Short answer: problems in the parts of the site that appear on every page, such as menus, headers, footers, colors and built-in widgets, are usually your website vendor’s to fix. Problems in the content your staff adds, such as images, links, headings, tables and documents, are yours.
How to tell which is which
- It shows up on most pages, or in the same spot on many pages: it almost certainly comes from the template.
- It shows up on a few pages, in content someone typed or uploaded: it's content your staff can fix.
- It can only be fixed in code, such as hidden labels or settings on menus and buttons: it's the vendor's.
Usually the vendor's
- Menus that can't be opened with a keyboard, or don't say whether they're open.
- Text and button colors too faint to read, when they come from the site's design.
- A missing "Skip to main content" link.
- Zooming disabled on phones.
- Built-in widgets: calendars, news tickers, slideshows, search, sign-up forms.
- Missing page language and invalid accessibility settings in the page code.
Usually your staff's
- Alt text on images you upload, and marking decorative images as decorative.
- Link text that says where it goes, instead of "click here".
- Headings that use the editor's heading styles, in order.
- Lists and tables made with the editor's tools, with header rows in tables.
- Captions on videos you post.
- Every PDF and Office document you upload. See accessible PDFs.
Vendor content counts too
Under the Title II rule, content a vendor or contractor posts for you, and tools you add to your site such as online payments, calendars and maps, generally have to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA just like your own pages (ADA.gov).
What to ask your vendor for
- Written confirmation that their templates and widgets meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
- Their Accessibility Conformance Report (often called a VPAT), which reports, requirement by requirement, where the product meets WCAG 2.1 Level AA and where it falls short.
- A timeline for fixing the specific template problems you send them, with example pages.
- Accessibility requirements in your next contract or renewal.
An AccessClerk inventory groups problems into "Send to your vendor" and "Your staff can fix", with example pages for each, so you have something specific to send.
See where your site stands
A free AccessClerk preview checks your first 10 pages in a real browser, lists the documents it finds and checks a sample of your PDFs, in plain English. No sign-up.
Check your site freeMore guides
- ADA Title II website rule: deadlines and a plan for small towns
- How to make agenda, minutes and form PDFs accessible
- Scanned PDFs and screen readers: why copier scans fail and how to fix them
- Do old agendas and minutes need to be accessible? The archive and pre-existing document exceptions
- How to check your website’s accessibility for free
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Talk to your attorney about how the rule applies to you.