Episode 1: What is WCAG?

Welcome to WCAG made simple. In this episode you will learn the basics: what is WCAG, who does it help, and how is it organised?

WCAG is an abbreviation. It stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. They are published by the World Wide Web Consortium, or W3C for short. That is the organisation that also maintains the standards for HTML and CSS.

WCAG describes how websites and apps must be built so that everyone can use them. That includes people who are blind or have low vision. People who are deaf. People who cannot use a mouse. And people who need more time or simpler language.

But accessibility helps everyone. Captions help on a noisy train. Good contrast helps in bright sunlight. Large buttons help on a phone. And clear language helps anyone in a hurry.

The current version is called WCAG 2 point 2. It contains 86 rules. These rules are called success criteria. Each rule describes one thing that can be tested.

Every rule belongs to one of four principles. First: perceivable. Everyone must be able to take in the content with at least one sense. Second: operable. Everything must be usable, even without a mouse. Third: understandable. Text and behaviour must be clear and predictable. Fourth: robust. Content must work reliably with assistive technology such as screen readers.

Every rule also has a level. Level A is the bare minimum. Level double A is the usual standard, and the one that laws require. In Europe, for example, the European Accessibility Act. Level triple A is the highest level.

In the next four episodes we go through all the rules. One episode per principle. You can find the transcript of every episode on the website. Enjoy listening.