How to fix the WCAG failures cited in ADA website claims
Most ADA website complaints describe the same handful of barriers: images without text alternatives, low-contrast text, unlabeled buttons and form fields, and sites that do not work with a keyboard. Each guide below explains one WCAG 2.1 success criterion, how to test it, and how to fix it.
| Criterion | Level | In one line |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1.1 Non-text Content | A | Every meaningful image, icon and image button needs a text alternative that says what it shows or does; purely decorative images need an empty alt so screen readers skip them. |
| 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded) | A | Prerecorded video with sound needs synchronized captions that include speech and important sounds, so deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors get the same information. |
| 1.3.1 Info and Relationships | A | Structure you can see (headings, lists, tables, form groups) must also exist in the code, so screen reader users can navigate by it instead of hearing one flat stream of text. |
| 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) | AA | Text needs a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 against its background, or 3:1 for large text (about 24px, or about 18.7px bold). |
| 1.4.4 Resize Text | AA | People must be able to zoom text to 200% without content being cut off or overlapping, and mobile pages must not block pinch-zoom. |
| 2.1.1 Keyboard | A | Everything you can do with a mouse (menus, buttons, carousels, filters, checkout) must also work with a keyboard alone. |
| 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks | A | Give keyboard and screen reader users a way to skip repeated navigation, usually a "Skip to content" link plus proper page landmarks. |
| 2.4.2 Page Titled | A | Every page needs a unique, descriptive title in the <title> tag, which is the first thing a screen reader announces. |
| 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) | A | Every link must have text (or an accessible name) that tells people where it goes. Icon links with no name, and vague "click here" links, fail. |
| 2.4.7 Focus Visible | AA | Keyboard users must always be able to see which element has focus. Removing the focus outline with CSS without a replacement fails. |
| 3.1.1 Language of Page | A | Declare the page language with a lang attribute on the <html> tag, so screen readers pronounce the text correctly. |
| 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions | A | Every form field needs a visible label, programmatically tied to the field, and any format requirements must be stated up front. Placeholder text alone does not count. |
| 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value | A | Buttons, toggles, menus and custom widgets must expose a name, a role and their current state to assistive technology. Icon-only buttons with no label are the classic failure. |
Not sure where to start? Read the WCAG 2.1 AA checklist for business websites, or see which failures we find on websites that were actually sued.
Proof of Access provides technical accessibility assessments. We are not a law firm and nothing on this page is legal advice. If you have received a demand letter or a lawsuit, talk to an attorney.