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Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
52
GRADE
F
FIX
6
REVIEW
6
PASS
1
INFO
0
Checks
13
1 PASS 6 REVIEW 6 FIX
F
Alt Text Quality
Action
5 of 60 images have issues
FIX
5 of 60 images have issues
Critical::
5 image(s) missing alt attribute
Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers.
Critical::
4 image-in-link without alt text
An image inside a link with no alt creates an empty link.
Info::
55 image(s) with good alt text
60 images 55 good alt text 5 missing
IssueCount
missing5 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

An image inside a link with no alt creates an empty link.

Why this matters

Image-only links with no alt create empty links — screen-reader users hear 'link' with no destination context.

Learn more

An <a><img></a> with no img alt is the worst-case for accessibility: AT announces the link but can't describe where it goes. Either add alt to the image OR add aria-label to the link.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.4

D
Form Accessibility
Action
5 of 7 controls have issues
FIX
5 of 7 controls have issues
Critical::
2 control(s) without accessible label
Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.
Got: <input type="submit" name="logout">; <textarea name="g-recaptcha-response" id="g-recaptcha-response-100000">
Warning::
3 control(s) rely on placeholder only
Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.
Got: <input type="text" name="q">; <input type="text" name="q">; <input type="text" name="q">
Info::
2 control(s) properly labeled
7 controls
2 labeled
3 placeholder only
2 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
#topic-alertcheckboxSubscribenone
#topic-breakingcheckboxSubscribenone
qtext(Search Arizona Daily Star)placeholder only
qtext(Search Arizona Daily Star)placeholder only
qtext(Search Arizona Daily Star)placeholder only
logoutsubmit(none)none
#g-recaptcha-response-100000textarea(none)none

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

<input type="submit" name="logout">; <textarea name="g-recaptcha-response" id="g-recaptcha-response-100000">

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="q">; <input type="text" name="q">; <input type="text" name="q">

