Community websites from government agencies must be digitally accessible for everyone, including people with disabilities. This means, for example, that blind users must be able to listen to content (such as questions, answers, explanations, etc.) through their own screen reader software. By offering this correctly, the website becomes usable for everyone. To ensure this, your community website must comply with the international WCAG 2.1 guidelines. Our Crowdtech software enables this.
WCAG Principles
There are 45 different criteria divided into 4 principles for digital accessibility. Below, you can read more about these principles, including examples.
Perceivable
"Information and user interface components must be presented to users in ways they can perceive."
An example of this is adding 'ALT text' to every image, allowing people with visual impairments to understand the content and context of the images. Another example is maintaining sufficient color contrast; for instance, the theme color should have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1.
Operable
"User interface components and navigation must be operable."
An example of this is giving users sufficient time to complete tasks. Another example is ensuring a consistent focus order throughout, so that users can navigate the website in a logical and predictable manner.
Understandable
"Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable."
An example of this is ensuring that texts are read correctly by screen reader software. Another example is that when using buttons, the purpose of the link should be clear.
Robust
"Content must be robust enough to be reliably interpreted by a wide range of user agents, including assistive technologies."
An example of this is making media content, such as videos and audio, accessible by providing captions, transcripts, or audio descriptions. Additionally, it's important to test the community website in different browsers and on different devices, including older versions, to ensure that the content is displayed correctly.
WCAG Check
Would you like to check if your community website is WCAG-compliant? Visit our website (click here) or contact us directly at info@crowdtech.com.