The final draft of the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) WCAG 2.1 will be released next month (June 2018). This updated version of accessibility standards will have the same conformance requirements as WCAG 2.0, however, there are now additions that aim to address the remaining accessibility gaps within version 2.0. The primary issue that will be addressed relates to mobile or cell phone and tablet accessibility.

When the previous version of the accessibility guidelines was released 10 years ago, the capability of mobile devices was nowhere near as advanced as they are today. In WCAG 2.1 the standards will put an emphasis on mobile experience that users would expect from a traditional desktop browser. 2.1 also addresses visual or text sizing standards.  In version 2.0 web content needed to resizable to 200% without losing its functionality. In the upcoming version, text must be resizable up to 400%. This new standard is designed to better assist users with low or limited vision with their navigation of the web.

To assist users with cognitive impairments, WCAG 2.1 will attempt to limit digital interruptions like pop-up ads by defining when and where advertisements can appear.

Another issue that users with limited motor skills often have when navigating the web, is selecting the wrong button or link. In the June release, this issue is set to be addressed by upgrading navigation standards and providing a solution to the selection error.

Additional information regarding WCAG 2.1 can be found at the W3C website. If you have questions or concerns about the accessibility of your website, please contact us, we are happy to assist you.