Frequently Asked Questions
Is WordPress accessible by default?
Largely, yes, WordPress meets or exceeds WCAG 2.2 and EN 301 549 standards for digital accessibility. The WordPress back end also includes tools to encourage use of basic HTML elements, image alt text, and other native accessibility tools.
However, as with any online framework, working accessibility knowledge and is necessary to:
- ensure semantic headers are properly ordered
- ensure keyboard navigability
- adequately label form elements and error states
- ensure video content includes closed captions and text or audio descriptions as appropriate
Can I just install an accessibility overlay?
Overlays promise "quick fix" digital accessibility that they simply cannot deliver.
From the Overlay Fact Sheet:
Given that conformance is defined as meeting all requirements of the standard, these products' documented inability to repair all possible issues means that they cannot bring a website into compliance.
Thousands of websites use accessibility overlays. Surely that means that overlays are effective?
Please see FTC Orders accessiBe to Pay $1 Million for Deceptive Claims
Please see the Usable.net ADA Accessibility Lawsuit Tracker which includes ADA lawsuits against companies that had installed a third-party accessibility widget.
Flatly: digital accessibility overlays are a scam. The website owners that purchased these overlays were scammed. The success of the scam is not an indicator otherwise.