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Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
53
GRADE
F
FIX
6
REVIEW
5
PASS
2
INFO
0
Checks
13
2 PASS 5 REVIEW 6 FIX
F
Favicon & Branding
Action
1 icon(s) detected
FIX
1 icon(s) detected
Warning::
No favicon.ico at site root
Some older browsers, bookmark tools, and RSS readers look for /favicon.ico. Add one as a fallback.
Info::
HTML icon links detected
Info::
No apple-touch-icon detected
iOS devices use this when users add your site to their home screen. Add <link rel='apple-touch-icon' sizes='180x180' href='/apple-touch-icon.png'>.
✗ favicon.ico Missing
✓ PNG Icons Present
✗ Apple Touch Missing
✗ SVG Favicon Missing
✗ Manifest Icons Missing
✗ Multiple Sizes Missing
D
Web Manifest
Action
Not found
FIX
Not found
Info::
No web manifest found
No manifest at standard paths (/manifest.json, /site.webmanifest). A manifest is optional but enables PWA features like home screen installation and standalone display.

No web manifest found.

D
Dark Mode Support
Action
No dark mode signals
FIX
No dark mode signals
Info::
No dark mode signals detected
Consider adding CSS with @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) and <meta name='color-scheme' content='light dark'>.
Info::
Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles
External CSS files may contain prefers-color-scheme rules not visible to this scan.
Dark ModeNo Dark Mode Detected
color-scheme meta Not set ✗Dark theme-color Not set ✗CSS indicators Not detected ✗

Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles.

D
Print Stylesheet
Action
No print styles
FIX
No print styles
Info::
No print-specific styles detected
When users print this page, they get the screen layout including navigation and non-essential elements. Add @media print rules to hide navigation and optimize layout for paper.
Print Stylesheet No Print Styles
Print stylesheet Not found ✗Inline @media print Not detected ✗
F
Navigation UX
Action
1 navigation pattern(s)
FIX
1 navigation pattern(s)
Info::
Skip navigation link detected
Info::
2 navigation landmark(s) detected
Breadcrumbs
Search
Skip Link Skip link detected
Labeled Navigation 2 <nav> element(s)
Back to Top
Hamburger Menu
Sticky Navigation Cannot reliably detect (CSS-based)
2 of 6 testable patterns navigation patterns detected. Limited navigation support. Consider adding breadcrumbs, search, and skip link.
C
Landmark Structure
Action
8 landmarks
REVIEW
8 landmarks
Critical::
No <main> landmark found
Screen reader users cannot quickly navigate to the primary content. Wrap your main content in <main>.
Info::
2 <nav> landmark(s) found
Warning::
2 of 2 <nav> elements are unlabeled
Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.
Info::
Skip navigation link present
Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it
BANNER header NAV MAIN (missing!) CONTENTINFO footer

Screen reader users cannot quickly navigate to the primary content. Wrap your main content in <main>.

Why this matters

Without a <main> landmark, screen-reader users can't skip past the navigation to the page content — every page starts with re-reading the menu.

Learn more ▾

The <main> element marks the page's primary content area. Assistive tech offers a 'jump to main' shortcut — but only if <main> exists. Without it, every page navigation forces re-reading the header. Wrap your primary content in a single <main>.

Source: WAI-ARIA / WCAG 2.4.1

Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.

Why this matters

Some <nav> elements lack aria-label — screen-reader users hear 'navigation' multiple times with no way to distinguish them.

Learn more ▾

When a page has multiple <nav> regions (primary, footer, breadcrumb), each needs aria-label or aria-labelledby. AT users navigate by landmark; identical 'navigation' announcements force them to enter each one to discover purpose.

Source: WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices

B
Heading Hierarchy
39 headings, 2 skip(s)
REVIEW
39 headings, 2 skip(s)
Info::
Single H1 present
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H2 → H4 (missing H3)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H2 → H4 (missing H3)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
  • H2 Patriot Profile: Logan Messer
  • H2 Eagle-eyed naturalists track wildlife at Point of View
  • H2 Spring: Dance Innovations 2026
  • H2 George Mason ACCESS Academy doubles applications in first year
  • H2 George Mason contracts with Rally House and eCampus.com
  • H2 Bridging science and storytelling at George Mason
  • H2 George Mason graduate programs rank #1 in Virginia, Top 50 nationally
  • H2 Patriot Profile: Logan Messer
  • H2 Eagle-eyed naturalists track wildlife at Point of View
  • H2 Spring: Dance Innovations 2026
  • H2 George Mason ACCESS Academy doubles applications in first year
  • H2 George Mason contracts with Rally House and eCampus.com
  • H2 Bridging science and storytelling at George Mason
  • H2 George Mason graduate programs rank #1 in Virginia, Top 50 nationally
  • H2 Patriot Profile: Logan Messer
  • H1 A Top 50 Public R1 Research University
  • H2 Information For:
  • H2 Follow George Mason
  • H2 Latest News
  • H4 MSW program skills helped this student turn her internship into a full-time role skipped
  • H4 Weening Goes Back-to-Back as A-10 Women’s Field Performer of the Week
  • H4 Bold Solutions for A Prosperous Future
  • H2 2026 Rankings
  • H3 Top Trending Stories
  • H2 Campus Events and News
  • H2 Events
  • H4 Around Campus skipped
  • H4 George Mason Athletics (Upcoming home events)
  • H2 Campus News
  • H2 George Mason Spirit Magazine
  • H2 Our Campuses
  • H2 George Mason Cookie Policy
  • H2 Cookie Preferences
  • H3 Manage Consent Preferences
  • H4 Strictly Necessary Cookies
  • H4 Performance Cookies
  • H4 Functional Cookies
  • H4 Targeting and Advertising Cookies
  • H3 Cookie List

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more ▾

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.

