Accessibility

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

SCORE

GRADE

FIX

REVIEW

PASS

INFO

Checks

3 PASS 4 REVIEW 6 FIX

Form Accessibility

Action

10 of 10 controls have issues

FIX

10 of 10 controls have issues

5 control(s) without accessible label

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

Got: <input type="submit" id="edit-submit">; <input type="submit" id="edit-submit">; <input type="submit" id="edit-submit">; <input type="submit" id="edit-submit">; <input type="submit" name="subscribe" id="mc-embedded-subscribe">

5 control(s) rely on placeholder only

Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.

Got: <input type="search" name="q" id="edit-keys">; <input type="search" name="q" id="edit-keys">; <input type="text" name="FNAME" id="mce-FNAME">; <input type="text" name="LNAME" id="mce-LNAME">; <input type="email" name="EMAIL" id="mce-EMAIL">

10 controls

0 labeled

5 placeholder only

5 unlabeled

Control	Type	Label	Method
#edit-keys	search	(What do you want to learn today?)	placeholder only
#edit-keys	search	(What do you want to learn today?)	placeholder only
#mce-FNAME	text	(First Name)	placeholder only
#mce-LNAME	text	(Last Name)	placeholder only
#mce-EMAIL	email	(Email Address)	placeholder only
#edit-submit	submit	(none)	none
#edit-submit	submit	(none)	none
#edit-submit	submit	(none)	none
#edit-submit	submit	(none)	none
#mc-embedded-subscribe	submit	(none)	none

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

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.

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

Favicon & Branding

Action

1 icon(s) detected

FIX

1 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

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'>.

✗ favicon.ico Missing

✓ PNG Icons Present

✗ Apple Touch Missing

✗ SVG Favicon Missing

✗ Manifest Icons Missing

✗ Multiple Sizes Missing

Web Manifest

Action

Not found

FIX

Not found

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.

Dark Mode Support

Action

No dark mode signals

FIX

No dark mode signals

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 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.

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 ✗

Landmark Structure

3 landmarks

REVIEW

3 landmarks

No <main> landmark found

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

1 <nav> landmark(s) found

Skip navigation link present

Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it

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

Heading Hierarchy

15 headings

REVIEW

15 headings

No H1 heading found

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

H4 The World’s #1 Online Encyclopedia
H4 Picks of the week
H4 Look who's using encyclopedia.com
H5 Pandemic Flu
H5 Bacteriophages
H5 The Anglerfish
H3 income tax
H3 autism
H3 Pure Land Buddhism
H3 Boston Tea Party
H3 Hernan Cortes
H3 Pyrenees
H3 More topics
H2 Subscribe to our newsletter
H2 Footer menu

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

Link & Button Quality

Action

4 issue(s) across 40 links and 5 buttons

REVIEW

4 issue(s) across 40 links and 5 buttons

1 link(s) with no accessible text

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

Got: a#main-content

1 link(s) with generic text

Generic link text like 'click here' doesn't describe the destination.

Got: /about ("Read more")

2 button(s) with no accessible text

Icon-only buttons need an aria-label so screen readers can announce them.

Got: input[type="submit"]#edit-submit; input[type="submit"]#edit-submit

38 link(s) with descriptive text

40 links

1 empty

1 generic text

0 new tab

2 empty buttons

Element	Text	Issue	Suggested Fix
	(empty)	empty	Add link text or aria-label
/about	Read more	generic text	Replace with descriptive text
Before: Read more Suggested: About
<input>	(empty)	empty	Add button text or aria-label
<input>	(empty)	empty	Add button text or aria-label

41 links and buttons have descriptive text

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

a#main-content

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

Generic link text like 'click here' doesn't describe the destination.

/about ("Read more")

Why this matters

Generic anchor text ('click here', 'read more', 'learn more') tells screen readers and search engines nothing about the destination.

Learn more ▾

Out-of-context lists of links read by AT (one navigation pattern) become useless when every link says 'click here'. Use the destination's title or topic as anchor text. Doubles as SEO win — Google passes anchor-text relevance to the destination.

Source: WCAG 2.4.4 / Google Search Central

Icon-only buttons need an aria-label so screen readers can announce them.

input[type="submit"]#edit-submit; input[type="submit"]#edit-submit

Why this matters

Buttons with no accessible text (icon-only, no aria-label) can't be activated by voice control or understood by screen readers.

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 4.1.2

Color Contrast (Screenshot)

Action

20 text elements analyzed, 9 fail WCAG AA

REVIEW

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

11 pass 9 fail WCAG AA

span EXPLORE

4.47:1

#000000

#7A7365

needs 4.5:1 (normal text)

16px · top of page (header area) · over background image/gradient

span EXPLORE

3.70:1

#000000

#69675D

needs 4.5:1 (normal text)

16px · top of page (header area)

a Earth and Environment

2.18:1

#000000

#4D433B

needs 4.5:1 (normal text)

16px · above the fold

a History

1.78:1

#000000

#48332B

needs 4.5:1 (normal text)

16px · above the fold

a Literature and the Arts

1.67:1

#000000

#3F302B

needs 4.5:1 (normal text)

16px · above the fold

a Medicine

1.70:1

#000000

#3F322C

needs 4.5:1 (normal text)

