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Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
51
GRADE
F
FIX
8
REVIEW
3
PASS
2
INFO
0
Checks
13
2 PASS 3 REVIEW 8 FIX
F
Heading Hierarchy
Action
59 headings
FIX
59 headings
Info::
Single H1 present
Warning::
13 empty heading(s)
Empty headings appear in the document outline but provide no information.
  • H1 University of Cape Town
  • H2 (empty)
  • H2 Strategy 2030: Shaping UCT’s Future Together
  • H2 UCT Open Day 2026
  • H2 Applications for 2027 now open
  • H2 Autumn 2026 Graduation
  • H2 UCT leads Africa in two major international rankings
  • H2 Strategy 2030: Shaping UCT’s Future Together
  • H2 UCT Open Day 2026
  • H2 Applications for 2027 now open
  • H2 Autumn 2026 Graduation
  • H2 UCT leads Africa in two major international rankings
  • H2 Strategy 2030: Shaping UCT’s Future Together
  • H2 (empty)
  • H2 (empty)
  • H2 UCT achieves its highest ranking in a decade – now in the top 3% globally
  • H2 (empty)
  • H2 (empty)
  • H2 (empty)
  • H2 Study at UCT
  • H2 (empty)
  • H2 (empty)
  • H2 A snapshot of research at UCT
  • H2 Research & innovation news
  • H2 UCT and the Sustainable Development Goals
  • H2 A snapshot of research at UCT
  • H2 Research & innovation news
  • H2 UCT and the Sustainable Development Goals
  • H2 A snapshot of research at UCT
  • H2 (empty)
  • H2 Short courses and lifelong learning
  • H2 (empty)
  • H2 (empty)
  • H2 Faculty of Science Virtual Campus Tour
  • H2 Virtual Campus Tour of UCT’s general spaces
  • H2 Faculty of Commerce Virtual Campus Tour
  • H2 Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment Virtual Campus Tour
  • H2 Faculty of Health Sciences Virtual Campus Tour
  • H2 Faculty of Humanities Virtual Campus Tour
  • H2 Faculty of Law Virtual Campus Tour
  • H2 Faculty of Science Virtual Campus Tour
  • H2 Virtual Campus Tour of UCT’s general spaces
  • H2 Faculty of Commerce Virtual Campus Tour
  • H2 Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment Virtual Campus Tour
  • H2 Faculty of Health Sciences Virtual Campus Tour
  • H2 Faculty of Humanities Virtual Campus Tour
  • H2 Faculty of Law Virtual Campus Tour
  • H2 Faculty of Science Virtual Campus Tour
  • H2 Latest news
  • H2 (empty)
  • H2 Events
  • H3 Argue Better! Ethical reasoning for healthcare professionals | Online
  • H3 Argue Better! Ethical Reasoning for Health Professionals
  • H3 Artificial Intelligence (AI), Ethics & Policy in Africa
  • H3 Mock Interview Programme 2026
  • H2 (empty)
  • H2 Notices
  • H3 ICTS scheduled maintenance - 26 April 2026
  • H3 UCT Shuttle stop in Claremont now on Newry Street

Empty headings appear in the document outline but provide no information.

Why this matters

Empty <hN> tags break the document outline — screen-reader users navigating by heading hit dead silence.

Source: WCAG 2.4.6

D
Form Accessibility
Action
4 of 14 controls have issues
FIX
4 of 14 controls have issues
Critical::
3 control(s) without accessible label
Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.
Got: <input type="submit" name="op" id="edit-submit--2">; <input type="submit" name="op" id="edit-actions-submit">; <input type="submit" id="edit-submit-uct-events-upcoming">
Warning::
1 control(s) rely on placeholder only
Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.
Got: <input type="text" name="search" id="edit-search">
Info::
10 control(s) properly labeled
14 controls
10 labeled
1 placeholder only
3 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
#edit-i-am-selectselectI amfor/id
#edit-test-selectselectnull selectfor/id
#edit-i-want-select-prospective-studentselectI want select prospective studentfor/id
#edit-i-want-select-studentselectI want select studentfor/id
#edit-i-want-select-staff-memberselectI want select staff memberfor/id
#edit-i-want-select-researcherselectI want select researcherfor/id
#edit-i-want-select-past-studentselectI want select past studentfor/id
#edit-i-want-select-visitorselectI want select visitorfor/id
#edit-selected-choiceselectSelected choicefor/id
#edit-by-event-typeselectEvent typefor/id
#edit-searchtext(Search)placeholder only
#edit-actions-submitsubmit(none)none
#edit-submit--2submit(none)none
#edit-submit-uct-events-upcomingsubmit(none)none

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

<input type="submit" name="op" id="edit-submit--2">; <input type="submit" name="op" id="edit-actions-submit">; <input type="submit" id="edit-submit-uct-events-upcoming">

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 type="text" name="search" id="edit-search">

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

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::
5 navigation landmark(s) detected
Breadcrumbs
Search
Skip Link Skip link detected
Labeled Navigation 5 <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.
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 | University of Cape Town ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✓Search Form ✗
C
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
Action
20 text elements analyzed, 1 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

