WCAG has three levels of conformance: A, AA, and AAA. Each level has a number of success criteria that web content must meet to be accessible. Level A is the minimum requirement, level AA is the recommended level for most web content, and level AAA is the highest level of accessibility. CMS can affect the level of conformance of web content in different ways. For example, some CMS features, such as templates, themes, plugins, or widgets, may have built-in accessibility features that help meet some of the WCAG success criteria. On the other hand, some CMS features may introduce accessibility barriers that prevent web content from meeting some of the WCAG success criteria. Therefore, it is important to evaluate and test the accessibility of CMS features before using them for web content creation.
-
Los CMS son muy populares pero hay mucho desconocimiento en temas de accesibilidad. Como comenta @jules Kuehn, en el comentario anterior, es importante usar plantillas que sean "accesibility ready" o que mencionen la accesibilidad. En Wordpress por ejemploes conveniente usar la herramienta nativa Gutemberg, en ves del pluging Elementor. De todos modos siempre hay que hacer alguna verificación o bien contactar con el creador para consultarle si ha hecho un buen uso del codigo HTML5.
-
Templates can either help you present content in an accessible way, or they can introduce significant accessibility issues. When selecting a template for your site, look for templates / themes that mention accessibility (or "a11y") specifically. Don't take their word for it though - run a quick accessibility check on the template demo site with an automated tool like aXe.
-
I agree with @Jules Kuehn. Use templates that specify accessibility as well as running quick accessibility check on them to ensure conformance. Automated tools like Pa11y, axe-core, WAVE etc can help check conformance. Following these tips help identify possible accessibility issues earlier and help make informed decisions.
WCAG has four principles that guide web accessibility: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. Each principle has a number of guidelines that provide general goals and outcomes for web accessibility. CMS can support or hinder the implementation of these principles in web content. For example, CMS can support the perceivable principle by providing options to add alternative text, captions, transcripts, or audio descriptions to multimedia content. CMS can also support the operable principle by providing keyboard access, navigation menus, skip links, or breadcrumbs to web content. However, CMS can also hinder the understandable principle by generating complex or inconsistent code, labels, or instructions for web content. CMS can also hinder the robust principle by using outdated or incompatible technologies, formats, or standards for web content.
-
Along with making the content accessible to the end-user, another important aspect of CMS accessibility is the authoring experience. The W3C's Authoring Tools Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) is a counterpart to WCAG that is especially relevant to CMS. ATAG focuses on two areas: the accessibility of the generated content, and the accessibility of the authoring tool itself. It isn't enough for the CMS to support creating accessible content. It should also meet WCAG standards itself, and provide an accessible user experience to content authors. EN 301 549 requires authoring tools to "enable and guide" production of accessible content, suggest fixes, preserve accessibility information through transformations, and provide accessible templates.
-
Si un CMS no puede ser operado por una persona con discapacidad, se podría reflexionar hasta que punto conviene usarlo, ya que la propia herramienta excluye a las personas con discapacidad del equipo creativo.
WCAG has a number of techniques that provide specific methods and examples for implementing web accessibility. These techniques are tailored to certain technologies, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, or PDF, as well as certain CMS platforms, such as WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, or Squarespace. For instance, some CMS-specific techniques include using a plugin or module to generate a sitemap (G63), check the contrast ratio of text and background colors (G18), add a language attribute to the HTML element (H57), add a skip link (G1), and add a search function (G161). It is important to note that not all CMS features or plugins are reliable or compatible with web accessibility; thus, you should verify and test the functionality and accessibility of CMS features or plugins before using them for web content creation.
-
When working with CMS, use templates and themes that follow accessibility guidelines. This ensures a consistent and accessible user experience.
-
Uno de los errores mas comunes es instalar "overlays" de accesibilidad en los sitios webs. Es una falsa creencia pensar que esos complementos solucionan los problemas de accesibilidad. Dentro de los roles de la creación de un sitio web hay que ir haciendo pruebas y verificaciones constantemente para no ir arrastrando errores. Incorporar personas diversas en el equipo de trabajo es la mejor manera de saber si un CMS tiene complementos accesibles.
For those looking to learn more about WCAG and CMS, there are many online resources available. The official WCAG website provides the full text of the standards, guidelines, success criteria, and techniques, as well as tutorials, quick references, checklists, and tools for web accessibility. The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) website has information and guidance for different audiences, such as developers and designers, on how to apply WCAG to different types of web content. The WebAIM website provides articles, tips, training, and evaluation tools for web accessibility. Additionally, the W3C Community Group on Accessibility in CMS is a forum for discussion and collaboration on web accessibility issues related to CMS. Moreover, there are many more resources available online that can provide useful information and support for web accessibility.
To ensure that web content created with CMS is accessible and compliant with WCAG, users should consider several best practices. This includes choosing a CMS platform that supports web accessibility, evaluating and testing the accessibility of CMS features before using them, following the WCAG principles, guidelines, success criteria and techniques when creating web content, providing alternative and equivalent content for multimedia, images, icons or symbols, using clear and consistent headings, labels, links and navigation for web content, using simple and plain language for web content, using valid and semantic code for web content, checking and correcting the spelling, grammar and punctuation of web content and updating and maintaining the web content regularly. By taking these steps into account, users can create web content with CMS that is accessible and compliant with WCAG. This can benefit those with disabilities as well as those with different preferences or situations.
-
Desde mi experiencia, es mucho mas sencillo y económico incorporar el diseño universal desde el inicio que tener que remediar un sitio web. Cuanto antes empecemos como sociedad a pensar de manera inclusiva, mas fácil será que todas las herramientas disponibles evolucionen y ofrezcan productos accesibles. Es un camino lento, lo estamos construyendo entre todos. ¡Por un mundo digital al alcance de todos!
-
CMS can enhance a11y by adhering to specific WCAG SC and tech. 1.3.1 ensures that CMS content has programmatically determinable information and structure. 2.4.4 & 2.4.9 address clarity in link within dynamic CMS. 2.4.2 emphasizes descriptive and unique titles for pages. Keyboard operability, as per 2.1.1, is essential for users with motor disabilities. 4.1.2 ensures programmatically determinable components. 3.3.2 provides clarity within CMS interfaces. Syntax adherence for 4.1.1 ensures reliability with AT. 1.4.3 addresses color contrast in CMS content for better visibility. 3.2.4 maintains uniformity in components, while 2.4.3 ensures a logical sequence. Allowing text resize, as in 1.4.4 and 1.4.10, accommodates users preferences.
-
A curveball in WCAG compliance is integration with existing code. Bridging legacy code with new development can be tricky especially with views that utilize different frameworks. Working out solutions amongst these code bases early on can be an enormous time saver when it comes for fluid performance, such as tab navigation between different views when they are rendered, especially through portals.
Rate this article
More relevant reading
-
Content StrategyWhat are the best practices for implementing a headless CMS?
-
Content CreationWhat do you do if your content management system isn't meeting your website needs?
-
Content Management Systems (CMS)What are the best practices for designing and documenting your content API?
-
Internet ServicesWhat do you do if your current content management system is not meeting your needs?