Accessibility

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

SCORE

GRADE

FIX

REVIEW

PASS

INFO

Checks

4 PASS 6 REVIEW 3 FIX

Dark Mode Support

Action

Theme color only

FIX

Theme color only

Theme-color present but no dark variant

A theme-color is set but no dark-specific variant was found. The browser toolbar may not adapt for dark mode users.

Got: #ffffff

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 ModePartial Dark Mode

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 ✗

Navigation UX

Action

1 navigation pattern(s)

FIX

1 navigation pattern(s)

Back-to-top link detected

2 navigation landmark(s) detected

No breadcrumbs, search, or skip link detected

These navigation aids help users orient themselves and find content efficiently, especially on large sites.

Breadcrumbs

Skip Link

Labeled Navigation 2 <nav> element(s)

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.

Landmark Structure

10 landmarks

REVIEW

10 landmarks

<main> landmark present

2 <nav> landmark(s) found

2 of 2 <nav> elements are unlabeled

Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.

Skip navigation link is missing (WCAG 2.4.1)

Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.

Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it

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

Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.

Why this matters

Without a skip-nav link, keyboard users tab through every nav item before reaching content — every page, every visit.

Learn more ▾

WCAG 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks) requires a mechanism to skip past repeated content. The standard implementation is a 'Skip to main content' link that's the first focusable element, visually hidden until focused. Three lines of HTML + four of CSS.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.1

Link & Button Quality

1 issue(s) across 139 links and 11 buttons

REVIEW

1 issue(s) across 139 links and 11 buttons

1 link(s) with no accessible text

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

Got: #maincontent

16 link(s) open in new tab without warning

Add '(opens in new tab)' to link text or aria-label.

Got: https://blog.doaj.org/2026/04/15/call-for-volunteers/; https://blog.doaj.org/2026/04/13/updates-to-the-guide-to-applying-appeals-int…; https://blog.doaj.org/2026/04/09/meet-the-doaj-team-platform-manager-brendan-…; https://blog.doaj.org/2026/03/30/teaching-python-programming-with-doajs-journ…; https://blog.doaj.org/; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/; https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/; https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/; https://unsplash.com/@davidjorre (+6 more)

122 link(s) with descriptive text

139 links

1 empty

0 generic text

16 new tab

0 empty buttons

Element	Text	Issue	Suggested Fix
#maincontent	(empty)	empty	Add link text or aria-label
https://blog.doaj.org/2026/04/15/call-fo…	15 April 2026 …	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://blog.doaj.org/2026/04/13/updates…	13 April 2026 …	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://blog.doaj.org/2026/04/09/meet-th…	9 April 2026 …	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://blog.doaj.org/2026/03/30/teachin…	30 March 2026 …	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://blog.doaj.org/	→ All blog posts	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-…	See license summary	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-…	Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Int…	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain…	See license summary	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain…	CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0) Public…	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://unsplash.com/@davidjorre	David Jorre	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://unsplash.com/@jipy32	Jean-Philippe Delberghe	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://unsplash.com/@jjying	JJ Ying	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://unsplash.com/@lucabravo	Luca Bravo	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://unsplash.com/@brandi1	Brandi Redd	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://unsplash.com/@christianperner	Christian Perner	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text
https://unsplash.com	Unsplash	new tab	Add '(opens in new tab)' to text

133 links and buttons have descriptive text

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

#maincontent

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

Add '(opens in new tab)' to link text or aria-label.

https://blog.doaj.org/2026/04/15/call-for-volunteers/; https://blog.doaj.org/2026/04/13/updates-to-the-guide-to-applying-appeals-int…; https://blog.doaj.org/2026/04/09/meet-the-doaj-team-platform-manager-brendan-…; https://blog.doaj.org/2026/03/30/teaching-python-programming-with-doajs-journ…; https://blog.doaj.org/; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/; https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/; https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/; https://unsplash.com/@davidjorre (+6 more)

Why this matters

Links with target="_blank" without rel="noopener" leak the originating page's window context — security and UX issue.

Learn more ▾

Without rel="noopener", the new tab can navigate the original tab via window.opener (tab-nabbing attack). Modern browsers default to noopener for target=_blank but only since recent versions. Always set rel="noopener noreferrer" explicitly.

Source: MDN target / OWASP

Favicon & Branding

Action

6 icon(s) detected

REVIEW

6 icon(s) detected

No favicon.ico at site root

Some older browsers, bookmark tools, and RSS readers look for /favicon.ico. Add one as a fallback.

HTML icon links detected

Apple touch icon present

Multiple icon sizes detected

✗ favicon.ico Missing

✓ 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, 18 fail WCAG AA

REVIEW

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

2 pass 18 fail WCAG AA

h1 Find open access journals & articles.