Why this matters

Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.

Learn more ▾

Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI

B
Form Accessibility
2 of 10 controls have issues
REVIEW
2 of 10 controls have issues
Critical::
1 control(s) without accessible label
Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.
Got: <input type="submit">
Warning::
1 control(s) rely on placeholder only
Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.
Got: <input id="downshift-0-input">
Info::
8 control(s) properly labeled
10 controls
8 labeled
1 placeholder only
1 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
#ot-group-id-C0002checkboxPerformance Cookiesfor/id
#ot-group-id-C0003checkboxFunctional Cookiesfor/id
#ot-group-id-C0004checkboxTargeting and Advertising Cookiesfor/id
#vendor-search-handlertextCookie list searcharia-label
#chkbox-idcheckboxcheckbox labelfor/id
#select-all-hosts-groups-handlercheckboxcheckbox labelfor/id
#select-all-vendor-groups-handlercheckboxcheckbox labelfor/id
#select-all-vendor-leg-handlercheckboxcheckbox labelfor/id
#downshift-0-inputinput(Search...)placeholder only
inputsubmit(none)none

Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.

<input type="submit">

Why this matters

Form controls without labels — assistive tech announces 'edit text' with no context; users can't complete forms.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 3.3.2

Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.

<input id="downshift-0-input">

Why this matters

Placeholder-only labels disappear when the user starts typing — they must remember what the field was for.

Learn more ▾

Placeholders are NOT labels. They vanish on input, fail color contrast checks (most are gray), and don't satisfy WCAG SC 3.3.2. Always use a real <label> alongside (or aria-labelledby).

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 3.3.2 / Nielsen Norman

B
404 Error Page
HTTP 404, custom page
REVIEW
HTTP 404, custom page
Info::
Correct 404 status code returned
Got: HTTP 404
Info::
Custom styled 404 page
Info::
Navigation links present on 404 page
Info::
Homepage link present on 404 page
404 Page Quality ✓ Custom 404 Page
Status Code HTTP 404 ✓Page Title Page not found | George Mason University ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✓Search Form ✗
C
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
Action
20 text elements analyzed, 16 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

Analyzes text contrast against the actual rendered page, including background images, gradients, and overlays that CSS-based tools cannot detect.

4 pass 16 fail WCAG AA
h1 A Top 50 Public R1 Research University
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
32px · bottom of viewport
h2 Information For:
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h2 Follow George Mason
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h2 Latest News
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h2 2026 Rankings
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h2 Campus Events and News
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h2 Events
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h2 Campus News
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h2 George Mason Spirit Magazine
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h2 Our Campuses
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h2 George Mason Cookie Policy
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h2 Cookie Preferences
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h3 Top Trending Stories
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Manage Consent Preferences
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Cookie List
1.00:1
#000000
on
#000000
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
a Apply
2.27:1
#000000
on
#005239
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
Show all checked elements (20)
ElementRatioRequiredFGBGResult
h1 A Top 50 Public R1 R…1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h2 Information For:1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h2 Follow George Mason1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h2 Latest News1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h2 2026 Rankings1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h2 Campus Events and Ne…1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h2 Events1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h2 Campus News1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h2 George Mason Spirit…1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h2 Our Campuses1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h2 George Mason Cookie …1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h2 Cookie Preferences1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h3 Top Trending Stories1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h3 Manage Consent Prefe…1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
h3 Cookie List1.00:13.0:1
#000000
#000000
Fail
title A Top 50 Public R1 R…21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
a Skip to content21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Mason21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span George Mason Univers…10.00:14.5:1
#000000
#99BAB0
Pass
a Apply2.27:14.5:1
#000000
#005239
Fail

Methodology: The top 20 text elements by font size were checked. Background color was sampled from the desktop screenshot using a 5-point pattern. WCAG 2.1 AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.

A
Alt Text Quality
4 of 18 images have issues
PASS
4 of 18 images have issues
Warning::
4 image(s) with generic alt text
Info::
1 image(s) with alt text over 125 characters
Info::
13 image(s) with good alt text
18 images 13 good alt text 4 generic
IssueCount
generic4 image(s)
too long1 image(s)
A+
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Score 95/100 — 4 failing, 29 passed
PASS
95

Accessibility

These checks highlight opportunities to improve the accessibility of your web app. Automatic detection can only detect a subset of issues and does not guarantee the accessibility of your web app, so manual testing is also encouraged.