16px · above the fold

a People

1.96:1

#000000

#473C33

needs 4.5:1 (normal text)

16px · above the fold

a Philosophy and Religion

1.75:1

#000000

#40342D

needs 4.5:1 (normal text)

16px · above the fold

a Places

1.57:1

#000000

#372D2A

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)

Element	Ratio	Required	FG	BG	Result
h2 Subscribe to our new…	10.28:1	3.0:1	#000000	#44CB9D	Pass
h2 Footer menu	10.28:1	3.0:1	#000000	#44CB9D	Pass
h3 income tax	10.28:1	3.0:1	#000000	#44CB9D	Pass
h3 autism	10.28:1	3.0:1	#000000	#44CB9D	Pass
h3 Pure Land Buddhism	10.28:1	3.0:1	#000000	#44CB9D	Pass
h3 Boston Tea Party	10.28:1	3.0:1	#000000	#44CB9D	Pass
h3 Hernan Cortes	10.28:1	3.0:1	#000000	#44CB9D	Pass
h3 Pyrenees	10.28:1	3.0:1	#000000	#44CB9D	Pass
h3 More topics	10.28:1	3.0:1	#000000	#44CB9D	Pass
title Encyclopedia.com \| F…	16.52:1	4.5:1	#000000	#E4E4E4	Pass
a Skip to main content	16.06:1	4.5:1	#000000	#E1E1E1	Pass
span EXPLORE	4.47:1	4.5:1	#000000	#7A7365	Fail
span EXPLORE	3.70:1	4.5:1	#000000	#69675D	Fail
a Earth and Environmen…	2.18:1	4.5:1	#000000	#4D433B	Fail
a History	1.78:1	4.5:1	#000000	#48332B	Fail
a Literature and the A…	1.67:1	4.5:1	#000000	#3F302B	Fail
a Medicine	1.70:1	4.5:1	#000000	#3F322C	Fail
a People	1.96:1	4.5:1	#000000	#473C33	Fail
a Philosophy and Relig…	1.75:1	4.5:1	#000000	#40342D	Fail
a Places	1.57:1	4.5:1	#000000	#372D2A	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 7 images OK

PASS

All 7 images OK

3 decorative image(s) correctly marked

4 image(s) with good alt text

7 images 4 good alt text 3 decorative

All images have appropriate alt text.

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 404 | Encyclopedia.com ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✓Search Form ✓

Lighthouse Accessibility Audits

Score 91/100 — 3 failing, 27 passed

PASS

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
Accept All `div.cmpboxbtns > span#cmpwelcomebtnyes > a.cmpboxbtn > span#cmpbntyestxt`
div.ency-hero-search > form > div#edit-actions > input#edit-submit `div.ency-hero-search > form > div#edit-actions > input#edit-submit`
Recently researched about `div.clear-both > div.whoslooking-slider > div.whoslooking-item > span`
Recently researched about `div.clear-both > div.whoslooking-slider > div.whoslooking-item > span`
Recently researched about `div.clear-both > div.whoslooking-slider > div.whoslooking-item > span`
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER `div#block-mailchimp > div > div#mc_embed_signup > h2`
Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. `div#block-mailchimp > div > div#mc_embed_signup > p.secondary-text`
We respect your privacy. `div#block-mailchimp > div > div#mc_embed_signup > p.privacy-text`
HOME `nav#block-trustme-footer > ul > li > a.is-active`
ABOUT US `nav#block-trustme-footer > ul > li > a`
HELP `nav#block-trustme-footer > ul > li > a`
SITE FEEDBACK `nav#block-trustme-footer > ul > li > a`
PRIVACY & COOKIE POLICY `nav#block-trustme-footer > ul > li > a`
TERMS AND CONDITIONS `nav#block-trustme-footer > ul > li > a`
DAILY `nav#block-trustme-footer > ul > li > a`
© 2019 Encyclopedia.com \| All rights reserved. `div#block-trustme-copyright > div > p > span`
Update Privacy Preferences `body.path-frontpage > div.adthrive-comscore > div.adthrive-privacy-preferences > a`
A RAPTIVE PARTNER SITE `body.path-frontpage > div.adthrive-comscore > span`

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
THE WORLD’S #1 ONLINE ENCYCLOPEDIA `div.dialog-off-canvas-main-canvas > div.homepage > div#block-heroblock > h4`

These are opportunities to improve keyboard navigation in your application.

Best practices

Disabling zooming is problematic for users with low vision who rely on screen magnification to properly see the contents of a web page. Learn more about the viewport meta tag.

Why this matters

Informational: a Permissions-Policy directive showing feature -> allowed origins.

Source: MDN Permissions-Policy

Failing Elements
head > meta `head > meta`

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

●Image elements have `[alt]` attributes

●Input buttons have discernible text.

●Form elements have associated labels

●`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

●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

●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.

●`[lang]` attributes have a valid value

●Document has a main landmark.

●Deprecated ARIA roles were not used

●Identical links have the same purpose.

○`[accesskey]` values are unique

○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

○`<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.

○`<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.

All checks on this page are automated. Results are estimates - run targeted manual reviews when the score affects a release decision.