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Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
57
GRADE
D
FIX
6
REVIEW
4
PASS
3
INFO
0
Checks
13
3 PASS 4 REVIEW 6 FIX
F
Heading Hierarchy
Action
32 headings, 5 skip(s)
FIX
32 headings, 5 skip(s)
Critical::
No H1 heading found
Every page should have one H1 that describes the page content.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H2 → H4 (missing H3)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H2 → H4 (missing H3)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H2 → H4 (missing H3)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H2 → H4 (missing H3)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
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 Fresh Air
  • H4 Listen Live skipped
  • H4 The Daily / Today Explained
  • H4 Fresh Air
  • H4 SPONSOR
  • H4 Penn Medicine
  • H4 How does NJ Transit justify high fares for travel to FIFA World Cup matches?
  • H4 ‘A full sensory experience’: Reading Terminal crowned America’s Best Public Market, per USA Today
  • H2 N.J. lawmakers look to toss out higher coastal elevation rules
  • H4 Reported crime on SEPTA continues to drop in 2026 after decade lows last year skipped
  • H4 Earth Day: How climate change is threatening vulnerable species in Pennsylvania
  • H4 SPONSORED
  • H4 The Delaware Community Foundation Celebrates 40 Years of Community Investment
  • H2 Watch | Listen
  • H4 Listen now skipped
  • H4 Watch now
  • H4 Listen now
  • H4 Watch now
  • H4 Listen now
  • H4 Watch now
  • H2 WHYY Newsletters
  • H4 Subscribe skipped
  • H4 Subscribe
  • H4 Subscribe
  • H4 Subscribe
  • H2 Upcoming Events
  • H2 The Fresh Air Archive
  • H2 Get the WHYY Apps
  • H4 Contact Us skipped
  • H4 Our Programs
  • H4 Inside WHYY
  • H4 Follow Us

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

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

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

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

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

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

D
Alt Text Quality
Action
4 of 25 images have issues
FIX
4 of 25 images have issues
Critical::
4 image(s) missing alt attribute
Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers.
Info::
4 image(s) with alt text over 125 characters
Info::
5 decorative image(s) correctly marked
Info::
12 image(s) with good alt text
25 images 12 good alt text 5 decorative 4 missing
IssueCount
missing4 image(s)
too long4 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

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::
1 navigation landmark(s) detected
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)
2 of 6 testable patterns navigation patterns detected. Limited navigation support. Consider adding breadcrumbs, search, and skip link.
B
Form Accessibility
2 of 2 controls have issues
REVIEW
2 of 2 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="search-submit">
Warning::
1 control(s) rely on placeholder only
Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.
Got: <input type="search" name="s" id="search-terms">
2 controls
0 labeled
1 placeholder only
1 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
#search-termssearch(Search)placeholder only
#search-submitsubmit(none)none

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

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

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="search" name="s" id="search-terms">

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

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
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
Action
20 text elements analyzed, 2 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

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

18 pass 2 fail WCAG AA
title WHYY | Public Media for Pennsylvania, De…
1.58:1
#000000
on
#0F1E8C
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
a Skip to content
1.58:1
#000000
on
#0F1E8C
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
Show all checked elements (20)
ElementRatioRequiredFGBGResult
h2 Fresh Air21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Watch | Listen18.78:13.0:1
#000000
#F2F2F4
Pass
h2 WHYY Newsletters18.78:13.0:1
#000000
#F2F2F4
Pass
h2 Upcoming Events18.78:13.0:1
#000000
#F2F2F4
Pass
h2 The Fresh Air Archiv…18.78:13.0:1
#000000
#F2F2F4
Pass
h2 Get the WHYY Apps18.78:13.0:1
#000000
#F2F2F4
Pass
title WHYY | Public Media …1.58:14.5:1
#000000
#0F1E8C
Fail
a Skip to content1.58:14.5:1
#000000
#0F1E8C
Fail
a Listen Live21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h4 Listen Live21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
div Next21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h4 The Daily / Today Ex…21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
p The Daily is the rad…21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span WHYY21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span rewind21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span play21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span fast-forward21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
p LIVE RADIO21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h4 Fresh Air21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h4 SPONSOR21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
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.

C
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Action
Score 76/100 — 7 failing, 23 passed
REVIEW
76

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

Each ARIA `role` supports a specific subset of `aria-*` attributes. Mismatching these invalidates the `aria-*` attributes. Learn how to match ARIA attributes to their roles.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
Primary Menu div.header--bottom > div.l-container--lg > div.site-nav--top > div.menu-toggle

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.

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
SPONSOR div.jp-title-container > div.jp-title-right > div.jp-sponsor-container > h4.sponsored-tag
SPONSORED article.content-mode > div.col-item > div.col-text > h4.sponsored-tag

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
Social Responsibility at WHYY div.col-flex--1 > div.site-intro > p > a

These are opportunities to improve the legibility of your content.

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
Reported crime on SEPTA continues to drop in 2026 after decade lows last year article.content-mode > div.col-item > div.col-text > h4.f--title
Listen now div.col-text > div.u-faux-table > div.align--bottom > h4
Subscribe div.col-text > div.u-faux-table > div.align--bottom > h4
Contact Us div.flex-grid > div.col-flex--1 > div.site-contacts > h4.f--label

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
body.home > img body.home > img

Link text (and alternate text for images, when used as links) that is discernible, unique, and focusable improves the navigation experience for screen reader users. Learn how to make links accessible.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
div.l-container--lg > div.jp-gui > div.jp-interface > a.btn div.l-container--lg > div.jp-gui > div.jp-interface > a.btn

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.

Best practices

Touch targets with sufficient size and spacing help users who may have difficulty targeting small controls to activate the targets. Learn more about touch targets.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
SCIENCE article.content-mode > div.col-text > div.f--taxonomy > a
STUDIO 2 div.align--bottom > div.categories > div.f--taxonomy > a

These items highlight common accessibility best practices.

○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-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
●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.
●`button`, `link`, and `menuitem` elements have accessible names
●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
●`<frame>` or `<iframe>` elements have a title
●`<html>` element has a `[lang]` attribute
●`<html>` element has a valid value for its `[lang]` attribute
●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
●Skip links are focusable.
●Document has a main landmark.
●Deprecated ARIA roles were not used
●Identical links have the same purpose.
○`[accesskey]` values are unique
○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
○Buttons have an accessible name
○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
○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.
○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.
A+
Landmark Structure
6 landmarks
PASS
6 landmarks
Info::
<main> landmark present
Info::
1 <nav> landmark(s) found
Info::
Skip navigation link present
Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it
BANNER header NAV MAIN ASIDE CONTENTINFO footer
A
404 Error Page
HTTP 404, custom page
PASS
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
Info::
Search form present on 404 page
404 Page Quality ✓ Custom 404 Page
Status Code HTTP 404 ✓Page Title Page not found - WHYY ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✓Search Form ✓
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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