1.39:1

#000000

#282624

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

32px · bottom of viewport

h2 Secondary actions

1.39:1

#000000

#282624

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 DOAJ in numbers

1.39:1

#000000

#282624

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Quick search

1.39:1

#000000

#282624

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 About the directory

1.39:1

#000000

#282624

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Funding

1.39:1

#000000

#282624

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Blog

1.39:1

#000000

#282624

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Volunteers

1.39:1

#000000

#282624

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Recently-added journals

1.39:1

#000000

#282624

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Search

1.39:1

#000000

#282624

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Data

1.39:1

#000000

#282624

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 About

1.39:1

#000000

#282624

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Support

1.39:1

#000000

#282624

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Apply

1.39:1

#000000

#282624

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Stay up to date

1.39:1

#000000

#282624

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 Legal & admin

1.39:1

#000000

#282624

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h2 The Directory of Open Access Journals

1.39:1

#000000

#282624

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

24px · bottom of viewport

h3 Call for Volunteers

1.39:1

#000000

#282624

needs 3.0:1 (large text)

19px · bottom of viewport

Show all checked elements (20)

Element	Ratio	Required	FG	BG	Result
h1 Find open access jou…	1.39:1	3.0:1	#000000	#282624	Fail
h2 The Directory of Ope…	21.00:1	3.0:1	#000000	#FFFFFF	Pass
h2 Main actions	16.27:1	3.0:1	#000000	#F0DFDA	Pass
h2 Secondary actions	1.39:1	3.0:1	#000000	#282624	Fail
h2 DOAJ in numbers	1.39:1	3.0:1	#000000	#282624	Fail
h2 Quick search	1.39:1	3.0:1	#000000	#282624	Fail
h2 About the directory	1.39:1	3.0:1	#000000	#282624	Fail
h2 Funding	1.39:1	3.0:1	#000000	#282624	Fail
h2 Blog	1.39:1	3.0:1	#000000	#282624	Fail
h2 Volunteers	1.39:1	3.0:1	#000000	#282624	Fail
h2 Recently-added journ…	1.39:1	3.0:1	#000000	#282624	Fail
h2 Search	1.39:1	3.0:1	#000000	#282624	Fail
h2 Data	1.39:1	3.0:1	#000000	#282624	Fail
h2 About	1.39:1	3.0:1	#000000	#282624	Fail
h2 Support	1.39:1	3.0:1	#000000	#282624	Fail
h2 Apply	1.39:1	3.0:1	#000000	#282624	Fail
h2 Stay up to date	1.39:1	3.0:1	#000000	#282624	Fail
h2 Legal & admin	1.39:1	3.0:1	#000000	#282624	Fail
h2 The Directory of Ope…	1.39:1	3.0:1	#000000	#282624	Fail
h3 Call for Volunteers	1.39:1	3.0:1	#000000	#282624	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.

Lighthouse Accessibility Audits

Score 88/100 — 3 failing, 30 passed

REVIEW

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

Some ARIA parent roles must contain specific child roles to perform their intended accessibility functions. Learn more about roles and required children elements.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
SEARCH `div.container > div.row > nav.col-xs-8 > ul#main_actions`

Some ARIA child roles must be contained by specific parent roles to properly perform their intended accessibility functions. Learn more about ARIA roles and required parent element.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
GET PREMIUM `div.flex-space-between > ul.nav-bar > li.secondary-nav__item_mobile > a#menu-premium`

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.

Names and labels

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
body#body > a.skip-to-main `body#body > a.skip-to-main`

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

●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.

●Select elements have associated label elements.

●`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

●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.

●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

●ARIA IDs are unique

●Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements

●Identical links have the same purpose.

●Elements with visible text labels have matching accessible names.

○`[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 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

○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.

○Image elements have `[alt]` attributes

○Input buttons have discernible text.

○`<input type="image">` elements have `[alt]` text

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

○`<object>` elements have alternate text

○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.

○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.

A+

Heading Hierarchy

31 headings

PASS

31 headings

Single H1 present

H2 The Directory of Open Access Journals
H2 Main actions
H2 Secondary actions
H1 Find open access journals & articles.
H2 DOAJ in numbers
H2 Quick search
H2 About the directory
H2 Funding
H2 Blog
H3 Call for Volunteers
H3 Updates to the Guide to Applying – appeals, Integrity and Ethics, and wording
H3 Meet the DOAJ Team: Platform Manager Brendan O’Connell
H3 Teaching Python programming with DOAJ’s journal dataset
H2 Volunteers
H3 Fei Yu
H3 Natalia Pamuła
H3 Pablo Hernandez
H3 Paola Galimberti
H3 Dawam M. Rohmatulloh
H3 Mihaela Teodor
H3 S. Mohammad Amini
H2 Recently-added journals
H3 WeChat QR code
H2 Search
H2 Data
H2 About
H2 Support
H2 Apply
H2 Stay up to date
H2 Legal & admin
H2 The Directory of Open Access Journals

A+

Alt Text Quality

All 1 images OK

PASS

All 1 images OK

1 decorative image(s) correctly marked

1 images 1 decorative

All images have appropriate alt text.

A+

Form Accessibility

All 8 controls labeled

PASS

All 8 controls labeled

8 control(s) properly labeled

8 controls

8 labeled

0 placeholder only

0 unlabeled

Control	Type	Label	Method
#journals	radio	Journals	for/id
#articles	radio	Articles	for/id
#keywords	text	Search by keywords:	for/id
#fields	select	In the field:	for/id
#quick-search-journals	radio	Journals	for/id
#quick-search-articles	radio	Articles	for/id
#quick-search-keywords	text	Search by keywords:	for/id
#quick-search-fields	select	In the field:	for/id

404 Error Page

HTTP 404, custom page

PASS

HTTP 404, custom page

Correct 404 status code returned

Got: HTTP 404

Custom styled 404 page

Navigation links present on 404 page

Homepage link present on 404 page

Search form present on 404 page

404 Page Quality ✓ Custom 404 Page

Status Code HTTP 404 ✓Page Title DOAJ Logotype ✓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.