Skip to content

Creating Accessible Web Content

Overview

Web accessibility means ensuring that websites, applications, and online content are designed so that people of all abilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with them. Accessible design allows users relying on assistive technologies—such as screen readers, magnifiers, keyboard navigation, or captions—to fully participate in digital experiences.

Accessibility benefits everyone by improving clarity, navigation, and usability for all users. For a deeper introduction, see the WebAIM Introduction to Web Accessibility and W3C Web Accessibility Initiative Overview.

UC System Requirements

The University of California IT Accessibility Policy requires that all web-based information meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA standards. An update is in progress to adopt WCAG 2.1 Level AA, aligning UC policy with updated ADA Title II regulations.

All UC-managed websites must conform to these standards to ensure information and services are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Departments are responsible for verifying that their public and internal web content meets or exceeds these standards.

Continuous Evaluation with Siteimprove

UC Merced uses Siteimprove to continuously scan and evaluate university-maintained websites for accessibility issues, quality, and performance. Siteimprove automatically checks for WCAG errors and provides detailed reports to assist site owners with remediation.

Website owners can request a Siteimprove report or access to the dashboard by contacting the Digital Accessibility Office through the Report a Technology Barrier form.

UCOP offers a comprehensive Siteimprove Resource Center.

UC’s Siteimprove portal also includes accessibility e-Courses. To access them:

  1. Log in to UC’s Siteimprove portal with your single-sign-on credentials.
  2. Click the Help Center or Resource Center icon (question mark symbol).
  3. Select Frontier → then Accessibility topic to view available e-Courses.

Core Principles of Accessible Web Content

Principle Goal Examples
Perceivable Information must be presented in ways users can perceive. Provide alt text for images, transcripts for audio, and captions for video.
Operable Interface elements must be usable via multiple input methods. Support keyboard navigation, logical focus order, skip links, no time-limited input.
Understandable Content and interface must be clear and predictable. Use consistent layouts, descriptive link text, and simple language.
Robust Content must work with current and future assistive technologies. Use valid HTML, ARIA roles appropriately, and test with screen readers.

Training & Learning Opportunities

There are multiple ways to learn more about web accessibility:

 

Additional Tools & Practical Techniques

These additional authoritative resources provide an opportunity to gain a second opinion and evaluate different criteria WCAG. 

WAVE Evaluation Tool (WebAIM)

How to use:

  • Install the extension in Chrome or Edge.
  • Open the page you are developing in the same browser window.
  • Click the WAVE icon to generate a report overlay.
  •  Review the icons: red (errors), orange (alerts), blue (features).
  • Click each icon to view detailed guidance and recommended fixes.

W3C Easy Checks

How to use:

  • Go to W3C Easy ChecksLinks.
  • Paste the URL of a UC Merced page.
  • Review the report for quick fixes.

Colour Contrast Analyser (CCA)

  • Open CCA and select “Colour Picker.”
  • Hover over the text element to capture foreground color.
  • Capture background color by hovering over surrounding area.
  • Review the contrast ratio and adjust colors if below 4.5:1 (text) or 3:1 (large text).

 

Need Assistance?

If you have questions about your site’s accessibility or need help interpreting Siteimprove results, contact the UC Merced Digital Accessibility Office through the Report a Technology Barrier form. We can assist with testing, evaluation, remediation strategies, and accessibility training.