WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance for Education Websites
Meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 Level AA requirements with comprehensive accessibility testing designed for education organizations.
Why WCAG 2.1 AA Matters for Education
Students with disabilities have legal right to accessible educational materials
OCR actively investigates and enforces accessibility in education
19% of undergraduate students have a disability requiring accessible content
Accessible education improves outcomes for all learners, not just those with disabilities
LMS platforms and educational technology must meet accessibility standards
WCAG 2.1 AA Requirements for Education
Accessible course content
All educational materials including documents, presentations, and multimedia must be accessible
Captions for video content
Lectures, instructional videos, and educational media must have accurate captions
Accessible LMS interfaces
Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, and other LMS platforms must be keyboard navigable and screen reader compatible
Accessible testing
Online exams and assessments must work with assistive technology and allow extended time
Common WCAG 2.1 AA Issues in Education Websites
Issue
Video lectures without captions excluding deaf students
Solution
Implement automated captioning with human review or professional captioning services
Issue
PDF textbooks and handouts not screen reader accessible
Solution
Provide accessible tagged PDFs or HTML alternatives for course materials
Issue
Online exams with inaccessible question formats
Solution
Ensure testing platforms support screen readers and allow time extensions
Issue
LMS assignment submission not keyboard accessible
Solution
Work with LMS vendor to remediate or provide accessible submission alternatives
How A11yScan Helps Education Meet WCAG 2.1 AA
WCAG 2.1 AA Testing
Automated testing against all WCAG 2.1 AA success criteria relevant to education.
Education Focus
Industry-specific testing profiles targeting common education accessibility issues.
Compliance Reports
Generate WCAG 2.1 AA compliance documentation and remediation roadmaps.
Continuous Monitoring
24/7 monitoring to maintain WCAG 2.1 AA compliance as your education site evolves.
Frequently Asked Questions: Education WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance
Is WCAG compliance required for educational institutions?
Yes, educational institutions must comply with Section 504, ADA, and potentially Section 508 (if receiving federal funding). WCAG 2.1 AA is the standard used to meet these requirements for web content.
What if my LMS has accessibility issues?
Institutions are responsible for accessibility even when using third-party LMS platforms. Work with vendors on remediation, document issues, provide workarounds, and consider accessibility in platform selection.
Do all videos need captions immediately?
Best practice is to caption all videos. OCR has required institutions to caption all videos within specific timeframes. New videos should be captioned before publication. Legacy content should have a captioning plan.
Other Compliance Standards for Education
Education WCAG 2.2
Ensure your education website meets WCAG 2.2 accessibility requirements. Industry-specific compliance testing, remediation guidance, and monitoring.
Section 508Education Section 508
Ensure your education website meets Section 508 accessibility requirements. Industry-specific compliance testing, remediation guidance, and monitoring.
ADA ComplianceEducation ADA Compliance
Ensure your education website meets ADA Compliance accessibility requirements. Industry-specific compliance testing, remediation guidance, and monitoring.
EN 301 549Education EN 301 549
Ensure your education website meets EN 301 549 accessibility requirements. Industry-specific compliance testing, remediation guidance, and monitoring.
WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance for Other Industries
Healthcare WCAG 2.1 AA
Ensure your healthcare website meets WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility requirements. Industry-specific compliance testing, remediation guidance, and monitoring.
FinanceFinance WCAG 2.1 AA
Ensure your finance website meets WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility requirements. Industry-specific compliance testing, remediation guidance, and monitoring.
E-commerceE-commerce WCAG 2.1 AA
Ensure your e-commerce website meets WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility requirements. Industry-specific compliance testing, remediation guidance, and monitoring.
GovernmentGovernment WCAG 2.1 AA
Ensure your government website meets WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility requirements. Industry-specific compliance testing, remediation guidance, and monitoring.
LegalLegal WCAG 2.1 AA
Ensure your legal website meets WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility requirements. Industry-specific compliance testing, remediation guidance, and monitoring.
Real EstateReal Estate WCAG 2.1 AA
Ensure your real estate website meets WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility requirements. Industry-specific compliance testing, remediation guidance, and monitoring.
Ready to Achieve WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance for Your Education Website?
Start with a free accessibility scan and see exactly where your education site stands with WCAG 2.1 AA requirements.