they aren’t intended to be an introduction to accessibility. However, it is helpful for companies and organizations, especially employees who contribute to their digital properties, to have a general understanding of WCAG, its purpose and how it benefits not only people with disabilities, but all users.

This checklist is a practical resource guide for experienced accessibility professionals and for those newer to the industry. The first part is a primer of industry nomenclature and accessibility testing approaches. Fillable and printable checklists follow.

Mobile

• Improves support for touch interactions, keyboard and mouse
• Avoids unintended activation of device sensors

Low Vision

• Extends contrast requirements to graphics
• Improves text and layout adaptability

Cognitive and Learning Disabilities

• Enables more detailed description of page controls and elements to support personalization of user interface

EN 301 549 Coordination

• Harmonized update in progress in Europe
• Particularly for expanded mobile

When testing mobile platforms for accessibility, individuals had to map the old WCAG 2.0 standards to mobile design guidelines to apply WCAG to mobile.

Now, new mobile requirements in WCAG 2.1 help guide the way:

Speech Input

• Character Key Shortcuts
• Label in Name

Pointer

• Pointer Gestures
• Pointer Cancellation
• Target Size

Input Methods

• Concurrent Input Mechanisms
• Motion Actuation

Device Settings

• Orientation

Other Standards that can be applicable to Mobile

• Identify Input Purpose
• Reflow
• Non-Text Contrast
• Text Spacing
• Content on Hover or Focus

1.2.4 – Captions (Live)

1.2.5 – Audio Description (Pre-recorded)

1.3.4 – Orientation

1.3.5 – Identify Input Purpose

1.4.3 – Contrast (Minimum)

1.4.4 – Resize Text

1.4.5 – Images of Text

1.4.10 – Reflow

1.4.11 – Non-Text Contrast

1.4.12 – Text Spacing

1.4.13 – Content on Hover Focus

2.4.5 – Multiple Ways

2.4.6 – Headings and Labels

2.4.7 – Focus Visible

3.1.2 – Language of Parts

3.2.3 – Consistent Navigation

3.2.4 – Consistent Identificatione

3.3.3 – Error Suggestion

3.3.4 – Error (Legal,Financial,Data)

4.1.3 – Status Changes

Live videos have captions

Users have access to audio description for video content

Requires authors not to rely on a screen orientation-*mobile header sticky

Ensure common names are provided using the HTML autocomplete list

Contrast ratio between text and background is at least 4.5:1

Text can be resized to 200% without loss of content or function

Don’t use images of text

Your website must be responsive

High contrast between pieces of text and their backgrounds

Text spacing can be overridden to improve the reading experience

Ensuring content visible on hover or keyboard focus does not lead to accessibility issues

Offer several ways to find pages

Use clear headings and labels

Keyboard focus is visible and clear

Tell users when the language on a page changes/ screen readers, braille displays, voice browsers

Use menus consistently

Use icons and buttons consistently

Suggest fixes when users make errors

Reduce the risk of input errors for sensitive data

Appropriate roles or properties are assigned to status messages