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Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
68
GRADE
D
FIX
3
REVIEW
6
PASS
4
INFO
0
Checks
13
4 PASS 6 REVIEW 3 FIX
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 ✗
C
Landmark Structure
Action
5 landmarks
REVIEW
5 landmarks
Critical::
No <main> landmark found
Screen reader users cannot quickly navigate to the primary content. Wrap your main content in <main>.
Info::
2 <nav> landmark(s) found
Warning::
2 of 2 <nav> elements are unlabeled
Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.
Info::
Skip navigation link present
Info::
Search landmark present
Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it
BANNER header NAV SEARCH MAIN (missing!) CONTENTINFO footer

Screen reader users cannot quickly navigate to the primary content. Wrap your main content in <main>.

Why this matters

Without a <main> landmark, screen-reader users can't skip past the navigation to the page content — every page starts with re-reading the menu.

Learn more ▾

The <main> element marks the page's primary content area. Assistive tech offers a 'jump to main' shortcut — but only if <main> exists. Without it, every page navigation forces re-reading the header. Wrap your primary content in a single <main>.

Source: WAI-ARIA / WCAG 2.4.1

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

B
Heading Hierarchy
17 headings
REVIEW
17 headings
Warning::
Multiple H1 headings (3 found)
A page should have only one H1. Multiple H1s dilute the document outline.
Warning::
2 empty heading(s)
Empty headings appear in the document outline but provide no information.
  • H1 (empty)
  • H1 (empty)
  • H1 University Corporation for Atmospheric Research duplicate H1
  • H2 Serving the Earth system science community
  • H3 Quicklinks
  • H4 What we do
  • H4 What we offer
  • H4 Opportunities
  • H3 Newly renovated Sun-Earth Connections exhibit is now open
  • H3 News
  • H4 Researchers win prestigious AMS, AGU honors for contributions to Earth system science
  • H5 Six NSF NCAR and UCAR researchers recognized
  • H3 Opportunities for the Community
  • H4 Postal Address
  • H4 Shipping Address
  • H4 Follow Us
  • H4 Subscribe to News

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

Empty headings appear in the document outline but provide no information.

Why this matters

Empty <hN> tags break the document outline — screen-reader users navigating by heading hit dead silence.

Source: WCAG 2.4.6

C
Favicon & Branding
Action
12 icon(s) detected
REVIEW
12 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::
Apple touch icon present
Info::
Multiple icon sizes detected
✗ favicon.ico Missing
✓ PNG Icons Present
✓ Apple Touch Present
✗ SVG Favicon Missing
✗ Manifest Icons Missing
✓ Multiple Sizes Present
C
Navigation UX
Action
2 navigation pattern(s)
REVIEW
2 navigation pattern(s)
Info::
Search functionality detected
Got: role-search
Info::
Skip navigation link detected
Info::
2 navigation landmark(s) detected
Info::
Hamburger menu detected (responsive design)
Breadcrumbs
Search role='search' landmark
Skip Link Skip link detected
Labeled Navigation 2 <nav> element(s)
Back to Top
Hamburger Menu
Sticky Navigation Cannot reliably detect (CSS-based)
4 of 6 testable patterns navigation patterns detected. Strong navigation UX with multiple discovery paths.
C
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
Action
20 text elements analyzed, 19 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

