Accessibility Standards and Legislation

The Accessibility Standing Group reviewed state codes, statutes, and rules to determine appropriate standards for web accessibility with regard to requirements for educational institutions. During this process, we determined that in many cases, states are referring to national and international standards, which are WCAG 2.0, WCAG 2.1, and WCAG 2.2 AA. The standards listed below include those at the international, national, and state level.

International Standards

World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)

Web content and components should conform to at least WCAG 2.1 or WCAG 2.2 AA. (Some continue to refer to WCAG 2.0 AA.)

Web Accessibility Initiative – Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA)

Web content and applications should conform to at least WAI-ARIA 1.2. (Some continue to refer to WAI-ARIA 1.0 or WAI-ARIA 1.1.)

National Standards

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II

Subpart H—Web and Mobile Accessibility of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires public entities to ensure that web content and mobile apps comply with WCAG 2.1 Level A and Level AA. Deadlines for compliance are April 24, 2026 for public entities services populations of 50,000 or more and April 26, 2027 for public entities serving populations less than 50,000 or special district governments.

Additional resources:

HHS Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

The HHS Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. Among other revisions, the update requires recipients of HHS funding to ensure that any web content, mobile apps, or kiosks they provide or make available comply with WCAG 2.1 Level A and Level AA. Deadlines for compliance are May 11, 2026 for recipients with 15 or more employees and May 10, 2027 for recipeints with fewer than 15 employees.

Additional resources:

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. § 794d), as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-220), requires the development, procurement, maintenance, and use of accessible information and communications technology.

  • The General Services Administration posted a Quick Reference Guide to highlight changes from revised standards as of January 18, 2018.
  • The U.S. Access Board issued the following accessibility standards:
    • E205.4 Accessibility Standard: “Electronic content shall conform to Level A and Level AA Success Criteria and Conformance Requirements in WCAG 2.0 (incorporated by reference, see 702.10.1).”
    • E207.2 WCAG Conformance: “User interface components, as well as the content of platforms and applications, shall conform to Level A and Level AA Success Criteria and Conformance Requirements in WCAG 2.0 (incorporated by reference, see 702.10.1).”

Plain Writing Act of 2010

The Plain Writing Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-274), also known as Plain Language, requires the use of clear language for government communication, with an emphasis on the ability of the public to find, understand, and use information. Federal Plain Language Guidelines provide sections for specific communication guidelines, including “follow web standards, design for reading, and repurpose print materials for the web.”

State Standards for the Alliance Region

Idaho

Idaho Technology Authority is established by I.C. § 67-830 through 67-833 to “ensure a coordinated approach to the design, procurement and implementation of information technology and telecommunications systems for both state government and the public.”

  • Guideline 310 Web Publishing states compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act is required of all web pages developed for or by the State (see section IV), with statements for text, images, tables, scripts, multimedia, and more. The guidelines include HTML requirements, such as responsive design and preferences for file and directory names (see section V).
  • Policy 5010 Web Publishing requires the following:
    • Americans with Disabilities Act (section IVB) – “compliance is required”
    • Section 508 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (section IVC) – “compliance is required”
    • World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) (section IVD) – “must adhere to the guidelines to the fullest extent possible”
  • Standard 5120 Web Publishing provides approved standards for style and content.

Oregon

Oregon’s statutes and administrative rules reflect requirements to comply with international and national standards, including Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Level AA, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. § 794d), and the Plain Writing Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-274).

Washington

State of Washington Digital Accessibility Policy (USER-01, formerly known as Policy 188) establishes accessibility expectations, including the Digital Accessibility Standard (USER-01-01-S, formerly known as Standard 188.10):

  1. “The minimum level of accessibility compliance for covered technology [PDF] is Level AA compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, including the guidelines associated with these principles:
    1. Perceivable – Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can comprehend.
    2. Operable – User interface components and navigation must be operable.
    3. Understandable – Information and the operation of user interface must be understandable.
    4. Robust – Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.”
  2. “Effective July 1, 2026, the minimum level of compliance for accessibility is Level AA compliance with WCAG 2.2.”