WCAG 2.2 AA in Plain English
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the global technical standard for web accessibility. Nearly every accessibility law — ADA, EAA, Section 508, AODA — references WCAG. Version 2.2 is the latest, published in October 2023.
What do A, AA, and AAA mean?
WCAG has three conformance levels:
- Level A — The bare minimum. Your site will still have significant barriers.
- Level AA — The standard that laws reference. Removes the most common and serious barriers. This is what you should aim for.
- Level AAA — The gold standard. Impractical for most sites to fully achieve, but good to aspire to.
When people say "WCAG compliant," they almost always mean Level AA.
The four principles
WCAG is organized around four principles. Your website must be:
Users must be able to perceive the content. This means alt text for images, captions for video, sufficient color contrast, and content that works without relying solely on color.
Users must be able to operate the interface. This means keyboard navigation, no time limits that can't be extended, no content that causes seizures, and clear navigation.
Users must be able to understand the content and interface. This means readable text, predictable behavior, and input assistance (error messages, labels).
Content must work with current and future technologies. This means valid HTML, proper use of ARIA, and compatibility with assistive technologies like screen readers.
What's new in WCAG 2.2?
WCAG 2.2 adds nine new success criteria. The most impactful at Level AA:
- Focus Not Obscured — keyboard focus must not be completely hidden by other content
- Dragging Movements — any action that requires dragging must have a single-pointer alternative
- Target Size (Minimum) — interactive elements must be at least 24x24 CSS pixels
- Consistent Help — if help mechanisms exist, they must be in a consistent location across pages
- Redundant Entry— don't make users re-enter information they've already provided
How SiteSmoke tests WCAG
SiteSmoke uses axe-core — the same accessibility engine used by Microsoft, Google, and the US federal government — to test against WCAG 2.0 A, WCAG 2.0 AA, WCAG 2.1 AA, and WCAG 2.2 AA criteria.
Automated testing catches roughly 30-50% of WCAG issues. The remaining issues require manual testing (screen reader usage, cognitive assessment, etc.). SiteSmoke gives you the automated baseline — the issues most likely to trigger legal action.
Test your WCAG compliance
Scan your site against WCAG 2.2 AA for free. Get every issue explained with a code fix.