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
Web Manifest
Action
Valid manifest
FIX
Valid manifest
Warning::
No name or short_name
Add a name field to identify the app.
Warning::
No 192x192 icon
A 192px icon is required for PWA installation.
PWA Install Criteria Not Installable
Name 192×192 icon 512×512 icon Start URL Display Mode
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::
1 navigation landmark(s) detected
Info::
Hamburger menu detected (responsive design)
Breadcrumbs
Search
Skip Link Skip link detected
Labeled Navigation 1 <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
69 headings
REVIEW
69 headings
Critical::
No H1 heading found
Every page should have one H1 that describes the page content.
  • H3 Tucson Sugar Skulls end home skid ahead of rematch with San Diego
  • H3 Transfer portal winners and losers: Big 12 takes a hit, Duke and USC thrive
  • H3 Photos: Catalina Foothills outlasts Canyon del Oro 6-5 in 12-inning marathon, high school baseball
  • H3 Treydan Stukes, Genesis Smith and Dalton Johnson headline Arizona's NFL Draft class
  • H3 Photos: Arizona spring football practice 13 at Tomey Field
  • H3 Photos: Center for Creative Photography announces acquisition of nine photography archives
  • H3 U of A coach Tommy Lloyd's new contract spells out direct relationship with Garimella
  • H3 Recommended For You
  • H4 A real hoot: Owl family now calls an Oro Valley bar home
  • H4 U of A coach Tommy Lloyd's new contract spells out direct relationship with Garimella
  • H4 Judge: Arizona broke law in stopping new homes needing groundwater in Phoenix area
  • H3 Subscriber exclusives
  • H3 Autism center set to open in Tucson
  • H3 Tim Steller's column: Macho politics turn tricky for Sen. Gallego
  • H3 Former Arizona golf star Sabbatini is back on tour | Greg Hansen
  • H3 Plans for border walls on Tohono O'odham land a 'betrayal,' chairman says
  • H3 The Latest
  • H4 Arizona Daily Star on this date: April 22
  • H4 Tucson's Top Stories: April 22
  • H4 Catalina Foothills outlasts Canyon del Oro 6-5 in a 12-inning marathon, 5A Sonoran Region baseball
  • H4 April 21 recap: Tucson news you may have missed today
  • H4 UA outreach critical to retain local talent
  • H4 Center for Creative Photography announces acquisition of nine photography archives
  • H4 Arizona Daily Star on this date: April 21
  • H4 Tucson's Top Stories: April 21
  • H3 Editor's Pick
  • H3 Photos: Catalina Foothills outlasts Canyon del Oro 6-5 in 12-inning marathon, high school baseball
  • H3 Interact With Us
  • H4 Arizona reserve forward Sidi Gueye reportedly hitting transfer portal
  • H3 Latest Video
  • H4 AP top stories April 22
  • H4 How the US naval blockade on Iran chokes Strait of Hormuz oil exports
  • H4 VIDEO: UA pitching coach Sean Kenny on challenging season, Smith Bailey's gem
  • H4 Iran seizes ships in Strait of Hormuz after Trump halts attacks
  • H3 Sports
  • H4 Tucson Sugar Skulls end home skid ahead of rematch with San Diego
  • H4 Transfer portal winners and losers: Big 12 takes a hit, Duke and USC thrive
  • H4 Treydan Stukes, Genesis Smith and Dalton Johnson headline Arizona's NFL Draft class
  • H4 U of A coach Tommy Lloyd's new contract spells out direct relationship with Garimella
  • H3 Listen Now Podcasts
  • H4 What does the way we treat our pets say about us? | The Ethical Life podcast
  • H4 Have we reduced sacrifice to little more than a trade-off? | The Ethical Life podcast
  • H4 Are we turning too much of life into a wager? | The Ethical Life podcast
  • H4 Have we forgotten how to live with reverence? | The Ethical Life podcast
  • H3 Life & Entertainment
  • H4 Mariachi to take over Tucson next weekend
  • H4 Horror on Tubi, a new 'Beef' and a shift change at 'The Pitt' | Streamed & Screened
  • H4 A teen’s mysterious death led to Patrick Radden Keefe’s ‘London Falling’
  • H3 Local Events
  • H4 Update settings to continue…
  • H3 Partner
  • H4 Understanding No Credit Check Loans and Other Quick Access Alternatives
  • H4 9 Simple Office Changes That Can Make Work Better
  • H4 The Unlimited PTO Trap: Why Giving Workers Infinite Time Off Makes Them Take Less
  • H4 Prana IV Therapy on Supporting Hydration and Recovery in Scottsdale’s Active Climate
  • H3 Shopping
  • H4 How to Buy WLFI Token: Full Beginner Guide
  • H4 Solana Wallet for Beginners (2025): Setup, Safety, Staking & Swaps
  • H4 Web3 Wallet for Beginners: How to Set Up, Stay Safe, and Pick the Right App
  • H4 Which Crypto May Boom in 2025? A Look at What’s Trending
  • H3 Local Businesses
  • H4 St. Alban's Episcopal Church
  • H4 Durham School Services
  • H4 The University Of Az
  • H4 Sites & Partners
  • H4 Services
  • H5 Topics
  • H4 News Alerts
  • H4 Breaking News

Every page should have one H1 that describes the page content.

Why this matters

No H1 means screen-reader users can't identify the page's primary topic, and Google's content-extraction degrades.

Learn more

The H1 is the document title for assistive tech and a strong signal to search engines about page topic. Pages without one force screen readers to fall back to the <title> attribute or page chrome. Add a single H1 that names the page's primary subject.

Source: WCAG 2.4.6 / Google Search Central

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 R | tucson.com Custom Styling Navigation Homepage Link Search Form
C
Favicon & Branding
Action
3 icon(s) detected
REVIEW
3 icon(s) detected
Info::
favicon.ico present at site root
Info::
HTML icon links detected
Info::
Apple touch icon present
favicon.ico Present
PNG Icons Present
Apple Touch Present
SVG Favicon Missing
Manifest Icons Missing
Multiple Sizes Missing
C
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
Action
20 text elements analyzed, 10 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

