WCAG defines a set of guidelines aimed at improving the accessibility of websites, applications, and digital content across all devices. The current widely adopted version is WCAG 2.1, published in 2018 and updated in 2023, which builds upon and is fully backward compatible with WCAG 2.0. This means content conforming to WCAG 2.1 also meets WCAG 2.0 requirements, helping organizations comply with various regulations referencing these standards, including the ADA and Section 508 compliance in the U.S., as well as the European Accessibility Act.

WCAG guidelines are organized around four foundational principles, often referred to by the acronym POUR: 

• Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presented in ways users can perceive. This includes providing text alternatives for non-text content, ensuring sufficient color contrast, and enabling content to be presented in multiple ways without losing meaning. 
• Operable: User interface components and navigation must be operable. All functionalities should be accessible via keyboard, users should have enough time to read and interact with content, and navigation should be predictable and consistent. 
• Understandable: Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable. This involves using clear language, consistent navigation, and helping users avoid and correct mistakes. 
• Robust: Content must be robust enough to be reliably interpreted by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies such as screen reader accessibility tools like JAWS screen reader. 

WCAG defines three levels of conformance to accommodate varying degrees of accessibility: 

• Level A: The minimum level of conformance addressing the most basic accessibility features, such as keyboard access and clear form labels. 
• Level AA: The mid-range conformance level that includes all Level A criteria plus additional requirements like proper color contrast (minimum 4.5:1), logical heading structure, and consistent navigation.  
• Level AAA: The highest and most stringent level, including all Level A and AA criteria plus enhanced features such as a contrast ratio of 7:1 and sign language interpretation for videos. While ideal, AAA conformance is not always feasible for all content. 

WCAG 2.1 added important success criteria to address mobile accessibility, users with low vision, and cognitive disabilities. These include: 

• Ensuring content is usable in different orientations (portrait and landscape). 
• Making input purposes programmatically determinable for form fields. 
• Allowing content to reflow without loss of information or functionality, avoiding horizontal scrolling. 

 The upcoming WCAG 2.2 and WCAG 3.0 standards promise further enhancements to meet evolving accessibility needs. 

Adhering to WCAG guidelines is crucial for organizations to: 

• Meet legal obligations under laws such as the ADA, Section 508, and EAA. 
• Create compliant documents through expert PDF document remediation. 
• Ensure websites and digital content are usable by people relying on assistive technologies, improving overall user experience. 
• Mitigate legal risks and demonstrate corporate social responsibility.

Successful WCAG implementation involves: 

• Conducting regular accessibility checks and accessibility testing using both automated tools and human evaluation. 
• Applying accessibility design principles to create content that is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. 
• Remediating existing content, including making PDFs accessible, creating ADA compliant PDFs from InDesign, and ensuring all documents are 508 compliant.
• Training teams on a11y accessibility best practices and maintaining ongoing compliance. 

Our accessibility specialists provide comprehensive services to help your organization achieve and maintain WCAG compliance, including: 

• Website and application audits aligned with WCAG 2.1 AA standards. 
• Professional PDF document remediation to ensure compatibility with screen reader accessibility tools. 
• Ongoing support and consultation on evolving accessibility standards.