Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.

SCORE

GRADE

FIX

REVIEW

PASS

INFO

Checks

5 PASS 5 REVIEW 3 FIX

Dark Mode Support

Action

No dark mode signals

FIX

No dark mode signals

No dark mode signals detected

Consider adding CSS with @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) and <meta name='color-scheme' content='light dark'>.

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.

Print Stylesheet

Action

No print styles

FIX

No print styles

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 ✗

Link & Button Quality

5 issue(s) across 249 links and 16 buttons

REVIEW

5 issue(s) across 249 links and 16 buttons

5 link(s) with no accessible text

Links without text are announced as raw URLs by screen readers.

Got: http://withyou.washu.edu; https://washu.edu/about-washu/university-leadership/deans/; https://washu.edu/about-washu/university-leadership/senior-administrators/; https://boardoftrustees.washu.edu/; http://withyou.washu.edu/

244 link(s) with descriptive text

249 links

5 empty

0 generic text

0 new tab

0 empty buttons

Element	Text	Issue	Suggested Fix
http://withyou.washu.edu	(empty)	empty	Add link text or aria-label
https://washu.edu/about-washu/university…	(empty)	empty	Add link text or aria-label
https://washu.edu/about-washu/university…	(empty)	empty	Add link text or aria-label
https://boardoftrustees.washu.edu/	(empty)	empty	Add link text or aria-label
http://withyou.washu.edu/	(empty)	empty	Add link text or aria-label

260 links and buttons have descriptive text

Links without text are announced as raw URLs by screen readers.

http://withyou.washu.edu; https://washu.edu/about-washu/university-leadership/deans/; https://washu.edu/about-washu/university-leadership/senior-administrators/; https://boardoftrustees.washu.edu/; http://withyou.washu.edu/

Why this matters

Links with no accessible text (empty <a></a>, image-only no alt, icon-only no aria-label) are unidentifiable to screen readers.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.4

404 Error Page

HTTP 404, custom page

REVIEW

HTTP 404, custom page

Correct 404 status code returned

Got: HTTP 404

Custom styled 404 page

Navigation links present on 404 page

Search form present on 404 page

404 Page Quality ✓ Custom 404 Page

Status Code HTTP 404 ✓Page Title WashU, main ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✗Search Form ✓

Favicon & Branding

6 icon(s) detected

REVIEW

6 icon(s) detected

favicon.ico present at site root

HTML icon links detected

Apple touch icon present

Multiple icon sizes detected

✓ favicon.ico Present

✓ PNG Icons Present

✓ Apple Touch Present

✗ SVG Favicon Missing

✓ Manifest Icons Present

✓ Multiple Sizes Present

Web Manifest

Action

Valid manifest

REVIEW

Valid manifest

No name or short_name

Add a name field to identify the app.

192x192 icon present

512x512 icon present

Display mode: standalone

PWA Install Criteria Not Installable

Name ✗192×192 icon ✓512×512 icon ✓Start URL ✗Display Mode standalone ✓

Display Mode standalone Theme Color #ffffff Background Color #ffffff Icons 2 icon(s)

Color Contrast (Screenshot)

Action

20 text elements analyzed, 5 fail WCAG AA

REVIEW

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

15 pass 5 fail WCAG AA 1 pass AA only

a Skip to footer

3.18:1

#000000

#BA0C2F

needs 4.5:1 (normal text)

16px · top of page (header area)

a Apply

3.18:1

#000000

#BA0C2F

needs 4.5:1 (normal text)

16px · above the fold

a Visit

3.18:1

#000000

#BA0C2F

needs 4.5:1 (normal text)

16px · above the fold

a Give

3.18:1

#000000

#BA0C2F

needs 4.5:1 (normal text)

16px · above the fold

a Find a Doctor

3.18:1

#000000

#BA0C2F

needs 4.5:1 (normal text)

16px · above the fold

Show all checked elements (20)

