Minnesota reached a significant milestone in accessibility on July 1, when the state's Digital Accessibility Standard updated to comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA.

What does that mean? It means we now have additional measurements to help us ensure we support the needs of people who:

• Have cognitive disabilities
• Can’t move easily
• Use mobile devices

In today’s article, we want to spotlight three of the 12 new success criteria which address each of these user needs. Refer to the article "What the upgrade to WCAG 2.1 means for Minnesotans" to review the general impact of the WCAG 2.1 criteria.

New Success Criteria

Editor’s Note: For this section, we have copied overview details directly from the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) WCAG 2.1 web page and provided a direct link to the success criterion’s informational page.

SC 1.3.4 Orientation (Level AA)   

Content does not restrict its view and operation to a single display orientation, such as portrait or landscape, unless a specific display orientation is essential.

The intent of this Success Criterion is to ensure that content displays in the orientation (portrait or landscape) preferred by the user.

Benefits

• Users with dexterity impairments, who have a mounted device will be able to use the content in their fixed orientation.
• Users with low vision will be able to view content in the orientation that works best for them, for example to increase the text size by viewing content in landscape.

SC 1.4.12 Text Spacing (Level AA)   

In content implemented using markup languages that support the following text style properties, no loss of content or functionality occurs by setting all of the following and by changing no other style property:

• Line height (line spacing) to at least 1.5 times the font size.
• Spacing following paragraphs to at least 2 times the font size.
• Letter spacing (tracking) to at least 0.12 times the font size.
• Word spacing to at least 0.16 times the font size.

The intent of this Success Criterion (SC) is to ensure that when people override author specified text spacing to improve their reading experience, content is still readable and operable. 

Benefits

• People with dyslexia may increase space between lines, words, and letters to increase reading speed.
• Although not required by this SC, white space between blocks of text can help people with cognitive disabilities discern sections and call out boxes.

SC 2.5.2 Pointer Cancellation (Level A)

For functionality that can be operated using a single pointer, at least one of the following is true:

• No Down-Event: The down-event of the pointer is not used to execute any part of the function.
• Abort or Undo: Completion of the function is on the up-event, and a mechanism is available to abort the function before completion or to undo the function after completion.
• Up Reversal: The up-event reverses any outcome of the preceding down-event.
• Essential: Completing the function on the down-event is essential.

The intent of this success criterion is to make it easier for users to prevent accidental or erroneous pointer input.

Benefits:

• Makes it easier for all users to recover from hitting the wrong target.
• Helps people with visual disabilities, cognitive limitations, and motor impairments by reducing the chance that a control will be accidentally activated, or an action will occur unexpectedly, and also ensures that where complex controls are activated, a means of undoing or aborting the action is available.

Additional WCAG 2.1, Level AA Success Criteria

Review the additional nine new success criteria:

• 1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose (AA) 
• 1.4.10 Reflow (AA)
• 1.4.11 Non-Text Contrast (AA)
• 1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus (AA) 
• 2.1.4 Character Key Shortcuts (A) 
• 2.5.1 Pointer Gestures (A) 
• 2.5.3 Label in Name (A) 
• 2.5.4 Motion Actuation (A)
• 4.1.3 Status Messages (AA)

How the State of Minnesota is preparing for these new criterion

Since last summer, volunteer teams from several State agencies have worked hard to analyze how WCAG 2.1, Level AA impacted their specific role, and what they needed to prepare for success.

For State Employees

We built out a website specifically for State employees that details how the new criteria impact each role and what to do to effectively incorporate the new criteria into their work. Sample roles include:

• Content author
• Developer
• eLearning designer/creator
• Map/GIS professional
• PDF creator/remediator

The list is more exhaustive than that, and we expect to add more roles as we mature.

For Vendors Working with State Agencies

Currently our public website’s accessible procurement page provides guidance for vendors (review it under the Products tab). We will update this tab to include WCAG 2.1, Level AA criteria.

For Minnesotans

Minnesotans expect State services and apps to simply work and be hassle-free. As we implement the new standard over the next few years, we expect State apps and services to be even more accessible and easier to use.

What you can do

• Learn more – Our public website has great information and resources. And the W3C has a good introduction to accessibility fundamentals.
• Find training - There are many free and paid training opportunities out there. You can start with our Accessibility Training page. And subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on accessibility topics and training opportunities.
• Report accessibility issues found on state websites or digital programs - MN.gov has a link in the footer, Report an Accessibility Issue. Use that link to report issues or offer suggestions.

Additional Resources 

• W3C’s Evaluating Web Accessibility Overview web page. 
• WCAG 2.0 Quick Reference Guide.
• WCAG 2.1 Quick Reference Guide.
• Tools: There are many testing tools available. We provided some recommendations to get you started in our April blog, Website Accessibility Testing.
• State of MN employees: Office of Accessibility extranet: Tools page.