WCAG 2.1 Alignment Guide
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the international standard for digital inclusion, developed by the W3C. Most legal frameworks, like ADA and Section 508, point to WCAG as the gold standard.
Understanding the Framework
WCAG is organized into four principles: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR).
1. Perceivable (UI Layer)
How users see or hear your content. This is where Sienna’s widget excels:
- Contrast (1.4.3): Toggle high-contrast views for low-vision users.
- Text Resize (1.4.4): Facilitating font scaling up to 200%.
- Visual Presentation (1.4.8): Swapping complex fonts for highly legible sans-serif faces.
2. Operable (Functional Layer)
How users navigate your content:
- Pause, Stop, Hide (2.2.2): Paralyze motion-heavy content (GIFs/CSS) instantly.
- Focus Visible (2.4.7): Enhances the focus ring for keyboard-only navigators.
3. Understandable (Structural Layer)
How users comprehend your content:
- Readable (3.1.2): Sienna allows users to change the site language on-the-fly, aiding understanding for non-native speakers.
4. Robust (Architectural Layer)
How well your site works with assistive technologies:
- Sienna includes a screen reader feature that parses the DOM and provides an auditory representation of content.
The Sienna “Accelerated Alignment” Strategy
Sienna doesn’t make a website WCAG-compliant on its own; it provides the User Interface Layer. To achieve full Level AA compliance, combine Sienna with structural fixes:
- Semantic HTML: Header, Nav, Main, Aside tags.
- Alt Text: Descriptions for images.
- Keyboard Logic: Ensuring all content is reachable via the TAB key.
Next Steps
Use our Customize tool to align the widget’s branding with your site, and publish an Accessibility Statement.