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Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
59
GRADE
D
FIX
5
REVIEW
4
PASS
4
INFO
0
Checks
13
4 PASS 4 REVIEW 5 FIX
F
Favicon & Branding
Action
1 icon(s) detected
FIX
1 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::
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
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::
3 navigation landmark(s) detected
Info::
Hamburger menu detected (responsive design)
Breadcrumbs
Search
Skip Link Skip link detected
Labeled Navigation 3 <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.
C
Heading Hierarchy
Action
38 headings, 1 skip(s)
REVIEW
38 headings, 1 skip(s)
Critical::
No H1 heading found
Every page should have one H1 that describes the page content.
Warning::
Heading level skipped: H2 → H5 (missing H3)
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
  • H2 mobileMenu
  • H2 Main navigation
  • H2 User account menu
  • H2 Page submenu block
  • H2 Poem-a-day
  • H3 Working at the Distillery
  • H2 Jake Young
  • H5 Add to anthology skipped
  • H2 Sign up for Poem-a-Day
  • H2 Poems
  • H3 Karl Lagerfeld’s line of beauty
  • H3 I Decide to Tell Ghost Cowboy My Intentions
  • H3 Trim
  • H3 Night Was Done
  • H2 Poets
  • H3 Langston Hughes
  • H3 Terrance Hayes
  • H3 Danez Smith
  • H3 Jackie Wang
  • H3 Janice Mirikitani
  • H2 Features
  • H3 National Poetry Month 30th Anniversary
  • H3 Poetry & the Creative Mind 2026
  • H3 2026 National Poetry Month Sponsors & Partners
  • H3 Planting Seeds, Creating Safe Passages
  • H3 April 2026 Poem-a-Day Guest Editor Dorianne Laux
  • H3 Poem-a-Day Guest Editors in 2026
  • H2 Announcements
  • H3 Awards
  • H2 American Poets magazine
  • H3 Newsletter Sign Up
  • H3 Support Us
  • H3 Follow Us
  • H2 Footer
  • H3 poets.org
  • H3 academy of american poets
  • H3 national poetry month
  • H3 american poets

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

C
Form Accessibility
Action
3 of 9 controls have issues
REVIEW
3 of 9 controls have issues
Critical::
2 control(s) without accessible label
Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.
Got: <input type="submit" name="subscribe" id="mc-embedded-subscribe">; <input type="submit" name="subscribe" id="mc-embedded-subscribe_89800">
Warning::
1 control(s) rely on placeholder only
Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.
Got: <input type="search" name="combine">
Info::
6 control(s) properly labeled
9 controls
6 labeled
1 placeholder only
2 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
#mce-EMAILemailEmail Address *for/id
#mce-group_89800_2checkboxAcademy of American Poets Newsletterfor/id
#mce-group_89800_8checkboxAcademy of American Poets Educator Newsletterfor/id
#mce-group_89800_4checkboxTeach This Poemfor/id
#mce-group_89800_1checkboxPoem-a-Dayfor/id
#mce-EMAIL_89800emailEmail Addressfor/id
combinesearch(search)placeholder only
#mc-embedded-subscribesubmit(none)none
#mc-embedded-subscribe_89800submit(none)none

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

<input type="submit" name="subscribe" id="mc-embedded-subscribe">; <input type="submit" name="subscribe" id="mc-embedded-subscribe_89800">

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="combine">

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

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
h2 mobileMenu
1.10:1
#000000
on
#0F0F0F
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · top of page (header area)
h2 User account menu
1.21:1
#000000
on
#1A1A1A
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · mid-page
Show all checked elements (20)
ElementRatioRequiredFGBGResult
h2 mobileMenu1.10:13.0:1
#000000
#0F0F0F
Fail
h2 Main navigation20.12:13.0:1
#000000
#FAFAFA
Pass
h2 User account menu1.21:13.0:1
#000000
#1A1A1A
Fail
h2 Page submenu block5.24:13.0:1
#000000
#7F7F7F
Pass
h2 Poem-a-day5.24:13.0:1
#000000
#7F7F7F
Pass
h2 Sign up for Poem-a-D…5.24:13.0:1
#000000
#7F7F7F
Pass
h2 Poems5.24:13.0:1
#000000
#7F7F7F
Pass
h2 Poets5.24:13.0:1
#000000
#7F7F7F
Pass
h2 Features5.24:13.0:1
#000000
#7F7F7F
Pass
h2 Announcements5.24:13.0:1
#000000
#7F7F7F
Pass
h2 American Poets magaz…5.24:13.0:1
#000000
#7F7F7F
Pass
h2 Footer5.24:13.0:1
#000000
#7F7F7F
Pass
h3 Langston Hughes5.24:13.0:1
#000000
#7F7F7F
Pass
h3 Terrance Hayes5.24:13.0:1
#000000
#7F7F7F
Pass
h3 Danez Smith5.24:13.0:1
#000000
#7F7F7F
Pass
h3 Jackie Wang5.24:13.0:1
#000000
#7F7F7F
Pass
h3 Janice Mirikitani5.24:13.0:1
#000000
#7F7F7F
Pass
h3 Awards5.24:13.0:1
#000000
#7F7F7F
Pass
h3 Newsletter Sign Up5.24:13.0:1
#000000
#7F7F7F
Pass
h3 Support Us5.24:13.0:1
#000000
#7F7F7F
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.

A+
Landmark Structure
10 landmarks
PASS
10 landmarks
Info::
<main> landmark present
Info::
3 <nav> landmark(s) found
Info::
All <nav> elements are properly labeled
Info::
Skip navigation link present
Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it
BANNER header NAV "block-supportus-menu" MAIN ASIDE CONTENTINFO footer
A+
Alt Text Quality
All 19 images OK
PASS
All 19 images OK
Info::
19 image(s) with good alt text
19 images 19 good alt text
All images have appropriate alt text.
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 | Academy of American Poets ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✓Search Form ✓
A+
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Score 97/100 — 1 failing, 31 passed
PASS
97

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
Celebrate With Us article > div.feature__content > div > div.field
Our Thanks article > div.feature__content > div > div.field
APRIL 21, 2026 div.views-row > div.views-field > span.field-content > time
APRIL 16, 2026 div.views-row > div.views-field > span.field-content > time
APRIL 8, 2026 div.views-row > div.views-field > span.field-content > time
access the most recent volume online div.pl-lg-4 > div.pb-4 > p > a
Become a member div.d-flex > div.product-feature__info > div.pl-lg-4 > a.btn
Become a Member div.support__content > ul > li > a
Donate Now div.support__content > ul > li > a
Get Involved div.support__content > ul > li > a
Make a Bequest div.support__content > ul > li > a
Advertise with Us div.support__content > ul > li > a
Customize div#klaro-cookie-notice > div.cn-body > div.cn-ok > button.cm-btn
Reject All div.cn-body > div.cn-ok > div.cn-buttons > button.cm-btn
Accept All div.cn-body > div.cn-ok > div.cn-buttons > button.cm-btn

These are opportunities to improve the legibility of your content.

○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
●`<frame>` or `<iframe>` elements have a title
●`<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
●Heading elements appear in a sequentially-descending order
●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
○`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
○`<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.
○`<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.

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