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

10 pass 10 fail WCAG AA
title Arizona Daily Star | Breaking News | | R…
1.09:1
#000000
on
#090E15
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
span Opens in a new window
1.09:1
#000000
on
#090E15
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
span Opens an external website
1.62:1
#000000
on
#2C3239
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area) · over background image/gradient
span Opens an external website in a new windo…
3.62:1
#000000
on
#60666D
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
span This website utilizes technologies such …
3.55:1
#000000
on
#616564
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Privacy Policy
3.67:1
#000000
on
#636767
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Skip to main content
1.09:1
#000000
on
#090E15
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
span 88°
1.09:1
#000000
on
#090E15
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Sign in
1.09:1
#000000
on
#090E15
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Subscribe Now
1.09:1
#000000
on
#090E15
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold

1 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
h3 Recommended18.26:13.0:1
#000000
#EFEFEF
Pass
h3 Subscriber exclusive…18.26:13.0:1
#000000
#EFEFEF
Pass
h3 The18.26:13.0:1
#000000
#EFEFEF
Pass
h3 Editor's Pick18.26:13.0:1
#000000
#EFEFEF
Pass
h3 Interact18.26:13.0:1
#000000
#EFEFEF
Pass
h3 Local Events18.26:13.0:1
#000000
#EFEFEF
Pass
h3 Partner18.26:13.0:1
#000000
#EFEFEF
Pass
title Arizona Daily Star |…1.09:14.5:1
#000000
#090E15
Fail
span Opens in a new windo…1.09:14.5:1
#000000
#090E15
Fail
span Opens an external we…1.62:14.5:1
#000000
#2C3239
Fail
span Opens an external we…3.62:14.5:1
#000000
#60666D
Fail
span This website utilize…3.55:14.5:1
#000000
#616564
Fail
a Privacy Policy3.67:14.5:1
#000000
#636767
Fail
button Accept10.31:14.5:1
#000000
#D8AD91
Pass
button Deny Non-Essential9.00:14.5:1
#000000
#A1B168
Pass
a Skip to main content9.13:14.5:1
#000000
#A0B366
Pass
a Skip to main content1.09:14.5:1
#000000
#090E15
Fail
span 88°1.09:14.5:1
#000000
#090E15
Fail
a Sign in1.09:14.5:1
#000000
#090E15
Fail
a Subscribe Now1.09:14.5:1
#000000
#090E15
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 85/100 — 5 failing, 23 passed
REVIEW
85

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.

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
Deny Non-Essential div.osano-cm-window > div#649b7539-a0e9-42ce-b2f0-18339f2e2847 > div.osano-cm-dialog__buttons > button.osano-cm-deny

Low-contrast text is difficult or impossible for many users to read. Link text that is discernible improves the experience for users with low vision. Learn how to make links distinguishable.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
cookie preferences div.evvnt-widget-container > div#lee-consent-banner-events > div.panel-body > a

These are opportunities to improve the legibility of your content.

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.card-headline > h3.tnt-headline > a.tnt-asset-link > img.premium-icon div.card-headline > h3.tnt-headline > a.tnt-asset-link > img.premium-icon
div.card-headline > h3.tnt-headline > a.tnt-asset-link > img.premium-icon div.card-headline > h3.tnt-headline > a.tnt-asset-link > img.premium-icon
div.card-headline > h3.tnt-headline > a.tnt-asset-link > img.premium-icon div.card-headline > h3.tnt-headline > a.tnt-asset-link > img.premium-icon
div.card-headline > h3.tnt-headline > a.tnt-asset-link > img.premium-icon div.card-headline > h3.tnt-headline > a.tnt-asset-link > img.premium-icon

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#site-container > div#tncms-region-global-above-header > div#tncms-block-2681787 > iframe div#site-container > div#tncms-region-global-above-header > div#tncms-block-2681787 > iframe

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.

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
PARTNER div.media-preview-ae17194e-e1b3-5f44-89eb-207867ea89bc > figure.photo > div.image > a.tnt-asset-link
CONTRIBUTOR div.media-preview-42a671b4-91f8-501d-bae2-e36882efa5bd > figure.photo > div.image > a.tnt-asset-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
`[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
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
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
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
`[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 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 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.
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.
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.
A+
Landmark Structure
5 landmarks
PASS
5 landmarks
Info::
<main> landmark present
Info::
1 <nav> landmark(s) found
Info::
No banner (header) landmark
Info::
Skip navigation link present
Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it
BANNER (missing!) NAV MAIN ASIDE "Left Main Menu" CONTENTINFO footer
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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