Title: Accessibility tools Last modified: September 1, 2016 --- # Accessibility tools * [Julianwave](https://wordpress.org/support/users/julianwave/) * (@julianwave) * [9 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/accessibility-tools/) * A general question: * I like to add the WP Accessibility plugin by Joe Dolson to sites I build, but I am wondering about the accessibility toolbar elements it adds (as options). Some clients love it, and I am happy to add it as it is not very obtrusive. However, big sites with an accessibility focus like RNIB no longer seem to use any accessibility tools at all. Also, I sometimes get clients asking for a js text resizer, and I don’t like to add them as most people think they are a bit naff, old fashioned and cluttery. * I have a pretty good awareness of accessibility issues but I can’t find a definitive, authoritative position anywhere on the use of js dependent accessibility tools such as black/white, high contrast, text only, text resizers etc etc. Only a bunch of opinions. * Does WordPress have an official position on this kind of thing? * Thanks Viewing 10 replies - 1 through 10 (of 10 total) * [Andrew Nevins](https://wordpress.org/support/users/anevins/) * (@anevins) * WCLDN 2018 Contributor | Volunteer support * [9 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/accessibility-tools/#post-7622160) * WordPress doesn’t have an authority on this and nor is WordPress a company. What the core team at WordPress try to do is meet the **W3C **criteria for accessibility. WordPress probably follows the ATAG guidelines, but I think you ought to look at WCAG instead. * The W3C provide good documentation for WCAG (Web Content Authoring Guidelines) including the reasons behind criteria and how to achieve and test them. _[https://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/wcag](https://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/wcag)_ * Thread Starter [Julianwave](https://wordpress.org/support/users/julianwave/) * (@julianwave) * [9 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/accessibility-tools/#post-7622163) * Thanks for the reply. * I will have a look on w3c and see if they say anything specific about the js “ accessibility tools” as mentioned above. * [Andrew Nevins](https://wordpress.org/support/users/anevins/) * (@anevins) * WCLDN 2018 Contributor | Volunteer support * [9 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/accessibility-tools/#post-7622165) * Here is the underlying principle for the text resizer tools: [https://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/visual-audio-contrast-scale.html](https://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/visual-audio-contrast-scale.html) * Note that the text-resize tool solution is just one of many. * [Adrian Roselli](https://wordpress.org/support/users/adrian-roselli/) * (@adrian-roselli) * [9 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/accessibility-tools/#post-7622199) * A general answer to the first part of the question (leaving out the WP position on this): * Most users who have need of adjusting contrast, resizing text, even hearing the text of a web page spoken aloud, already have tools to offer that. * As such, some of these tools offer features the user already has baked into his/ her browser or OS, but they offer it in different ways with different interfaces and potentially conflicting (with the user’s set-up) techniques. * If you follow WCAG, for example, you have no need for a text resizer since the user can do it right in the browser. If you are careful on your use of background images then you may be in good shape for Windows High Contrast Mode (which also offers media queries). If you make sure you always have text alternatives for all your elements (SVGs, images, animations, etc.) then you have no need for a text alternative. * And so on. * [Joe Dolson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/joedolson/) * (@joedolson) * [9 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/accessibility-tools/#post-7622244) * As the author of WP Accessibility, my official position is that you shouldn’t use the accessibility toolbar. It is only in the plugin at all because there are rare cases where it could be vaguely useful and because it is frequently demanded by people so that they can provide a visible indicator that they’re doing something about accessibility (theater of accessibility, if you will). * The team doesn’t have an official view on this, but in general prefers solving the problem (small fonts or low contrast) by fixing the site rather than by adding the ability to choose an alternate view. * Thread Starter [Julianwave](https://wordpress.org/support/users/julianwave/) * (@julianwave) * [9 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/accessibility-tools/#post-7622245) * Thanks for replying Joe, * That’s very useful. I agree with you, the only thing is that a few years ago we had some user testing done on a site, by people with low vision issues, and they were in fact pleased to have accessibility tools on the site we were building. If I remember correctly, one of them said that although they knew how to use browser controls to alter the appearance of the page, it was quicker and more convenient to have them within the page itself. They were also of the opinion that a lot of low vision users still did not know how to customise their browser view, which surprised me. * So I still think that there may be some use for these kinds of tools on sites that have a large number of low vision users, but that in most cases this is outweighed by the clutter. * Also, as you say, if nothing else it shows clients that you are taking accessibility seriously! * [Joe Dolson](https://wordpress.org/support/users/joedolson/) * (@joedolson) * [9 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/accessibility-tools/#post-7622249) * It is easier to use tools on the site *if* they are necessary – that’s why the optimal choice is to design the site so that they aren’t necessary. But the purpose of WP Accessibility (mostly) is to patch themes that have problems with accessibility when there’s no budget or time available to actually fix the theme. So, it can be useful. But it shouldn’t just be used by default, as it may not be necessary or helpful. * Thread Starter [Julianwave](https://wordpress.org/support/users/julianwave/) * (@julianwave) * [9 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/accessibility-tools/#post-7622255) * I’ll bear that in mind, thanks. I do aim to make sites that are accessible by default – using the plugin was meant to reinforce accessibility rather than compensate for faulty code, but maybe I don’t need it that much after all. I will need to take a closer look. Anyway, I think I have a much clearer position on accessiblity button tools now. * [fangimagic](https://wordpress.org/support/users/fangimagic/) * (@fangimagic) * [9 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/accessibility-tools/#post-7622318) * Is it a legal obligation to make sites accessible? * [Andrew Nevins](https://wordpress.org/support/users/anevins/) * (@anevins) * WCLDN 2018 Contributor | Volunteer support * [9 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/accessibility-tools/#post-7622319) * [@fangimagic](https://wordpress.org/support/users/fangimagic/), I’m sorry we can’t discuss legal matters here. It is true that some countries use policies to prevent discrimination against people with disabilities, but we can’t go into specifics – nor is it relevant to this topic. Viewing 10 replies - 1 through 10 (of 10 total) The topic ‘Accessibility tools’ is closed to new replies. * In: [Accessibility](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/accessibility/) * 10 replies * 5 participants * Last reply from: [Andrew Nevins](https://wordpress.org/support/users/anevins/) * Last activity: [9 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/accessibility-tools/#post-7622319) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics