Web Accessibility

This post is about web accessibility, in the context of digital accessibility.

Web Accessibility Standards and Guidelines

Web accessibility guidelines featured on this post:

  • WCAG
  • WAI-ARIA
  • EN 301 549

WCAG

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is defined by WAI, that is part of W3C.

There has been different WCAG versions:

  • WCAG 1.0 (1999)
  • WCAG 2.0 (2008)
  • WCAG 2.1 (2018)
  • WCAG 2.2 (2023)

WCAG 1.0 was issued in 1999.

As WCAG 1.0 was only a recommendation. As it was not an standard and it couldn’t be used in Spain’s laws, AENOR created the standard UNE 139803:2004, that was more strict than WCAG 1.0.

WCAG 2.0 was issued in 2008-12. It was standardized as ISO/IEC 40500:2012 and UNE 139803:2012.

WCAG 2.1 was issued on 2018-06-05.

WCAG 2.2 was issued on 2023-10-05.

WCAG is conformed of the POUR principles.

POUR principles:

  1. Perceivable
  2. Operable
  3. Understandable
  4. Robust

WAI-ARIA

WAI-ARIA is a guideline for JavaScript.

EN 301 549

EN 301 549 is an European Union standard that supports the use of computer interfaces including people with disabilities.

It was issued through the Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/2048.

It is related to Directive (EU) 2016/2102.

UNE-EN 301549 is the corresponding standard version for Spain in Spanish.

UNE-EN 301549 versions:

  • UNE-EN 301549:2019
  • UNE-EN 301549:2020
  • UNE-EN 301549:2022
  • UNE-EN 301549:2022

UNE-EN 301549:2021 is identical to UNE-EN 301549:2022.

Web Accessibility Assessment Tools

There is a full list on the W3C Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool List.

Featured on this post:

  • Automatic
    • WAVE
    • TAW
    • eXaminator
  • Manual
    • Web Accessibility Toolbar
    • Contrast Analyzer
    • Achecker

WAVE

WAVE is an automatic web accessibility assessment tool.

WAVE official website

TAW

TAW is an automatic web accessibility assessment tool.

TAW official website

SortSite

SortSite is a crawler that has autoamtic accessibility assessment features.

It is proprietary.

SortSite at Wikipedia

eXaminator

eXaminator is a an automatic web accesibility assessment tool by the Spanish developer Carlos Benavídez. It is automatic.

eXaminator official website

Achecker

Achecker is a manual web accessibility assessment tool that is online. It is maintained by ACHECKS.

There is a newer version called Achecker+ that is probably proprietary.

Achecker official website

Accessibility Organizations

Accessibility organizations:

  • WAI

WAI

Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) belongs to WWW Consortium (W3C).

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External References

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