WCAG: The Global Standard for Web Accessibility
If RGAA is the French standard, WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is the global one. Published by the W3C through the WAI (Web Accessibility Initiative), these are the recommendations that virtually every country adopts into their laws. France's RGAA, Europe's EN 301 549, America's Section 508 — they all build on WCAG. If you work in accessibility, this is your foundational text.
The 4 POUR Principles (The Must-Know Framework)
WCAG is built around 4 principles that are easy to remember:
- Perceivable: everyone must be able to perceive the content. In practice: alt text on images, subtitles on videos, sufficient contrast. If someone can't see, hear, or read your content, it doesn't exist for them.
- Operable: everyone must be able to use the interface. Keyboard navigation that works, enough time to interact, no dangerously flashing content. If your menu only works with a mouse, you've failed.
- Understandable: content and UI must make sense. Page language declared, error messages that actually explain the problem, consistent navigation. Sounds obvious, and yet...
- Robust: it must work with today's and tomorrow's technology. Valid HTML, proper ARIA, screen reader compatibility. The most technical principle, but also the most future-proof.
3 Conformance Levels
A is the bare minimum (removes the worst barriers), AA is the recommended standard (required by RGAA), and AAA is expert-level (recommended but not mandatory — some criteria are genuinely hard to apply to all content types). RGAA requires A+AA, which means 78 WCAG 2.1 criteria.
Versions
2.0 (2008): 61 criteria — the first widely adopted version. 2.1 (2018): 78 criteria — added mobile, low vision, and cognitive considerations. This is the RGAA 4.1 basis. 2.2 (2023): 87 criteria with Focus Appearance, Dragging Movements, and Target Size Minimum that will impact most existing sites. 3.0 is in development with a bronze/silver/gold model and broader scope beyond web.
WCAG is the universal language of web accessibility. Knowing it means you can collaborate with any accessibility professional anywhere in the world. It's an investment that never depreciates.