WCAG 2.2 is an update to the WCAG 2 set of recommendations intended to make web content more accessible to a wide range of people with disabilities, including blindness, low vision, deafness, hearing loss and limited mobility, among others.
WCAG 2.2 was published as a W3C recommendation on October 5, 2023.
What is WCAG 2.2?
WCAG 2.2 consists of 9 new guidelines that will be necessary to audit to check the accessibility of the web portal.
In this context, in this article we will see the differences with its predecessor, WCAG 2.1, as well as how to comply with the new criteria.
What differences do we find between WCAG 2.2 and WCAG 2.1?
To start, we have that WCAG 2.2 includes 9 additional criteria to WCAG 2.1. These new criteria focus on improving accessibility for people with cognitive disabilities and speech disabilities. On the other hand, we find that criterion 4.1.1 has been considered obsolete and has been eliminated from the new version.
Additionally, we find that this new version aims to focus on improving accessibility for people with cognitive disabilities and speech disabilities, we also see that the new criteria address issues related to navigation, data entry and keyboard use, as well as issues related to minimum contrast, error messages and simplified navigation.
Why is criterion 4.1.1 Processing considered obsolete?
The analysis was included in WCAG 2.0 to ensure that browsers and assistive technologies could accurately analyze markup and content. Since then, specifications (such as HTML) and browsers have improved how they handle parsing errors.
With current technology, accessibility issues that would not have failed in 4.1.1 will fail on other criteria, such as Information and Relationships or Name, Function, and Value. Therefore, 4.1.1 is no longer required for accessibility.
What 9 new criteria have been exposed?
WCAG 2.2 includes 9 new criteria that are not found in WCAG 2.1 Below are the new criteria, as well as the level of demand (A being the minimum and AAA the highest level), in addition, the way to comply with them:
2.4.12 Unobstructed focus (AA and AAA)
You will need to ensure that when an element receives keyboard focus, it is completely visible.
In addition, you must be especially careful that it is not overlapped or hidden under any other element.
2.4.13 Focus appearance (AAA)
Use a focus indicator that has a contrast ratio of 3:1 relative to the background.
Said focus must have a perimeter of at least 2px thick to comply with the requirement.
2.5.7 Drag movements (AA)
For any action that involves dragging, an alternative beyond conventional mouse dragging must be provided.
Some of the possible alternatives are voice control, eye tracking control or single pointer control or click activation.
On the other hand, special care must be taken that these alternative options can be used on other types of devices such as mobile phones.
2.5.8 Target size (AA)
This criterion establishes that an interaction area must have at least 24 px in both width and height. For example in buttons or links.
3.2.6 Consistent help (A)
Place help functions in the same place when they are located on multiple pages.
3.3.7 Redundant input (A)
Don’t ask for the same information twice in the same session.
It is important to try to avoid requesting the same information several times and if it is necessary to request it again, it would be ideal to insert an autocomplete option so that the process is more fluid for the user.
3.3.8 Accessible authentication (AA)
Try to make login as accessible, easy and secure as possible for the user.
For example, methods such as ‘remember password’, puzzle solving or recognition of personal data such as filling in phone number, email or even tax identification number could be used.
3.3.9 Accessible authentication (AAA)
It is very similar to the one mentioned above but somewhat stricter.
In this case, the authentication test will not be allowed to consist of the recognition of objects or the identification of certain personal content.
At Your Accessible Web we care that your website is up to date with respect to legal obligations. So if you want your website to be fully accessible and updated with the current obligation, do not hesitate to contact us.
