WCAGbased

WCAGbased is an informal descriptor used to indicate that a product, service, or web content is designed or evaluated in accordance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) published by the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Accessibility Initiative (W3C WAI). The term typically pairs WCAG with a specific version and conformance level, such as WCAG 2.1 AA, to reduce ambiguity.

WCAG provides a framework organized around the four principles—Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR)—with measurable success criteria across levels A, AA, and AAA. A WCAGbased claim implies alignment with these criteria for the intended audience and context, rather than universal accessibility in all possible scenarios. Because WCAGbased is informal, it should be supported by documentation of the version and level, as well as evidence from testing.

Actual conformance is determined through formal evaluation using automated checks and manual testing, including accessibility audits and user tests. Implementation typically involves adopting semantic HTML, providing text alternatives, ensuring keyboard operability, sufficient color contrast, accessible multimedia, clear navigation, and proper use of ARIA where appropriate. Ongoing maintenance and periodic re-testing are recommended as content and technologies evolve.

See also: WCAG, WAI, ARIA, accessibility audit.