The basics of web accessibility

WCAG

• WCAG is the acronym for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
• These guidelines were developed to ensure that digital content is accessible to people with different disabilities.
• Die The WCAG were developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and are an important tool for promoting accessibility on the internet.
• Currently, WCAG 2.1 applies, while WCAG 2.2 has already been published (in October 2023).

Levels of conformity

• Level A: Basic requirements for accessibility.
• Level AA: Extended accessibility requirements.
• Level AAA: Highest accessibility requirements.

WCAG principles

1. Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive.
2. Operable: User interface components and navigation must be operable.
3. Understandable: Information and the operation of user interface must be understandable.
4. Robust: Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.

Legal regulations

• In many countries, legal regulations and standards for accessibility on the Internet are based on the WCAG.
• In Germany, the Disability Equality Act (BGG) and the Accessible Information Technology Ordinance (BITV) regulate accessibility on the Internet.

European Accessibility Act (EAA)

• The European Accessibility Act (EAA) of the European Union aims to make products and services accessible to people with disabilities.
• EAA sets the minimum standards to remove barriers in access to different areas of life.