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Role of WCAG Testing in Inclusive Website Development



The rise of the popularity of digital content is credited to the advancements in technology and the availability of the internet connection. The different accessibility guidelines like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) help businesses understand the key aspects of accessibility. The aim of these solutions is to ensure that the content is accessible to people suffering from different impairments.


The professional WCAG 2.0 compliance solutions ensure that the digital content of the company is accessible, usable, and adhering to the regional legal compliances. This write-up delves into the role of WCAG testing in offering highly inclusive website development in detail.


WCAG testing: An overview

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) offers a detailed set of guidelines for making web content highly accessible for people suffering from different impairments. It is created and maintained by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). All these guidelines are based on making any digital content highly perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. 


The success criteria for the WCAG standards are categorized by the level of conformance like A, AA, and AAA. Here AA conformance is the standard for legal compliance adherence. The onset of the WCAG compliance requirements starts by conducting dedicated WCAG testing. 


The different types of testing involved in WCAG testing cover the following:


  • Automated testing

It starts by conducting dedicated testing of the web applications or websites using tools and software for identifying common accessibility issues. It is ideal for detecting key accessibility barriers like missing labels, inadequate color contrast, and missing alternative text for images.


  • Manual testing

It involves reviewing and interacting with the websites and web applications to identify the complex accessibility barriers that automated tools may have missed. It covers testing for usability with interactive elements, screen reader compatibility, and keyboard accessibility.


  • User testing

It covers the testing of websites and web applications involving people suffering from different impairments. It offers real-world testing for understanding how users with different impairments navigate and interact with the website or web application.


Role of WCAG testing in creating accessible websites

After having a quick understanding of the WCAG testing, here are the key points highlighting its role in the creation of accessible websites:


  • Adhering to the accessibility guidelines

Firstly, the WCAG testing helps adhere to the different accessibility guidelines which are not easy for businesses. Hence, launching the websites in the regions adhering to the WCAG standards is easy with dedicated testing. If failing to adhere to these guidelines, businesses may soon attract accessibility lawsuits, reputational damages, and fines.


While WCAG testing helps adhere to the accessibility guidelines, it is easy for businesses to offer highly accessible web content to people suffering from different impairments. Hence, the overall web content interactivity increases.


  • Improved user experience

Adhering to the WCAG 2.0 compliance helps businesses improve the overall user experience when interacting with websites and web applications. Hence, it is easy to expand the overall user base of the business content. It covers people suffering from different impairments, people using assistive technologies, and elderly users.


It leads to overall customer engagement as the overall user frustration significantly reduces with the clear and consistent navigation features.


  • Offering ethical and inclusive design

While accessibility is an essential legal imperative in different regions, it does cover social responsibility and diversity considerations. The promotion of inclusivity and equity in digital content like websites and web applications helps them align with the overall ethical responsibilities of businesses.


The use of web content for people with diverse needs and preferences helps promote an inclusive online environment. 


Contact us at https://www.acadecraft.com/contact-us/ to learn more about our WCAG Compliance Services.


  • Promoting technical excellence

Last but not least, the WCAG compliance requirements help businesses promote their technical excellence. It covers the use of the latest web technologies and best practices for future compatibility.


The different accessibility standards further help businesses enhance the overall SEO standards of web applications and websites based on improved content structure and organization.


Conclusion

WCAG testing is hence imperative for inclusive website development. It refers to the process of evaluating the web application or websites against the WCAG standards. Not to miss are the different methods in which these solutions offer highly inclusive website development.


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