The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are an international standard (ISO/IEC 40500) published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The current version, developed in 2024, is WCAG 2.2. These guidelines establish best practices and expectations for making digital information accessible to individuals with disabilities. Compliance with these standards is required by federal nondiscrimination laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, 1990) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
According to Rice Policy 851 on Digital Accessibility, Rice University adopts WCAG version 2.1, levels A and AA, as its standard for creating, sharing, and procuring accessible information and communication technologies (ICT). These standards provide guidance on how to identify and eliminate accessibility barriers, ensuring that everyone can independently access and use the digital information we create and share.
To learn more about the standards, why they are essential for people with disabilities, and how they make digital content more usable for everyone, watch the video Introduction to Web Accessibility and W3C Standards below.
View as a text transcript with a description of visuals.
Accessible design is the process of creating products, services, and environments that are usable by everyone. The goal is to create equitable experiences where everyone can participate fully and independently. When designing accessibly, you are considering the needs and abilities of all users and ensuring your digital content is easy to use and understand, regardless of a person's physical, sensory, or cognitive abilities.
Conforming with all of the WCAG guidelines is required by Rice and federal law, but it alone does not mean your content will be usable by everyone. Integrating inclusive and universal design principles and conducting technical and functional testing are important when designing to ensure you achieve true accessibility and equity for people with disabilities.
Use the following techniques and practices to create accessible digital content at Rice.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) consist of four principles, perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust, that form the acronym POUR. Each of these Principles contain Guidelines, the basic goals to work toward, and each of these Guidelines contain Success Criteria, which are the actual, testable criteria used to assess accessibility.
Watch the Designing for Accessibility with POUR video below for a quick overview of the acronym and how it applies to creating accessible digital content.
