Building accessible websites isn't just best practice - in many cases, it's also a legal requirement. In this section, you'll learn why accessibility is enforced, the standards used to evaluate it, and how accessibility differs from individual accommodations.


The Accessibility Requirement

In the United States, federal law requires that digital content be accessible to people with disabilities.

In 1998, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act established that:

  • Federal agencies must make their electronic information accessible
  • This includes websites, digital documents, and software
  • Access must be comparable to what is available to everyone else

Because most colleges and universities receive federal funding, these rules also apply to higher education. Schools are required to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to online course content. Right click on this course page and take a look at the source code. You'll find many examples of accessibility compliance in effect that allows this course to be seen on many types of devices, including and especially those that are assistive.

Key Takeaway

Accessibility is not optional - it is often a legal requirement in education and public services


What Is WCAG?

To define what "accessible" actually means, the web uses a global standard called WCAG:

WCAG = Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

WCAG is created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and is used worldwide to guide accessible web design. These guidelines are organized around four core principles, often remembered as POUR:

P – Perceivable

Users must be able to see or hear the content

  • Text alternatives for images
  • Captions for audio and video

O – Operable

Users must be able to interact with the site

  • Keyboard navigation
  • No seizure-triggering animations

U – Understandable

Users must be able to understand the content

  • Clear language
  • Predictable behavior

R – Robust

Content must work with:

  • Assistive technologies
  • Current and future browsers

For more on WCAG, including a full overview, click on the following W3C resource - https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/


Levels of WCAG Compliance

Each WCAG guideline is tested at one of three levels:

  • Level A → minimum accessibility
  • Level AA → expected industry and legal standard
  • Level AAA → ideal but not required

Section 508 requires compliance with WCAG Level AA. As a result, this is the level most professional websites are expected to meet. At this level, a website must provide sufficient color contrast, meaningful alternative text for images, properly structured headings, and full keyboard navigation so users are not blocked by visual, auditory, or motor barriers. In practical terms, AA compliance means designing with accessibility built in from the start. This ensures that your content is POUR for a wide range of users and assistive technologies.


Accessibility vs. Accommodation

These two terms are often confused, but they are not the same thing. Accessibility is about designing a website so it works for everyone from the start, without requiring special requests or adjustments. Accommodation, on the other hand, happens after a barrier is identified. Accommodations are specific adjustments made for a user or users when the original design didn't fully meet their needs. That distinction matters because strong accessibility reduces the need for accommodation in the first place.

Accessibility

  • Built into the website for everyone
  • Follows predictable standards
  • Does not require users to request help
  • Examples:
    • Alt text on images
    • Captions on videos
    • Keyboard-friendly navigation

Accommodation

  • A special adjustment for one individual
  • Based on documented needs
  • Must be requested by the student
  • Examples:
    • Oral exams instead of written
    • Extra time on tests
    • Note-taking assistance

Accessibility should always be the default responsibility. Accommodation is the backup plan when accessibility was not enough.


Why Testing Matters

Even when you try to build accessible sites, problems can still happen. That's why testing is essential.

Common things that should always be tested:

  • Do all images have meaningful alt text?
  • Can the site be used with a keyboard only?
  • Do links make sense on their own?
  • Is text readable with strong contrast?

Accessibility problems get:

  • More expensive to fix later
  • Harder to detect after deployment

Best Practice - Test early and test often, just like when debugging code


The Big Picture

  • Accessibility is about equal access
  • WCAG defines how accessibility is measured
  • Section 508 legally enforces accessibility in education
  • Accessibility is built in
  • Accommodation is added only when needed


A Great Resource:

Easy Checks is a resource from the W3C that helps you to determine if your website is meeting the major components of accessibility - https://www.w3.org/WAI/test-evaluate/preliminary/

Source: Khalil Abdullah and Saylor University
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.