Accessibility
Built to WCAG 2.2 AA, from the first line
The RFP requires WCAG 2.2 Level AA and a vendor-provided accessibility audit before launch. For a program serving families on phones, on fixed incomes, and using assistive technology, that is not a checkbox, it is the whole point. This concept is built and machine-tested to that bar.
Current site → Stoa concept
On June 25, 2026, Stoa ran an automated axe-core scan of 26 live pages on durhamprek.org against the WCAG 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2 A & AA rules. It flagged 180 issues across 11 rule types on every page. The content is well maintained and current; these are design-shell and third-party-widget issues, and they define exactly what the rebuild fixes. A full vendor audit pairs this automated pass with manual keyboard and screen-reader testing.
Current site · durhamprek.org
180
automated issues · 11 rules · 26 pages
- × No declared page language on any of the 26 pages (
html-has-lang) — assistive tech can’t choose the right voice, and there is no true language switch even though the program serves Spanish-speaking families - × 93 low-contrast text and control instances across 25 pages (
color-contrast) - × 24 unlabeled form fields (
label) — the online donation form alone has 12 unlabeled inputs and 4 unnamed menus (select-name) - × 10 tap targets below the 24 px minimum on the Why PreK page (
target-size) - × 6 buttons with no name and 5 images missing alt text (
button-name,image-alt) - × Embedded frames with no title and slider
ariaattribute misuse (frame-title,aria-prohibited-attr)
This concept
0
automated violations · 11 pages
- ✓
<html lang>declared on every page, plus a working EN / ES language menu in the top bar - ✓ Every text/background pair meets 4.5:1 (3:1 for large text)
- ✓ Every input, control, and menu has a real, programmatic label
- ✓ Tap targets at least 24 px (44 px for primary actions), mobile-first
- ✓ Every button and image carries an accessible name; no carousels
- ✓ One
h1per page, logical headings, self-hosted fonts, no external requests
The “180” is the live count from this concept’s own axe-core run on durhamprek.org; “0” is the same tool on this concept’s pages. Automated testing catches roughly half of accessibility issues; the rest is craft and manual review, which the pre-launch vendor audit covers.
What we commit to on every page
- Keyboard first. Every link, button, menu, and form works without a mouse, with a visible focus ring.
- Screen-reader structure. Real landmarks (header, nav, main, footer), one
h1, ordered headings, descriptive link and image text. - Color with contrast. Durham’s bright palette, kept, but tuned so text always clears 4.5:1, and color is never the only signal.
- Touch-friendly. Tap targets at least 44 pixels for primary actions, comfortable on a phone.
- Calm motion. Animations are gentle and fully respect the “reduce motion” setting.
- Plain language, two languages. Short sentences, and a real Spanish path for families.