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

1 pass 19 fail WCAG AA 1 pass AA only
h1 University Corporation for Atmospheric R…
1.19:1
#000000
on
#011837
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
32px · bottom of viewport · over background image/gradient
h2 Serving the Earth system science communi…
1.19:1
#000000
on
#011837
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport · over background image/gradient
h3 Quicklinks
1.19:1
#000000
on
#011837
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Newly renovated Sun-Earth Connections ex…
1.19:1
#000000
on
#011837
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 News
1.19:1
#000000
on
#011837
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
h3 Opportunities for the Community
1.19:1
#000000
on
#011837
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
19px · bottom of viewport
a Skip to main content
2.30:1
#000000
on
#03505A
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area) · over background image/gradient
a Alerts
1.05:1
#000000
on
#09080D
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
button Search
1.08:1
#000000
on
#0D0C11
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
a Who we are
1.18:1
#000000
on
#1C1619
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Overview
1.15:1
#000000
on
#181413
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
p UCAR is a hub for the Earth system scien…
1.64:1
#000000
on
#3F2E2A
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold · over background image/gradient
a UCAR President search
1.24:1
#000000
on
#1F1C1D
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Community Programs
1.22:1
#000000
on
#1F1A1C
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Membership + governance
1.17:1
#000000
on
#181617
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Ethics + integrity
1.14:1
#000000
on
#151415
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a Partners + funders
1.79:1
#000000
on
#00357A
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
a History
1.48:1
#000000
on
#00295F
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold · over background image/gradient
a Staff
1.19:1
#000000
on
#011837
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · mid-page

5 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
h1 University Corporati…1.19:13.0:1
#000000
#011837
Fail
h2 Serving the Earth sy…1.19:13.0:1
#000000
#011837
Fail
h3 Quicklinks1.19:13.0:1
#000000
#011837
Fail
h3 Newly renovated Sun-…1.19:13.0:1
#000000
#011837
Fail
h3 News1.19:13.0:1
#000000
#011837
Fail
h3 Opportunities for th…1.19:13.0:1
#000000
#011837
Fail
title University Corporati…4.54:14.5:1
#000000
#00818F
Pass
a Skip to main content2.30:14.5:1
#000000
#03505A
Fail
a Alerts1.05:14.5:1
#000000
#09080D
Fail
button Search1.08:14.5:1
#000000
#0D0C11
Fail
a Who we are1.18:14.5:1
#000000
#1C1619
Fail
a Overview1.15:14.5:1
#000000
#181413
Fail
p UCAR is a hub for th…1.64:14.5:1
#000000
#3F2E2A
Fail
a UCAR President searc…1.24:14.5:1
#000000
#1F1C1D
Fail
a Community Programs1.22:14.5:1
#000000
#1F1A1C
Fail
a Membership + governa…1.17:14.5:1
#000000
#181617
Fail
a Ethics + integrity1.14:14.5:1
#000000
#151415
Fail
a Partners + funders1.79:14.5:1
#000000
#00357A
Fail
a History1.48:14.5:1
#000000
#00295F
Fail
a Staff1.19:14.5:1
#000000
#011837
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+
Alt Text Quality
All 4 images OK
PASS
All 4 images OK
Info::
4 image(s) with good alt text
4 images 4 good alt text
All images have appropriate alt text.
A+
Form Accessibility
All 4 controls labeled
PASS
All 4 controls labeled
Info::
4 control(s) properly labeled
4 controls
4 labeled
0 placeholder only
0 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
qtextSearcharia-label
qtextSearcharia-label
#mce-EMAILemailEnter your email address to subscribe to the newsletteraria-label
#mc-embedded-subscribesubmitSubscribe to newsaria-label
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 Cannot Be Found | University Corporation for Atmospheric Research ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✓Search Form ✓
A
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Score 91/100 — 4 failing, 24 passed
PASS
91

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
LEARN MORE ABOUT US div.grid-y > div.cell > div.grid-x > a.cell
LEARN MORE ABOUT NSF NCAR div.cell > article.content > p > a.cta-link
U.S. National Science Foundation. div.grid-x > div.cell > p > a

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
U.S. National Science Foundation. div.grid-x > div.cell > 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
What we do div.cell > a > div.inner > h4

These are opportunities to improve keyboard navigation in your application.

Best practices

One main landmark helps screen reader users navigate a web page. Learn more about landmarks.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
html.js html.js

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-*]` 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
●Image elements have `[alt]` attributes
●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.
●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.
●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
○`<frame>` or `<iframe>` elements have a title
○`<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.
○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.
○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.

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