What's new in WCAG 2.2: What you need to know

There is exciting news in the field of digital accessibility! Recently, on October 5, 2023, the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) released the latest version, WCAG 2.2. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) play a critical role in making Websites accessible to all, including people with disabilities. In this article, we show and explain all the relevant innovations

What's new?

WCAG 2.2 introduces nine new success criteria introduced. The previous criteria of versions 2.0 and 2.1 remain largely unchanged, with one notable exception: The item 4.1.1 Parsing, i.e., the analysis of text data to understand its structure according to a particular grammar and transform it into a hierarchical representation, has been deemed obsolete and removed from WCAG 2.2.. This WCAG version contains also guidance on different languages and emphasizes the importance of internationalization.

These are the new criteria for success:

• 2.4.11 Focus not obscured (minimum) (AA): This criterion ensures that an element remains at least partially visible with keyboard focus. This is crucial for users who rely on keyboard navigation.

• 2.4.12 Focus not obscured (Extended) (AAA): An extension of the previous criterion, requiring that an element should be fully visible at keyboard focus.

• 2.4.13 Focus Indicator (AAA): This criterion emphasizes the need for a clear focus indicator of sufficient size and contrast.

• 2.5.7 Dragging Actions (AA): A simple pointer alternative should be provided for actions that require dragging.

• 2.5.8 Target size (minimum) (AA): This criterion ensures that clickable targets have a minimum size or have enough space around them.

• 3.2.6 Consistent help (A): If help mechanisms are present on multiple pages, they should be placed consistently.

• 3.3.7 Redundant input (A): Websites should not ask users to enter the same information multiple times within a session.

• 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) (AA): This criterion advocates user-friendly authentication processes.

• 3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Advanced) (AAA): An extension of the previous criterion that further simplifies the authentication process.

Personas in WCAG

Personas are fictional representations based on real data to illustrate the challenges of people with disabilities. They help understand the real-world impact of inaccessible web content and are referenced in the WCAG 2.2 guidelines as a foundation for usability.

We are already looking forward to seeing the WCAG 2.2 criteria in action! This is another big step towards making the Internet more accessible for everyone. Together, we can create a world that everyone can participate in!