The DOJ has updated Title II of the ADA(Americans with Disabilities Act) affecting local and state government institutions, including public universities on April 24 2024.
Which basically enforces the adoption of WCAG 2.1 AA as the standard for web accessibility.
Which essentially means that Web content and mobile applications provided by local and state government will have to implement extra accessibility measures.
These measures aims at making content more accessible to disabled users, including those with mild disabilities such a low vision and photosensitivity.
Key features of WCAG 2.1
Screen Reader Compatibility
Requiring Web content to be readable by screen readers, which means to respect page structure for navigation, context and appropriate headings (H1,H2,H3).
Clear and descriptive link texts and buttons, so instead of having a link say "Click here", it's purpose will have to be conveyed clearly and explicitly such as "Learn more about WCAG 2.1".
Buttons on the other hand will be required to have an aria-label if the button text isn't accessible or doesn't convey a clear purpose. That way screen readers will be able to announce it clearly.
Keyboard Navigation
Web content will have to be keyboard friendly, meaning you can navigate the content with a keyboard instead of mouse. Ensuring that all interactive elements can be selected with the Tab key or other keyboard shortcuts.
Which includes:
- Buttons
- Links
- Inputs
- Dropdown menus
- Modal dialogs
- Custom Widgets
Which will require websites to use HTML elements that can be navigated and selected via a keyboard. Such as <button>, <a> and <input>, and avoid using <div> and <span> elements for interactive components.
Image Alternative Text
This will require every image to have an alternative text, with some exceptions for images that are purely decorative.
This can be added by using the alt attribute to an image.
When to Comply ?
Public entities that serve a population of more than 50,000 must comply by the deadline which is April 24 2026.
Public university are considered as serving the whole population of their current state, which makes all university in all 50 states obligated to comply with the new WCAG 2.1 accessibility standard.
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