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Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
74
GRADE
C
FIX
2
REVIEW
5
PASS
6
INFO
0
Checks
13
6 PASS 5 REVIEW 2 FIX
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.

C
Alt Text Quality
Action
12 of 23 images have issues
REVIEW
12 of 23 images have issues
Critical::
12 image(s) missing alt attribute
Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers.
Info::
11 image(s) with good alt text
23 images 11 good alt text 12 missing
IssueCount
missing12 image(s)

Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers.

Why this matters

Each image without alt text is a WCAG 1.1.1 failure — invisible to screen-reader users, lost from Google Image Search.

Learn more ▾

WCAG 2.1 Level A requires text alternatives for non-decorative images. Empty alt='' is fine for decorative; meaningful images need descriptive text. Common fixes: CMS audit + bulk add, build-time linter (alt-text-required ESLint rule), CI gate on Lighthouse a11y score.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.1.1 / WebAIM Million Report

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
404 Page Quality ✓ Custom 404 Page
Status Code HTTP 404 ✓Page Title Page Not Found (404) | Brandeis University ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✗Search Form ✗
B
Favicon & Branding
8 icon(s) detected
REVIEW
8 icon(s) detected
Info::
favicon.ico present at site root
Info::
HTML icon links detected
Info::
Apple touch icon present
Info::
Multiple icon sizes detected
✓ favicon.ico Present
✓ PNG Icons Present
✓ Apple Touch Present
✗ SVG Favicon Missing
✗ Manifest Icons Missing
✓ Multiple Sizes Present
C
Navigation UX
Action
2 navigation pattern(s)
REVIEW
2 navigation pattern(s)
Info::
Search functionality detected
Got: role-search
Info::
Skip navigation link detected
Info::
2 navigation landmark(s) detected
Info::
Hamburger menu detected (responsive design)
Breadcrumbs
Search role='search' landmark
Skip Link Skip link detected
Labeled Navigation 2 <nav> element(s)
Back to Top
Hamburger Menu
Sticky Navigation Cannot reliably detect (CSS-based)
4 of 6 testable patterns navigation patterns detected. Strong navigation UX with multiple discovery paths.
C
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
Action
20 text elements analyzed, 3 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

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

17 pass 3 fail WCAG AA 2 pass AA only
span Search
4.09:1
#000000
on
#886657
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area) · over background image/gradient
a Faculty & Staff
4.00:1
#000000
on
#656E6D
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold · over background image/gradient
a Alumni & Friends
1.42:1
#000000
on
#282828
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold · over background image/gradient

3 contrast failures on background images/gradients

These failures are invisible to CSS-based accessibility tools like Lighthouse. The text may be fine on a solid background, but fails when rendered over an image or gradient.

Show all checked elements (20)
ElementRatioRequiredFGBGResult
h1 Brandeis University21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 News and Stories21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 By the Numbers21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Upcoming Events21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 A Campus Full of Pos…21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Academics at Brandei…21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h3 A Bold Evolution of …21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
title Brandeis University21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
a Skip to content21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
label Search21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Search4.09:14.5:1
#000000
#886657
Fail
a Visit5.64:14.5:1
#000000
#A27C6D
Pass
a Students5.28:14.5:1
#000000
#9E7764
Pass
a Faculty & Staff4.00:14.5:1
#000000
#656E6D
Fail
a Alumni & Friends1.42:14.5:1
#000000
#282828
Fail
a Parents & Families7.49:14.5:1
#000000
#9C9A98
Pass
a Giving19.08:14.5:1
#000000
#F5F4F0
Pass
a Popular Resources19.08:14.5:1
#000000
#F5F4F0
Pass
a Campus Calendar19.08:14.5:1
#000000
#F5F4F0
Pass
a Commencement19.08:14.5:1
#000000
#F5F4F0
Pass

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+
Landmark Structure
7 landmarks
PASS
7 landmarks
Info::
<main> landmark present
Info::
2 <nav> landmark(s) found
Info::
All <nav> elements are properly labeled
Info::
Skip navigation link present
Info::
Search landmark present
Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it
BANNER header NAV "affiliation and popular resource" SEARCH MAIN CONTENTINFO footer
A
Heading Hierarchy
7 headings, 1 skip(s)
PASS
7 headings, 1 skip(s)
Info::
Single H1 present
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H1 → H3 (missing H2)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
  • H1 Brandeis University
  • H3 A Bold Evolution of the Liberal Arts skipped
  • H2 News and Stories
  • H2 By the Numbers
  • H2 Upcoming Events
  • H2 A Campus Full of Possibilities
  • H2 Academics at Brandeis

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

A+
Form Accessibility
All 2 controls labeled
PASS
All 2 controls labeled
Info::
2 control(s) properly labeled
2 controls
2 labeled
0 placeholder only
0 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
#qtextSearchfor/id
#nav-search-inputtextSearchfor/id
A+
Print Stylesheet
Print styles detected
PASS
Print styles detected
Info::
External print stylesheet detected
Got: //www.brandeis.edu/_files/css/print.css
Print Stylesheet ✓ Print Optimized
Print stylesheet //www.brandeis.edu/_files/css/print.css ✓Inline @media print Not detected ✗
A
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Score 93/100 — 2 failing, 26 passed
PASS
93

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.

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
A Bold Evolution of the Liberal Arts div.module__container > div.feature > div.feature__text > h3

These are opportunities to improve keyboard navigation in your application.

Names and labels

Informative elements should aim for short, descriptive alternate text. Decorative elements can be ignored with an empty alt attribute. Learn more about the `alt` attribute.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item
div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item
div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item
div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item
div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item
div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item
div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item
div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item
div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item
div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item
div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item
div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item div.flickity-viewport > div.flickity-slider > div.image > img.image__item

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.

○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
●Buttons have an accessible name
●`[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
●`[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.
●Skip links are focusable.
●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
○`<frame>` or `<iframe>` elements have a title
○`<html>` element has an `[xml:lang]` attribute with the same base language as the `[lang]` attribute.
○Input buttons have discernible text.
○`<input type="image">` elements have `[alt]` text
○Form elements have associated labels
○The document does not use `<meta http-equiv="refresh">`
○`<object>` elements have alternate text
○Select elements have associated label elements.
○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.
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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