A state agency must validate web content against these Standards prior to posting and at regular intervals after posting.

Rationale

Validation of new and existing web content allows agencies to ensure conformance to the Standards, ensuring that web content is accessible.

Meaning

Agencies must:

  • Validate new web content prior to posting.
  • Develop an audit program for randomly validating, at least every other year, all posted web content.
  • Maintain a record with the dates and results of these audits.

Validation tools in conjunction with human judgment are the only ways to be sure web content meets these standards. Several free accessibility validation tools are available that will test for compliance against WCAG or Section 508 standards; they are limited, however, in what they can do. Do not assume that the agency website is accessible based solely on automated validation tools. View web pages in alternative browsers to gain a better understanding of how the website may appear in less-popular browsers.

Compliance with this standard begins with testing using recommended validation tools. Developers should also include persons with disabilities during the development process where feasible. At a minimum, web developers can evaluate the accessibility of the website themselves using the following methods:

  1. Perform simple tasks using keyboard navigation.
  2. Use validation tools.
  3. Test using alternate browsers and assistive technology.

Testing

Please go to http://wave.webaim.org/ for assistance with validating your content for accessibility.