Skip to content
https://du.edu

Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
58
GRADE
D
FIX
6
REVIEW
3
PASS
4
INFO
0
Checks
13
4 PASS 3 REVIEW 6 FIX
F
Heading Hierarchy
Action
49 headings, 7 skip(s)
FIX
49 headings, 7 skip(s)
Warning::
Multiple H1 headings (2 found)
A page should have only one H1. Multiple H1s dilute the document outline.
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 → H5 (missing H3)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H2 → H5 (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 → H5 (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::
3 empty heading(s)
Empty headings appear in the document outline but provide no information.
  • H2 Visit Our Campus
  • H2 The World is Your Classroom
  • H2 Make Yourself at Home
  • H2 The DU 4D Experience
  • H1 (empty)
  • H1 National Champions duplicate H1
  • H2 Let's Get Started
  • H4 UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS skipped
  • H4 GRADUATE PROGRAMS
  • H4 PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
  • H4 At DU, ambition meets altitude.
  • H3 Careers and Lives of Purpose
  • H3 Character and the 4D Experience
  • H3 The Kennedy Mountain Experience
  • H4 Love where you learn.
  • H4 Excellence in the classroom and on the field.
  • H2 DU Now
  • H3 How a Dual Campus Enriches the Student Experience
  • H3 DU Launches Colorado's First Reduced-Credit Bachelor's Degree
  • H3 DU Announces Partnership With Denver Summit FC
  • H2 Private University, Public Good
  • H2 Follow Us:
  • H2 Start Your Application
  • H5 Undergraduate Applicants skipped
  • H6 Common App
  • H6 Bachelor Completions
  • H5 (empty)
  • H5 Graduate Applicants
  • H6 Apply Now
  • H6 Explore Programs
  • H2 Start Your Application
  • H5 Graduate Applicants skipped
  • H6 Apply Now
  • H6 Explore Programs
  • H2 Take The First Step
  • H4 Undergraduates skipped
  • H4 Graduates
  • H2 Start Your Application:
  • H5 Undergraduate Applicants skipped
  • H6 Common App
  • H6 Bachelor Completions
  • H6 (empty)
  • H2 See Our Campus
  • H4 Undergraduates skipped
  • H4 Graduates
  • H2 Disclosures
  • H2 Important Links for Navigating COVID
  • H4 Government Bodies skipped
  • H4 Healthcare Services

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

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

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

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

D
Favicon & Branding
Action
2 icon(s) detected
FIX
2 icon(s) detected
Info::
favicon.ico present at site root
Info::
HTML icon links detected
Info::
No apple-touch-icon detected
iOS devices use this when users add your site to their home screen. Add <link rel='apple-touch-icon' sizes='180x180' href='/apple-touch-icon.png'>.
Info::
SVG favicon detected — scales perfectly to any size
✓ favicon.ico Present
✓ PNG Icons Present
✗ Apple Touch Missing
✓ SVG Favicon Present
✗ Manifest Icons Missing
✗ Multiple Sizes Missing
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::
7 navigation landmark(s) detected
Info::
Hamburger menu detected (responsive design)
Breadcrumbs
Search
Skip Link Skip link detected
Labeled Navigation 7 <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
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 Error 404 - Page Not Found ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✓Search Form ✗
C
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
Action
20 text elements analyzed, 3 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

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

17 pass 3 fail WCAG AA 1 pass AA only
title University of Denver
3.18:1
#000000
on
#BA0C2F
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
div . You can change your cookie settings at…
4.28:1
#000000
on
#717075
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area) · over background image/gradient
span Preferences
1.14:1
#000000
on
#1A1216
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
h1 National Champions21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Let's Get21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Private University, …21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Follow Us:21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Start Your21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Start Your21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Take The21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Start Your21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 See Our21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Disclosures21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h2 Important Links for …21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h3 Careers and Lives of21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h3 Character and the21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h3 The21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
h3 Experience21.00:13.0:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
title University of Denver3.18:14.5:1
#000000
#BA0C2F
Fail
div We use essential coo…6.37:14.5:1
#000000
#D66D82
Pass
span Cookie Policy21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
div . You can change you…4.28:14.5:1
#000000
#717075
Fail
span Preferences1.14:14.5:1
#000000
#1A1216
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 88/100 — 4 failing, 30 passed
REVIEW
88

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

When a `progressbar` element doesn't have an accessible name, screen readers announce it with a generic name, making it unusable for users who rely on screen readers. Learn how to label `progressbar` elements.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
div#off-canvas-content > article#main-content > div.experiential-wrapper > div.progress div#off-canvas-content > article#main-content > div.experiential-wrapper > div.progress
div#off-canvas-content > article#main-content > div.experiential-wrapper > div.progress div#off-canvas-content > article#main-content > div.experiential-wrapper > div.progress
div#off-canvas-content > article#main-content > div.experiential-wrapper > div.progress div#off-canvas-content > article#main-content > div.experiential-wrapper > div.progress

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.

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
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS div.columns > div > div.cards-module__content > h4

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.du-home > img body.du-home > img

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.

Tables and lists

Screen readers have a specific way of announcing lists. Ensuring proper list structure aids screen reader output. Learn more about proper list structure.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
EXPLORE RESOURCES FOR header.header > div#utility-menu > nav#block-utilitymenu > ul.menu

These are opportunities to improve the experience of reading tabular or list data using 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
●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
●`[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.
●`button`, `link`, and `menuitem` elements have accessible names
●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
●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.
●Links have a discernible name
●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.
●Document has a main landmark.
●Deprecated ARIA roles were not used
●All heading elements contain content.
●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.
○`[accesskey]` values are unique
○ARIA input fields have accessible names
○ARIA `meter` 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
○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
○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>`.
○Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements
○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
10 landmarks
PASS
10 landmarks
Info::
<main> landmark present
Info::
7 <nav> landmark(s) found
Warning::
1 of 7 <nav> elements are unlabeled
Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.
Info::
Skip navigation link present
Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it
BANNER header NAV "block-utilitymenu-menu" MAIN CONTENTINFO footer

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

A
Alt Text Quality
2 of 42 images have issues
PASS
2 of 42 images have issues
Critical::
1 image(s) missing alt attribute
Images without alt text are invisible to screen readers.
Warning::
1 image(s) with generic alt text
Info::
40 image(s) with good alt text
42 images 40 good alt text 1 generic 1 missing
IssueCount
missing1 image(s)
generic1 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

A+
Form Accessibility
All 1 controls labeled
PASS
All 1 controls labeled
Info::
1 control(s) properly labeled
1 controls
1 labeled
0 placeholder only
0 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
#site-search-inputtextSearch Inputfor/id
All checks on this page are automated. Results are estimates - run targeted manual reviews when the score affects a release decision.

Send Feedback