Qwilr Accessibility

Qwilr is dedicated to making its public pages accessible, aiming to meet WCAG AA standards. By using our Design System, we’ve ensured that most basic content on Qwilr pages follows these guidelines. Although we're working to make everything fully accessible, some complex features are still being improved or reviewed to enhance their accessibility.


In this article:


Accessibility Status

  1. Public Pages
  • WCAG AA Compliance: Our public pages have undergone extensive updates to meet the WCAG AA standards. All new features are designed and tested for compliance, and many older features have been updated to meet the same standards.
  • 2022 Accessibility Audit: A comprehensive audit of public pages was conducted in 2022, with a focus on meeting the WCAG AA standards. Below is the breakdown of compliant features and areas that need attention.
  1. Basic content (fully WCAG AA compliant)

The following elements are compliant with WCAG AA standards:

  • Text types: All text elements, including headings (H1, H2), paragraphs, ordered and unordered lists, and Quote Blocks.
  • Widgets: Most widgets added via the Widget Adder are compliant, including:
    • Image
    • Two-columns
    • Table
    • Accordion
    • Video
    • Embed
    • Button
    • Google Maps
    • Divider
  • Blocks: Both Text and Splash Blocks meet the compliance standards.
  • Foldable Blocks: These are fully compliant.
  1. Advanced content (partial or in-progress compliance)

Some advanced features are compliant, while others are being improved. The following features have been either upgraded or newly added and are expected to meet WCAG AA standards. However, their accessibility status requires case-by-case assessment:

  • ROI Calculator: This widget has been upgraded but may still need further validation.
  • Page Navigation: All page navigation layouts and toggleable features (e.g., block navigation menu) are expected to meet compliance.
  • Quote Block: This includes both Plan cards and Tables.
  1. Non-compliant or under-reviewed content

Several features are still being reviewed or have known accessibility issues:

  • Video and Embed Blocks: These have not yet been fully tested for compliance. However, videos and embeds added within a regular Text block are compliant, providing greater flexibility for content creators.
  • Accept Block: Although this block has been largely rebuilt, the trigger button for the accept flow is not yet accessible for screen readers or keyboard users. This remains a significant gap.
  • Agreements: This new feature shares the same accessibility issues as the Accept Block, as the interaction with the same trigger button limits accessibility.

Considerations for Content Creators

Qwilr empowers users to create accessible content, but some responsibility lies with content creators to ensure adherence to accessibility standards. The following features may require additional attention from users to ensure compliance:

  • Colors: Where Qwilr doesn’t control color choices (e.g., custom text and background colors), content creators must ensure proper color contrast to meet WCAG AA standards. For example, selecting colors like orange text on a bright pink background would not be compliant with section 1.4 of WCAG.
  • Splash Blocks with video backgrounds: These can pose accessibility challenges due to moving images, which may reduce foreground element contrast or cause issues for certain users.
  • Image Alt Text: Qwilr supports alt text for images, but this must be provided by users for custom-uploaded images. For images sourced through Unsplash, alt text is automatically added. Omitting alt text for non-decorative images violates section 1.1 of WCAG.
  • Iframes and Videos: While Qwilr meets the basic accessibility thresholds for these elements, they are generally weak points in web accessibility. Users embedding this content should do so with caution and, where possible, provide direct links to the content.

Future Accessibility Plans

Qwilr continues to improve accessibility across both basic and advanced content. However, for certain advanced features not currently meeting WCAG AA standards, updates will be carried out on a best-effort basis as related projects arise. While we aim to improve accessibility, we cannot guarantee strict adherence to WCAG AA for these elements in the near term, and they are not prioritized for immediate work.

Areas of focus for future work:

  • Full accessibility for all advanced features, including the Accept Block and Agreements feature.
  • Comprehensive testing and audits for Video and Embed Blocks.
  • Further refinements in user-controlled content creation to prevent accessibility issues related to color contrast and media elements.

Conclusion

Qwilr is committed to keeping our public pages accessible and continuously improving them. While most core content meets WCAG AA standards, some advanced features still need more work. We encourage content creators to follow accessibility best practices when using customizable features, so all users can access and engage with their content.


Any questions? Contact us at [email protected]

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