Natalie MacLees launches WCAG in Plain English for accessibility professionals

Digital accessibility is not optional. It is a critical part of designing content that works for everyone. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide the global standard for making web and digital content usable by people with disabilities. From WCAG’s POUR principles (Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust) to the different compliance levels A, AA, and AAA, organizations need to understand how these standards support legal compliance and inclusive access. Whether you work in education, government, or the private sector, following WCAG 2.2 helps future-proof your digital content, reduce legal risk, and support more equitable experiences for all users. Learn what WCAG means for your organization and how to start or strengthen your accessibility efforts. https://lnkd.in/ei9wTi9f #DigitalAccessibility #InclusionMatters #WCAGCompliance #AccessibleDesign #GrackleDocs

💬 Accessibility Is About Progress, Not Perfection We often think of accessibility as a pass or fail test — either you “meet WCAG” or you don’t. But accessibility isn’t an exam. It’s a journey of continuous improvement. Let’s be real — no product in the world is 100% perfect or bug-free. Every app, every website, and every platform has room to grow. Accessibility deserves to be seen the same way — something we nurture, refine, and strengthen over time. When teams see accessibility as part of everyday quality, everything changes: ✨ Fixes become habits. ✨ Inclusion becomes a shared goal. ✨ Progress becomes visible, not just measurable. A list of accessibility issues isn’t a failure — it’s a sign that you’re paying attention. It means you care enough to improve, step by step. Real accessibility isn’t about saying “We passed WCAG.” It’s about building digital spaces where everyone can participate — and making them better, sprint after sprint. Let’s stop chasing perfection. Let’s start celebrating progress — together. 💪🌍 #Accessibility #Inclusion #DigitalAccessibility #InclusiveDesign #A11y #ProgressNotPerfection #AccessibilityTesting

We built WCAG in Plain English. Then we integrated it straight into AAArdvark. Here's why: Most accessibility tools are pretty good at telling you what's broken. They're not always good at telling you why it matters or how to fix it. So your team ends up bouncing between validator results, official WCAG docs (which are not beginner-friendly), and Google searches trying to piece together what "1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum)" actually means in practice. It slows down remediation. It frustrates developers. And it makes accessibility feel harder than it needs to be. We saw this problem everywhere — especially for teams who are newer to accessibility or don't have deep WCAG expertise yet. So we built WCAG in Plain English — a gentle and beginner-friendly introduction to WCAG in clear language, with real examples and practical fixes. Then we integrated it directly into AAArdvark. When you click on an issue in your audit, you get a direct link to the plain-language explanation. You can see what the rule means, why it matters, who it affects, and how to fix it — all without leaving the platform. If you need to dig in further, we have links to the official documentation included. WCAG in Plain English is not a replacement for the official WCAG documentation (accessibility professionals still need that). But for developers, designers, content managers, and agencies who are learning or need quick clarity on a specific issue, it removes a barrier. One less tab to open. One less thing to search for. One less excuse to put off the fix. Our users can resolve issues faster because it's clear what to do. Accessibility shouldn't require a decoder ring. We built both tools to work together so understanding and fixing issues is straightforward — whether you're just getting started or managing dozens of audits. Want to see how it works? Try it free at https://bit.ly/46QW1gD or drop a comment and I'll send you a walkthrough. #Accessibility #WCAG

Accessibility Testing verifies whether a digital product meets accessibility standards such as: WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) 2.1 or 2.2 Section 508 (U.S. Federal Standard) ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) The goal is to make sure everyone — including users with assistive technologies like screen readers or keyboard navigation — can access and interact with your content.

Do you want to make your site accessible to everyone? WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) are the compass for creating inclusive and easy-to-use content, even for people with disabilities. Here are the 3 levels to know: A: minimal accessibility, to make the contents accessible to all. AA: Recommended standard accessibility for most users. AAA: maximum accessibility, to include all possible needs. Adopting WCAG is not just a technical obligation, it is a step towards a truly inclusive web. Learn more here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dg7S7NGp #Accessibilità #WebAccessibility #DesignInclusivo #InclusioneDigitale #WCAG

Exciting news for the tech community! The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 & 2.2 are now in JSON (a machine-readable format). This development is a big deal for developers and coders committed to improving digital accessibility. These guidelines provide essential principles and success criteria to ensure websites are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. The newly formatted files also include valuable glossary terms and associations between normative success criteria and informative techniques, making it easier to integrate accessibility into your projects. Even though I don't code myself, I recognize how crucial this resource is for driving accessibility forward. By streamlining access to these standards, we can empower our developers to create more inclusive digital experiences. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gNFgjA8j #DigitalAccessibility #WCAG #Inclusion #WebDevelopment #TechForGood #AccessibilityMatters

Accessibility obligations like Section 508 remain in force and influence how businesses work with federal agencies and serve users with disabilities. Clym’s Accessibility Widget helps address these needs by: - Offering six preconfigured accessibility profiles - Providing adjustments such as font sizing or contrast - Enabling visitors to submit feedback about accessibility issues - Updating automatically with ReadyCompliance® to reflect evolving laws See how the Accessibility Widget can help organizations reduce barriers and improve usability: https://lnkd.in/d8NyGgwT #Accessibility #Section508 #WCAG #ADA #InclusiveDesign #Clym

It’s 2025 - so why are people with dyslexia still facing digital barriers? 🛑 For people with accessibility issues, digital experiences still put barriers in their way. This Dyslexia Awareness Week, we’re reflecting on what true digital accessibility means. It’s more than a design checklist or a legal standard. It’s about creating digital spaces that are flexible, human and inclusive by default. When accessibility is built into every stage of transformation, it benefits everyone, not just those with additional needs. Accessible design leads to: 🗣️ Clearer communication. 🔑 Better usability. 🤝 Stronger connections between people and technology. Building for everyone isn’t extra work. It’s what makes digital experiences work better for everyone. For more info on this, you can read our Accessibility Whitepaper which looks at how inclusive digital design can drive innovation and lasting change. 📘 Read it here: https://lnkd.in/dxJryfmX #DyslexiaAwarenessWeek #Accessibility #DigitalInclusion #DigitalTransformation #Sherwen

Today I came across a post discussing how to indicate required form fields. Of course… now I can’t find the post again (isn’t that always the case? 😅) In the example, required fields were marked with an asterisk (*), and a note at the top of the form explained: “Required fields are marked with *.” The author of that post argued (at least that was my interpretation) that this is a WCAG failure. They discussed how users of screen magnification may not see the instructions at the top, and therefore the meaning should be clearly conveyed at each individual form field. I had always considered this approach compliant, though not necessarily a best practice. From a screen reader perspective, marking fields as required using HTML (required attribute) or aria-required="true" should communicate that information effectively - meaning the asterisk is just visual support. So my questions to the community are: Is the * not widely understood as a required-field symbol? Is a clear instruction at the top of the form not considered sufficient for WCAG 2.2 AA? Or is this one of those “technically compliant but could be better” scenarios? I noticed even IAAP use a similar approach in their forms, which suggests it’s accepted practice… but I’m curious to hear others’ viewpoints. What do you think? How do you mark required fields accessibly? #Accessibility #Inclusion #WCAG #A11y #UXDesign #DigitalAccessibility #Forms #InclusiveDesign