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Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
60
GRADE
D
FIX
5
REVIEW
4
PASS
4
INFO
0
Checks
13
4 PASS 4 REVIEW 5 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::
3 navigation landmark(s) detected
Info::
Hamburger menu detected (responsive design)
Breadcrumbs
Search
Skip Link Skip link detected
Labeled Navigation 3 <nav> element(s)
Back to Top
Hamburger Menu
Sticky Navigation Cannot reliably detect (CSS-based)
3 of 6 testable patterns navigation patterns detected. Strong navigation UX with multiple discovery paths.
B
Heading Hierarchy
12 headings, 1 skip(s)
REVIEW
12 headings, 1 skip(s)
Warning::
Multiple H1 headings (2 found)
A page should have only one H1. Multiple H1s dilute the document outline.
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 Site Search block
  • H1 Home
  • H2 News that Impacts Education
  • H2 Protecting Student Privacy & FERPA
  • H4 Learn About the Department of Education skipped
  • H4 File a Civil Rights Complaint
  • H4 Assisting Special Student Populations
  • H3 U.S. Department of Education
  • H2 Secondary Footer Menu
  • H1 ED.gov Feedback Form duplicate H1
  • H2 Success
  • H2 Error

A page should have only one H1. Multiple H1s dilute the document outline.

Why this matters

Multiple H1s blur the page's primary topic — screen-reader users and Google both prefer one H1.

Learn more ▾

HTML5's outline algorithm technically allows multiple H1s within sectioning content, but no browser implements it. In practice: one H1 per page. Use H2-H6 for subsections.

Source: WCAG 2.4.6 / Google Search Central

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
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 Lock ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✓Search Form ✗
C
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
Action
20 text elements analyzed, 9 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

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

11 pass 9 fail WCAG AA
a Skip to feedback
1.47:1
#000000
on
#002F3D
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
p An official website of the United States…
1.24:1
#000000
on
#002029
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
p Here's how you know
1.24:1
#000000
on
#002029
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
span Here's how you know
1.24:1
#000000
on
#002029
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
strong Official websites use .gov
1.24:1
#000000
on
#002029
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
16px · above the fold
strong .gov
1.32:1
#000000
on
#00262E
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
16px · above the fold
p website belongs to an official governmen…
1.43:1
#000000
on
#012D35
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
strong Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
1.54:1
#000000
on
#02333C
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
16px · above the fold
strong lock
1.69:1
#000000
on
#023A42
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
16px · above the fold
Show all checked elements (20)
ElementRatioRequiredFGBGResult
h1 Home21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h1 ED.gov Feedback Form21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Site Search block21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 News that Impacts Ed…21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Protecting Student P…21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Secondary Footer Men…21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Success21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Error21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h3 U.S. Department of E…21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
title Home | U.S. Departme…21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
a Skip to main content8.89:14.5:1
#000000
#99ACB1
Pass
a Skip to feedback1.47:14.5:1
#000000
#002F3D
Fail
p An official website …1.24:14.5:1
#000000
#002029
Fail
p Here's how you know1.24:14.5:1
#000000
#002029
Fail
span Here's how you know1.24:14.5:1
#000000
#002029
Fail
strong Official websites us…1.24:13.0:1
#000000
#002029
Fail
strong .gov1.32:13.0:1
#000000
#00262E
Fail
p website belongs to a…1.43:14.5:1
#000000
#012D35
Fail
strong Secure .gov websites…1.54:13.0:1
#000000
#02333C
Fail
strong lock1.69:13.0:1
#000000
#023A42
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
Landmark Structure
17 landmarks
PASS
17 landmarks
Info::
<main> landmark present
Info::
3 <nav> landmark(s) found
Warning::
2 of 3 <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 ASIDE "Feedback button" 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 25 images OK
PASS
All 25 images OK
Info::
9 decorative image(s) correctly marked
Info::
16 image(s) with good alt text
25 images 16 good alt text 9 decorative
All images have appropriate alt text.
A
Form Accessibility
1 of 6 controls have issues
PASS
1 of 6 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" id="edit-submit-site-search">
Info::
5 control(s) properly labeled
6 controls
5 labeled
0 placeholder only
1 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
#edit-search-api-fulltexttextBY KEYWORDfor/id
#question_option_81703radioDisagreefor/id
#question_option_81704radioNeutralfor/id
#question_option_81705radioAgreefor/id
#question_55335_answer_02textareaHow can we improve?for/id
#edit-submit-site-searchsubmit(none)none

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

<input type="submit" id="edit-submit-site-search">

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

A+
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Score 99/100 — 2 failing, 29 passed
PASS
99

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
Learn About the Department of Education div.field > div.usa-card > div.border-width-0 > h4

These are opportunities to improve keyboard navigation in your application.

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
U.S. Department of Education div.region > div#logo > em.usa-logo__text > a
View our latest blog posts div.ed-ribbon-link > div.field > div.field__item > a
Resources for your classroom div.ed-ribbon-link > div.field > div.field__item > a
○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
●`[user-scalable="no"]` is not used in the `<meta name="viewport">` element and the `[maximum-scale]` attribute is not less than 5.
●`[accesskey]` values are unique
●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.
○`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 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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