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

19 pass 1 fail WCAG AA
title Home | University of Cape Town
1.31:1
#000000
on
#00243A
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
Show all checked elements (20)
ElementRatioRequiredFGBGResult
h1 University of Cape T…19.43:13.0:1
#000000
#F6F6F6
Pass
h2 Faculty of Science V…19.43:13.0:1
#000000
#F6F6F6
Pass
h2 Virtual Campus Tour …19.43:13.0:1
#000000
#F6F6F6
Pass
h2 Faculty of Commerce …19.43:13.0:1
#000000
#F6F6F6
Pass
h2 Faculty of Engineeri…19.43:13.0:1
#000000
#F6F6F6
Pass
h2 Faculty of Health Sc…19.43:13.0:1
#000000
#F6F6F6
Pass
h2 Faculty of Humanitie…19.43:13.0:1
#000000
#F6F6F6
Pass
h2 Faculty of Law Virtu…19.43:13.0:1
#000000
#F6F6F6
Pass
h2 Faculty of Science V…19.43:13.0:1
#000000
#F6F6F6
Pass
h2 Virtual Campus Tour …19.43:13.0:1
#000000
#F6F6F6
Pass
h2 Faculty of Commerce …19.43:13.0:1
#000000
#F6F6F6
Pass
h2 Faculty of Engineeri…19.43:13.0:1
#000000
#F6F6F6
Pass
h2 Faculty of Health Sc…19.43:13.0:1
#000000
#F6F6F6
Pass
h2 Faculty of Humanitie…19.43:13.0:1
#000000
#F6F6F6
Pass
h2 Faculty of Law Virtu…19.43:13.0:1
#000000
#F6F6F6
Pass
h2 Faculty of Science V…19.43:13.0:1
#000000
#F6F6F6
Pass
h2 Latest news19.43:13.0:1
#000000
#F6F6F6
Pass
h2 Events19.43:13.0:1
#000000
#F6F6F6
Pass
h2 Notices19.43:13.0:1
#000000
#F6F6F6
Pass
title Home | University of…1.31:14.5:1
#000000
#00243A
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.

B
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Score 89/100 — 3 failing, 28 passed
REVIEW
89

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

When a button doesn't have an accessible name, screen readers announce it as "button", making it unusable for users who rely on screen readers. Learn how to make buttons more accessible.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
header#header > div.region > div#block-searchblock > button.search-toggle header#header > div.region > div#block-searchblock > button.search-toggle

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.clearfix > div.tex2jax_process > div > iframe#iframe-resizer-rankingiframe div.clearfix > div.tex2jax_process > div > iframe#iframe-resizer-rankingiframe
div.clearfix > div.tex2jax_process > div.UCT-fullwidth-container > iframe#iframe-resizer-VCdesk div.clearfix > div.tex2jax_process > div.UCT-fullwidth-container > iframe#iframe-resizer-VCdesk
article.media > div.blazy > div.media > iframe.b-lazy article.media > div.blazy > div.media > iframe.b-lazy

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.

Contrast

Low-contrast text is difficult or impossible for many users to read. Learn how to provide sufficient color contrast.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
VIEW OUR RANKINGS div.homepage-content__text > div.homepage-content-text > p > a.button
APPLY ONLINE div.clearfix > div.tex2jax_process > p.text-align-center > a.button
VISIT UCT NEWS div.clearfix > div.tex2jax_process > p.text-align-center > a.button
(Ends 15 December 2026) div.views-row > article.node > footer.node__meta > div.date--end
(Ends 15 December 2026) div.views-row > article.node > footer.node__meta > div.date--end
(Ends 19 May 2026) div.views-row > article.node > footer.node__meta > div.date--end
(Ends 23 April 2026) div.views-row > article.node > footer.node__meta > div.date--end
EVENTS CALENDAR div.clearfix > div.tex2jax_process > div.text-right > a.button
NOTICEBOARD div.clearfix > div.tex2jax_process > div.text-right > a.button

These are opportunities to improve the legibility of your content.

○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
●`[role]` values are valid
●`[aria-*]` attributes have valid values
●`[aria-*]` attributes are valid and not misspelled
●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.
●Select elements have associated label elements.
●ARIA attributes are used as specified for the element's role
●`[aria-hidden="true"]` elements do not contain focusable descendents
●Elements use only permitted ARIA attributes
●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.
●Heading elements appear in a sequentially-descending order
●Document has a main landmark.
●Deprecated ARIA roles were not used
●Identical links have the same purpose.
●Elements with visible text labels have matching accessible names.
○`[accesskey]` values are unique
○`button`, `link`, and `menuitem` elements have accessible names
○Elements with `role="dialog"` or `role="alertdialog"` have accessible names.
○ARIA input fields have accessible names
○ARIA `meter` elements have accessible names
○ARIA `progressbar` elements have accessible names
○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
○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
○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.
○Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements
○Image elements do not have `[alt]` attributes that are redundant text.
○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.
A
Landmark Structure
12 landmarks
PASS
12 landmarks
Info::
<main> landmark present
Info::
5 <nav> landmark(s) found
Warning::
5 of 5 <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 CONTENTINFO footer

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

A+
Alt Text Quality
All 27 images OK
PASS
All 27 images OK
Info::
27 image(s) with good alt text
27 images 27 good alt text
All images have appropriate alt text.
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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