Element	Ratio	Required	FG	BG	Result
h1 Homepage of Washingt…	6.15:1	3.0:1	#000000	#D46A7C	Pass
h2 Search	19.62:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FAF7EF	Pass
h2 This is what WashU c…	19.62:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FAF7EF	Pass
h2 We can imagine a bet…	19.62:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FAF7EF	Pass
h2 We are a community, …	19.62:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FAF7EF	Pass
h2 We confront complex …	19.62:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FAF7EF	Pass
h2 Connecting brilliant…	19.62:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FAF7EF	Pass
h2 Contact	19.62:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FAF7EF	Pass
h2 Resources	19.62:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FAF7EF	Pass
h2 Policies	19.62:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FAF7EF	Pass
h3 Upcoming events	19.62:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FAF7EF	Pass
h3 News & stories	19.62:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FAF7EF	Pass
title Home \| WashU	9.75:1	4.5:1	#000000	#E39EAC	Pass
a Skip to content	21.00:1	4.5:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
a Skip to search	6.37:1	4.5:1	#000000	#D66D82	Pass
a Skip to footer	3.18:1	4.5:1	#000000	#BA0C2F	Fail
a Apply	3.18:1	4.5:1	#000000	#BA0C2F	Fail
a Visit	3.18:1	4.5:1	#000000	#BA0C2F	Fail
a Give	3.18:1	4.5:1	#000000	#BA0C2F	Fail
a Find a Doctor	3.18:1	4.5:1	#000000	#BA0C2F	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

19 landmarks

PASS

19 landmarks

<main> landmark present

1 <nav> landmark(s) found

Skip navigation link present

Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it

Heading Hierarchy

66 headings, 1 skip(s)

PASS

66 headings, 1 skip(s)

Single H1 present

Heading level skipped: H1 → H5 (missing H2)

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

H1 Homepage of Washington University in Saint Louis
H5 Academics Overview skipped
H6 Academic degrees & programs
H6 Schools & departments
H6 Academic advising & support
H6 Centers & institutes
H6 Summer programs
H6 Experiential learning Opportunities
H6 Libraries
H6 school websites
H5 Research & Innovation Overview
H6 Centers & institutes
H6 Labs & research facilities
H6 Makerspaces, shops & studios
H6 Summer research opportunities
H6 Libraries
H6 Internal Selections
H6 Impact of WashU Research
H6 Related websites
H5 Life at WashU Overview
H6 Arts & culture
H6 Athletics & recreation
H6 Dining & housing
H6 Health, wellness & safety
H6 Living in St. Louis
H6 Getting around
H6 Related websites
H5 Admissions & Aid Overview
H6 Related websites
H5 About WashU Overview
H6 Our mission & vision
H6 Leadership
H6 History & tradition
H6 University policies
H6 University facts
H6 Our Campuses
H6 updates on federal impacts
H6 Audited financial statements
H6 CONTACT
H6 Related Websites
H5 Discover your ONE stop for internal resources like Canvas, Workday, Box, Outlook, and more.
H6 Prospective Students
H6 Current students
H6 Parents & Families
H6 Faculty & Staff
H6 Alumni & FRIENDS
H6 Washu Patients
H2 Search
H2 This is what WashU can do.
H3 Can we get comfortable with uncomfortable conversations?
H3 Can we stop cancer before it starts?
H3 Can we help students get the jobs they want?
H3 Can we make drinking water safer?
H3 Can fashion stop invasive species?
H3 Upcoming events
H3 News & stories
H3 Built to meet the moment
H3 Index provides flu risk for each state
H3 GLP-1 medications get at the heart of addiction: study
H2 We can imagine a better world, and we will build it.
H2 We are a community, united in curiosity and driven by empathy.
H2 We confront complex issues facing our world, starting right here in St. Louis.
H2 Connecting brilliant minds and open hearts to make a better future – for all.
H2 Contact
H2 Resources
H2 Policies

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+

Alt Text Quality

All 20 images OK

PASS

All 20 images OK

8 decorative image(s) correctly marked

12 image(s) with good alt text

20 images 12 good alt text 8 decorative

All images have appropriate alt text.

A+

Form Accessibility

All 1 controls labeled

PASS

All 1 controls labeled

1 control(s) properly labeled

1 controls

1 labeled

0 placeholder only

0 unlabeled

Control	Type	Label	Method
s	search	Search for:	none

Lighthouse Accessibility Audits

Score 94/100 — 1 failing, 24 passed

PASS

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.

ARIA

Assistive technologies, like screen readers, can't interpret ARIA attributes with invalid names. Learn more about valid ARIA attributes.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
At WashU, we’re connecting learners, thinkers, leaders and doers who inspire ea… `main#main > article#post-28 > div.page-content > div.wp-block-washu-story-carousel`

These are opportunities to improve the usage of ARIA in your application which 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

●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.

●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 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

●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

●`<video>` elements contain a `<track>` element with `[kind="captions"]`

●Identical links have the same purpose.

○`[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

○Links are distinguishable without relying on color.

○The document does not use `<meta http-equiv="refresh">`

○`<object>` elements have alternate text

○Select elements have associated label elements.

○Skip links are focusable.

○No element has a `[tabindex]` value greater than 0

○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

○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.

○Elements with visible text labels have matching accessible names.

○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.