Accessibility checklist for web writers
This checklist is based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0. It focuses on day-to-day web content issues that web writers control. It doesn't include extra checks for PDF or Word documents.
The checklist
The checklist is divided into 4 topics: written content, structure and formatting, navigation, and images. Some of the guidelines have a wider scope than implied here, but the focus is on the work web writers do.
Written content
| Guideline | Level | Check |
|---|---|---|
| 1.3.3 Sensory characteristics | A | No instructions rely only on shape, size, screen location, orientation, sound or colour. A text label is also included. |
| 3.1.2 Language of parts | AA | Foreign language words or phrases have the appropriate foreign language tag. |
| 3.1.3 Unusual words | AAA | Jargon, idioms and special terms are defined (or avoided if possible). |
| 3.1.4 Abbreviations | AAA | Abbreviations and acronyms are defined (or avoided if possible). |
| 3.1.5 Reading level | AAA | Content scores below grade 10 in a readability test, after you’ve removed names and titles. If it does not, an alternative version or supplementary content (images, animations, video, audio) is provided. |
| 3.1.6 Pronunciation | AAA | A pronunciation is provided for heteronyms unless the context makes their meaning clear. |
Structure and formatting
| Guideline | Level | Check |
|---|---|---|
| 1.3.1 Info and relationships | A | Headings, lists, tables, quotations and emphasised text are styled using the appropriate tag. Tags are not used to style text that is not a heading, list or quotation. |
| 2.4.6 Headings and labels | AA | Headings and labels are meaningful. They explain or describe the content that follows. |
| 2.4.10 Section headings | AAA | Each main part of the content is labelled with a heading. |
Navigation
| Guideline | Level | Check |
|---|---|---|
| 2.4.2 Page titled | A | Pages have meaningful titles that help users identify the page in search results and the browser tabs, history and bookmarks. |
| 2.4.4 and 2.4.9 Link purpose (in context and link only) | A, AAA | Links clearly identify their purpose, preferably without relying on nearby content. |
| 3.2.5 Change on request | AAA | Links generally do not open in new windows. When they do, a warning is included within the link text. |
Images
| Guideline | Level | Check |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1.1 Non-text content | A | Images have an appropriate blank, short or long text alternative that effectively communicates the information or role played by the image. |
| 1.4.1 Use of colour | A | No information is communicated only by colour. Text labels or patterns supplement colour. |
| 1.4.3 and 1.4.6 Contrast (minimum and enhanced) | AA, AAA | Text and data in images use a colour that provides sufficient contrast from the background colour. |
| 1.4.5 and 1.4.9 Images of text (no exception) | AA, AAA | Text is not presented as an image (except where decorative or part of logos, diagrams, maps, graphs, historical artefacts). |
| 2.3.1 and 2.3.2 Three flashes (or below threshold) | A, AAA | Images do not flash more than 3 times in any one-second period. |
| 3.2.4 Consistent identification | AA | Icons and their text alternatives are used consistently across all pages. |
Note: the guidelines are called ‘success criteria’ in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0.
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