The Alaska Public Entity WCAG 2.1 & 2.2 Compliance Glossary

Web accessibility regulations (such as WCAG 2.1 Level AA) feature complex technical jargon that can be difficult for administrators and coordinators to navigate.

To help local governments, school districts, public utilities, and organizations achieve compliance, **FOURAK** has compiled a non-technical glossary of key terms and standards based on over 20 years of local accessibility consulting.

Key Accessibility Terms

• WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)
  The international standards for web accessibility, divided into three levels: A (basic), AA (mid-level compliance standard), and AAA (highest standard).
• Alt Text (Alternative Text)
  HTML descriptions added to images to allow visually impaired users' screen readers to describe visual content.
• Contrast Ratio
  The difference in luminance between text and its background. Standard compliance requires a ratio of at least 4.5:1 for body text.
• Keyboard Navigable
  The ability to access all sections, links, and forms of a website using only keyboard inputs (Tab, Enter, Space), essential for users with motor disabilities.
• ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications)
  A set of attributes added to HTML to make complex web applications accessible to screen readers.