Overview
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are a set of internationally recognized standards developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to ensure that digital content is accessible to people with disabilities. WCAG provides a comprehensive framework outlining how websites and web applications can be made more perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for all users, including those with visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, and neurological disabilities. It offers a roadmap for designers, developers, and content creators to follow specific criteria and techniques, aiming to enhance the usability and inclusivity of digital experiences. WCAG compliance is fundamental for creating a more equitable online environment, fostering accessibility and equal access to information and services for everyone, regardless of their abilities.
Compliance with guidelines
We follow accessibility guidelines to ensure that Sage is compliant with the law in several jurisdictions, including Canada, the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom, which prohibit discrimination based on ability.
But accessibility is not just about creating products, websites, and apps that are compliant. It's about using the guidelines to create consistently great experiences that help all our users do their best work.
Sage is committed to achieving compliance with WCAG standards by 2025.
New product or website
To make your new product, website, or app accessible, start by defining your target users and the experience your product should provide for them. Think about their needs and possible restrictions. During user testing and research, identify situations in which your users cannot use your product fully or easily and work to overcome these situations. You need to understand your users and their needs, and meet them where they are at.
The Design System foundations, components, and patterns follow WCAG. So when you use the Design System, you can be confident that you're designing and developing an accessible product.
Existing product or website
To ensure an existing product, website, or app is accessible, follow these steps.
- Check it for any accessibility problems, using the Design System guidelines and the accessibility tools in Tools to help you.
- Make a plan to fix any accessibility problems you find, within reason
- Publish an accessibility statement, declaring compliance and non-compliance based on gov.uk guidelines.
- Make sure new features are accessible.
- WCAG 2.0 Level AA guidelines
- WCAG 2.1 Level AA guidelines
- WCAG 2.2 Level AA guidelines
- Public sector accessibility requirements in the UK
- EU directive on accessibility requirements for products and services
- Technical requirements of Section 508 in the US
- About accessibility laws in Ontario, Canada
- WCAG's Quick Reference success criteria and guidance notes
- Public sector website accessibility statements - what you need to know