Published in June 2018, WCAG 2.1 adds to and does not replace WCAG 2.0. Because of this, adhering to WCAG 2.1 means you automatically also adhere to WCAG 2.0, as the existing guidelines and checkpoints remained unchanged.

It's back to school time! As an integral part of a fair and appropriate public education (FAPE), web accessibility helps students of all ages and abilities to be able to access online course content, understand video lectures, take quizzes and tests, and use class resources appropriately.

As the 2018 edition of NIAM draws to a close, and as children and parents prepare for the new school year, it’s the perfect time to look back on why web accessibility is so crucial for healthcare. Nearly 1 in 5 people in the U.S. has a disability, so making your website accessible is imperative to fully serve all of your users.

When developing their websites for accessibility, many organizations focus on assistive technologies for output.  Yet, input devices receive comparatively little attention. A variety of alternate input devices suitable for a variety of different situations are available to computer users with disabilities.

When developing websites for people with visual disabilities, it's important to remember that visual disabilities lie on a spectrum.  For users with visual disabilities who can still read text in large print, screen magnification software is a vitally important assistive technology. If organizations want their websites to be truly accessible, sites must be compatible with that software.

Assistive technologies such as refreshable braille displays have enabled computer users with visual impairments to access the internet independently. In order to adequately serve braille readers then, web developers and designers must evaluate the compatibility of their site with refreshable braille displays.

We’ve discussed screen readers in previous articles here at the Bureau of Internet Accessibility. However, with the June release of the updated Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, WCAG 2.1, it’s the perfect time to look back on what web developers should already know about screen readers, and what you should know moving forward.

If you suffer from vision impairment or any type of eye injury, web accessibility will be increasingly important to you. Fortunately, there are many tools and devices that can be used on properly accessible web pages to improve the user experience of people with vision problems.

19 Attorneys General have petitioned United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions to formalize web accessibility standards under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

In technology, something that is robust comes with a wide range of capabilities or is able to deal with many different situations. Robustness, as defined by WCAG, refers specifically to web content that is compatible with a variety of “user agents”: browsers, assistive technologies, and other means of accessing web content.

Content that is understandable can be read and comprehended by users without undue effort. This means that the content should be understandable both by the users themselves and by assistive technologies such as screen readers.

WCAG’s emphasis on perceivability ensures that users can passively take in and access the information on your website. Operability, on the other hand, also guarantees that users can interact with and make full use of the site.

With the release of the latest version in June, WCAG 2.1, now is the perfect time for a refresher on the four WCAG main principles. The first, perceivability, requires web content to be presented in a way that all users can recognize and understand.

The ongoing delay in the release of federal accessibility guidelines has contributed to the giant increase in website accessibility lawsuits in 2018. With the lack of a federal directive by the DOJ, law firms are actively pursuing suits, resulting in a large spike in the number of web accessibility cases being filed.

June 5th, 2018 saw the first evolution of the WCAG standards in a decade with the release of WCAG 2.1. These new recommendations include updates to address mobile devices, as well as to better serve people with low vision and cognitive difficulties.

In America, the declaration of the nation’s commitment that people with disabilities are afforded the same levels of freedom and independence as everyone else is demonstrated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The legislation details the ways in which the federal government ensures that state and local government services, public accommodations and commercial facilities must accommodate the needs of people with disabilities.

Uber, Lyft, and other ride-hailing services have attempted to fill the transportation gap for people with disabilities, providing on-demand transportation at a price that’s competitive with traditional taxi companies. In order to cater to users with disabilities,  ride-hailing companies must make website and mobile application accessibility a priority.

National Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Day is dedicated to helping people better understand PTSD and its impacts on so many in our society. For people living with PTSD, fully accessible online services are an integral part of ensuring access to vital services.

As summer vacation begins, parents, businesses, and governments should all work to ensure that everyone, including children with disabilities, can enjoy facilities such as zoos, museums, public parks, and beaches. Web accessibility can play a vital role in helping people with disabilities find and interact with public and private facilities this summer.

The planning phase of travel is essential for people with a disability who may need to spend extra time researching and asking questions before setting off on a trip. Therefore, it is vital that websites serving the travel industry are fully accessible for all users.

Men’s Health Month seeks to encourage health exams and screenings, early treatment of injuries and diseases, and early detection of serious illnesses. Men with disabilities need accessible websites to gain access to health information and to use the Internet to interact with healthcare providers. 

A recent market study conducted by Mandala Research has found that American adults with disabilities spend more than $17 billion each year on travel. Hotel website and service accessibility is a necessity for the would-be travelers.

June is Cataract Awareness Month. For people affected by cataracts or recovering from cataract surgery, web accessibility can be vital, allowing them to continue to access information online and enjoy a high quality of life despite vision impairment. This includes the ability to access content via assistive devices such as screen readers.

BoIA release a new tool, the Color Contrast Accessibility Validator. The tool is free and is intended for use by website owners and developers to test their web pages for color contrast issues that can impede usability for people with visual disabilities.

As anyone who has gone to the wrong gate or nearly missed their flight can attest, navigating airports and catching planes can be stressful and sometimes confusing. These challenges are even bigger for people with visual impairments or hearing conditions. To help address this issue, the United States Department of Transportation has expanded the Air Carrier Access Act.