Names and labels

Screen reader users rely on frame titles to describe the contents of frames. Learn more about frame titles.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
div > div.field > div.video-embed-field-provider-youtube > iframe.optanon-category-C0004 div > div.field > div.video-embed-field-provider-youtube > iframe.optanon-category-C0004
div.align-center > div.field > div.video-embed-field-provider-youtube > iframe.optanon-category-C0004 div.align-center > div.field > div.video-embed-field-provider-youtube > iframe.optanon-category-C0004

These are opportunities to improve the semantics of the controls in your application. This may enhance the experience for users of assistive technology, like a screen reader.

Navigation

Properly ordered headings that do not skip levels convey the semantic structure of the page, making it easier to navigate and understand when using assistive technologies. Learn more about heading order.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
Scholarship for Service students commit to America’s cyber defense div.layout__region > div.block > div.field > h4
Around Campus   div.block > div.field > div > h4

These are opportunities to improve keyboard navigation in your application.

Best practices

One main landmark helps screen reader users navigate a web page. Learn more about landmarks.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
html.js html.js

These items highlight common accessibility best practices.

Visible text labels that do not match the accessible name can result in a confusing experience for screen reader users. Learn more about accessible names.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
Help George Mason meet the challenge. div.field > div > p.text-align-center > a
Cookie Policy div#onetrust-group-container > div#onetrust-policy > div#onetrust-policy-text > a.ot-cookie-policy-link
○Interactive controls are keyboard focusable
○Interactive elements indicate their purpose and state
○The page has a logical tab order
○Visual order on the page follows DOM order
○User focus is not accidentally trapped in a region
○The user's focus is directed to new content added to the page
○HTML5 landmark elements are used to improve navigation
○Offscreen content is hidden from assistive technology
○Custom controls have associated labels
○Custom controls have ARIA roles
●`[aria-*]` attributes match their roles
●`[aria-hidden="true"]` is not present on the document `<body>`
●`[role]`s have all required `[aria-*]` attributes
●Elements with an ARIA `[role]` that require children to contain a specific `[role]` have all required children.
●`[role]`s are contained by their required parent element
●`[role]` values are valid
●`[aria-*]` attributes have valid values
●`[aria-*]` attributes are valid and not misspelled
●Buttons have an accessible name
●Image elements have `[alt]` attributes
●Input buttons have discernible text.
●Form elements have associated labels
●`[user-scalable="no"]` is not used in the `<meta name="viewport">` element and the `[maximum-scale]` attribute is not less than 5.
●ARIA attributes are used as specified for the element's role
●Elements with `role="dialog"` or `role="alertdialog"` have accessible names.
●`[aria-hidden="true"]` elements do not contain focusable descendents
●Elements use only permitted ARIA attributes
●Background and foreground colors have a sufficient contrast ratio
●Document has a `<title>` element
●`<html>` element has a `[lang]` attribute
●`<html>` element has a valid value for its `[lang]` attribute
●Links are distinguishable without relying on color.
●Links have a discernible name
●Lists contain only `<li>` elements and script supporting elements (`<script>` and `<template>`).
●List items (`<li>`) are contained within `<ul>`, `<ol>` or `<menu>` parent elements
●No element has a `[tabindex]` value greater than 0
●Touch targets have sufficient size and spacing.
●Deprecated ARIA roles were not used
●Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements
○`[accesskey]` values are unique
○`button`, `link`, and `menuitem` elements have accessible names
○ARIA input fields have accessible names
○ARIA `meter` elements have accessible names
○ARIA `progressbar` elements have accessible names
○Elements with the `role=text` attribute do not have focusable descendents.
○ARIA toggle fields have accessible names
○ARIA `tooltip` elements have accessible names
○ARIA `treeitem` elements have accessible names
○The page contains a heading, skip link, or landmark region
○`<dl>`'s contain only properly-ordered `<dt>` and `<dd>` groups, `<script>`, `<template>` or `<div>` elements.
○Definition list items are wrapped in `<dl>` elements
○ARIA IDs are unique
○No form fields have multiple labels
○`<html>` element has an `[xml:lang]` attribute with the same base language as the `[lang]` attribute.
○`<input type="image">` elements have `[alt]` text
○The document does not use `<meta http-equiv="refresh">`
○`<object>` elements have alternate text
○Select elements have associated label elements.
○Skip links are focusable.
○Cells in a `<table>` element that use the `[headers]` attribute refer to table cells within the same table.
○`<th>` elements and elements with `[role="columnheader"/"rowheader"]` have data cells they describe.
○`[lang]` attributes have a valid value
○`<video>` elements contain a `<track>` element with `[kind="captions"]`
○Tables have different content in the summary attribute and `<caption>`.
○All heading elements contain content.
○Image elements do not have `[alt]` attributes that are redundant text.
○Identical links have the same purpose.
○Tables use `<caption>` instead of cells with the `[colspan]` attribute to indicate a caption.
○`<td>` elements in a large `<table>` have one or more table headers.
All checks on this page are automated. Results are estimates - run targeted manual reviews when the score affects a release decision.

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