Are you looking for ways to make your website more accessible? Accessibility compliance refers to the process of designing your website so that it can be accessed and used by people with disabilities. And two of the most popular standards that provide guidelines for building accessible websites are Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and Section 508.

WCAG is an international standard that was created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to ensure that web content is accessible to all people with disabilities. On the other hand, Section 508 is a US government standard that lays out specific requirements for federal websites and electronic content.

In this blog post, we will be discussing the differences between WCAG and Section 508 and which one is better for accessibility compliance.

WCAG 🌟

WCAG is an internationally recognized set of guidelines that outline how websites can be made more accessible to people with disabilities. These guidelines cover a wide range of topics, including text alternatives for images, keyboard accessibility, and color contrast.

The latest version of WCAG is WCAG 2.1, which was released in 2018. This version includes a number of new guidelines aimed at improving accessibility for people with cognitive and learning disabilities. Some of the new guidelines include providing clearer instructions and labels, using more predictable interfaces, and allowing users to pause and stop animations.

⭐️ Tip: If you want to make your website WCAG compliant, it’s important to start by identifying your users’ needs. Try to understand the different types of disabilities that your users might have and how those disabilities might affect the way they use your website.

A person with a visual impairment using a screen reader to access a website

Section 508 🌟

Section 508 is a US government standard that outlines specific requirements for federal websites and electronic content. Section 508 covers a wide range of topics, including web-based intranet and internet information and applications, telecommunications products, and video and multimedia.

One of the main differences between Section 508 and WCAG is that Section 508 is more prescriptive. It lays out specific requirements that federal agencies must follow, whereas WCAG provides guidelines that can be interpreted flexibly.

⭐️ Tip: If you’re building a website for a federal agency, it’s important to make sure that your website adheres to the Section 508 requirements. However, you can also use WCAG guidelines as a reference point to make your website even more accessible.

A person with a hearing impairment using closed captioning to watch a video

Which one is better? 🤔

Both WCAG and Section 508 are valuable resources for making your website more accessible. However, WCAG is arguably the better choice if you want to build a highly accessible website that meets the needs of a diverse audience.

One reason for this is that WCAG is regularly updated to reflect changes in technology and society. This means that WCAG guidelines are more likely to remain relevant and effective in the long term.

Another reason is that WCAG guidelines promote inclusive design, which is the idea that we should design products and services that can be easily used by everyone, regardless of their abilities. This is an important concept to keep in mind, as it means that making your website accessible can benefit all of your users, not just those with disabilities.

⭐️ Tip: No matter which standard you choose to follow, it’s important to involve people with disabilities in the testing and evaluation of your website. This can give you valuable feedback and help you identify areas for improvement.

People of different ages, genders, and abilities using a website that has been designed for accessibility

Conclusion 💡

In conclusion, whether you choose to follow WCAG or Section 508 depends on your specific needs and circumstances. If you’re building a website for a federal agency, Section 508 is a must. However, if you want to build a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, WCAG is the way to go.

Remember, designing for accessibility is not only the right thing to do, but it can also benefit your business. By making your website more accessible, you can improve the user experience for all of your users and help your website rank better in search results.

So, what are you waiting for? Start designing for accessibility today!

A laptop with a website that has been designed for accessibility