3 Understandable
Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable.
3.1 Readable
Make text content readable and understandable.
3.1.1 Language of Page
Conformance level: A
Specify the default language of the web page.
3.1.2 Language of Parts
Conformance level: AA
Identify the language of each passage or phrase.
3.1.3 Unusual Words
Conformance level: AAA
Provide definitions for unusual words or jargon.
3.1.4 Abbreviations
Conformance level: AAA
Provide expanded forms or definitions for abbreviations. You can provide these in multiple ways, here are some examples:
- Providing the abbreviation and the expanded form immediately before or after the other.
- Link to the definition.
- Use the
<abbr>element to provide the definition. - Provide a glossary.
- Link to a glossary.
3.1.5 Reading Level
Conformance level: AAA
Ensure content is readable and understandable, ideally at a lower secondary education level.
You can provide visuals to help explain the content. Sometimes icons can make things easier to understand. Of course, it requires the icons to be understandable.
You can provide a spoken version of the text. There are quite a few paid services like ReadSpeaker available that won't require you to record the spoken versions.
3.1.6 Pronunciation
Conformance level: AAA
Provide a way to determine the pronunciation of words where meaning is ambiguous.
3.2 Predictable
Make Web pages appear and operate in predictable ways.
3.2.1 On Focus
Conformance level: A
Ensure elements do not initiate a change of context when they receive focus.
3.2.2 On Input
Conformance level: A
Ensure changes of context are initiated only on user request.
3.2.3 Consistent Navigation
Conformance level: AA
Use consistent navigation mechanisms across pages.
3.2.4 Consistent Identification
Conformance level: AA
Ensure components that have the same functionality are identified consistently.
3.2.5 Change on Request
Conformance level: AAA
Ensure changes of context are initiated only upon user request.
2.4.5 Multiple Ways
Conformance level: AA
Provide multiple ways to locate a web page within a set of web pages.
3.2.6 Consistent Help
Conformance level: A
Put help in the same place when it is on multiple pages.
3.3 Input Assistance
Help users avoid and correct mistakes.
3.3.1 Error Identification
Conformance level: A
Identify input errors and provide text descriptions.
3.3.2 Labels or Instructions
Conformance level: A
Provide labels or instructions when content requires user input.
3.3.3 Error Suggestion
Conformance level: AA
Provide suggestions for correcting input errors.
3.3.4 Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data)
Conformance level: AA
Reduce the risk of input errors for critical data.
3.3.5 Help
Conformance level: AAA
Provide context-sensitive help.
3.3.6 Error Prevention (All)
Conformance level: AAA
Ensure submissions can be reviewed, corrected, and confirmed.
3.3.7 Redundant Entry
Conformance level: A
Don't ask for the same information twice in the same session.
3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum)
Conformance level: AA
Don’t make people solve, recall, or transcribe something to log in.
3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced)
Conformance level: AAA
Don’t make people recognize objects or user-supplied images and media to login.