The WCAG 2.2

From WCAG 2.1 to WCAG 2.2

We have long used WCAG 2.1 to test digital accessibility. The more accessible a website is, the better you meet the success criteria of the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). But the Internet and our behavior online is constantly changing. So is the WCAG. So we now have an addition to the current WCAG, the WCAG 2.2.

What is the WCAG 2.2?

WCAG 2.2 is an addition to WCAG 2.1. Six new success criteria are added to WCAG 2.2 at levels A and AA.

These are intended to improve accessibility for users with cognitive disabilities, learning disabilities or impaired vision. A few of these new success criteria are especially designed to improve accessibility on tablet and phone.

Success Criterion 2.4.7 moves from Level AA to Level A, making it more important. This success criterion says something about how visible the focus is. This helps visitors who rely on the keyboard or similar assistive devices.

Legislation and WCAG 2.2

The WCAG 2.2 AA is not yet the current standard. That is the WCAG 2.1 AA. When it does become the current standard for the Digital Government Act and the European Accessibility Act, for example, we will let you know right away.

A) See where you are

The so-called focus indicator helps visitors who use the keyboard (rather than a mouse) determine where they are on your Web site. We are already looking at this focus indicator a bit, but even then it is not always clear everywhere.

So we are very pleased that WCAG 2.2 will make keyboard focus more visible, by imposing size and contrast requirements. For level AA, the focus indicator must have a contrast of at least 3.0:1. For level AAA (not required by law) even a contrast of at least 4.5:1. In total, there are two new success criteria that say something about the focus indicator. This does indicate its importance.

A) Dragging on your website

With your mouse it is of course very easy to drag something on your website. On a touch-device such as a tablet or a phone this is already a bit more difficult. What if you don't use a normal mouse at all? For users with a motor disability, dragging files is not always easy. Think of:

• visitors with forms of Parkinson's disease,

• visitors who use eye-tracking to control the computer,

• visitors who control the computer by voice.

WCAG 2.2 must provide an alternative way for all these users (besides the keyboard) to perform these actions with a “mouse.” For example, this could be a button that can be clicked.

B) Making it easier to click “links.

Some links, buttons and other interactive elements are so incredibly small that you can barely click them on your cell phone or tablet. The chances of accidentally clicking or “misclicking” somewhere else are very high. Many people, especially the elderly, suffer from “thick-finger syndrome.”

A) Offer a helping hand

Some websites and (especially) web shops make it a sport to hide contact information as much as possible. This way, they avoid a huge pressure on their customer service. For some users, good help is very important: therefore, offer them a helping hand.

Help information

WCAG 2.2 requires help information on your Web site to be easy to find. This can be contact info, for example, but a chatbot or FAQ can also provide help. You are not obliged to offer this, but if you do, it should always be findable in the same place.

On many webshops, you see “clickable areas” that are very small or overlapping. Before you know it, you have the wrong product in your shopping cart.

A) Easier login

More and more websites require you to log in. For example, to buy something in a webshop or to change your data. Because of data security, logging in should not be too easy of course, but for some users logging in is made almost impossible. This is because, for example, they have to take a Captcha (such a “quiz”) that they cannot see or just simply do not understand.

WCAG 2.2 should make logging ineasier for users. Among other things, you can offer an alternative option for a so-called “cognitive test” (like Captcha), for example logging in via a link you receive by mail.

Marketplace allows you to log in with Facebook or with your Google account.

B) Don't fill out everything twice

Nothing is more irritating than having to enter the same data multiple times. Especially if filling in those details takes a lot of effort on your part. WCAG 2.2 tackles so-called “redundant input.” This prevents visitors from having to enter the same information multiple times in the same process.

Perhaps you recognize this from filling in your billing and address information during checkout in an online store. Below is an example of the “Coolblue checkout” on coolblue.nl.

On Coolblue.com, you first enter your e-mail address. In the next step, this e-mail address is automatically filled in. You can also choose to receive the invoice at the same address to which you send your package. So filling in twice is not necessary.