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Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
65
GRADE
D
FIX
5
REVIEW
3
PASS
5
INFO
0
Checks
13
5 PASS 3 REVIEW 5 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 ✗
F
Navigation UX
Action
1 navigation pattern(s)
FIX
1 navigation pattern(s)
Info::
Skip navigation link detected
Info::
5 navigation landmark(s) detected
Info::
Hamburger menu detected (responsive design)
Breadcrumbs
Search
Skip Link Skip link detected
Labeled Navigation 5 <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 WSU Cougar Head ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✓Homepage Link ✓Search Form ✗
C
Favicon & Branding
Action
4 icon(s) detected
REVIEW
4 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
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
Action
20 text elements analyzed, 12 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

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

8 pass 12 fail WCAG AA 2 pass AA only
h1 Washington State University
1.97:1
#000000
on
#810421
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
32px · bottom of viewport
h2 Quick Links
1.97:1
#000000
on
#810421
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h2 WSU Campuses
1.97:1
#000000
on
#810421
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h2 What’s
1.97:1
#000000
on
#810421
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h2 At WSU
1.97:1
#000000
on
#810421
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h2 The
1.97:1
#000000
on
#810421
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h2 Difference
1.97:1
#000000
on
#810421
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
h2 Connect With
1.97:1
#000000
on
#810421
needs 3.0:1 (large text)
24px · bottom of viewport
a Washington State University
4.02:1
#000000
on
#616D82
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold · over background image/gradient
a Visit WSU
2.56:1
#000000
on
#554D4E
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold · over background image/gradient
a Apply
4.20:1
#000000
on
#8D6754
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold · over background image/gradient
button Quicklinks / Search
2.23:1
#000000
on
#74331A
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold

3 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 Washington State Uni…1.97:13.0:1
#000000
#810421
Fail
h2 Quick Links1.97:13.0:1
#000000
#810421
Fail
h2 WSU Campuses1.97:13.0:1
#000000
#810421
Fail
h2 What’s1.97:13.0:1
#000000
#810421
Fail
h2 At WSU1.97:13.0:1
#000000
#810421
Fail
h2 The1.97:13.0:1
#000000
#810421
Fail
h2 Difference1.97:13.0:1
#000000
#810421
Fail
h2 Connect With1.97:13.0:1
#000000
#810421
Fail
title Washington State Uni…21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
a Skip to menu21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
a Skip to content21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
button Close10.37:14.5:1
#000000
#A3BAC3
Pass
div Washington State Uni…7.46:14.5:1
#000000
#809FAA
Pass
a Learn more about the…7.40:14.5:1
#000000
#879DA6
Pass
button Open6.96:14.5:1
#000000
#90959C
Pass
a Washington State Uni…4.02:14.5:1
#000000
#616D82
Fail
a Visit WSU2.56:14.5:1
#000000
#554D4E
Fail
a Request Info4.62:14.5:1
#000000
#88716B
Pass
a Apply4.20:14.5:1
#000000
#8D6754
Fail
button Quicklinks / Search2.23:14.5:1
#000000
#74331A
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
Landmark Structure
11 landmarks
PASS
11 landmarks
Info::
<main> landmark present
Info::
5 <nav> landmark(s) found
Warning::
3 of 5 <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 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+
Heading Hierarchy
9 headings
PASS
9 headings
Info::
Single H1 present
  • H2 Quick Links
  • H2 WSU Campuses
  • H1 Washington State University
  • H2 What’s Happening At WSU
  • H3 Students spend spring break caring for the WSU cattle herd during calving season
  • H3 Little Birds delivers message of possibility to younger kids
  • H3 Scientists capture a grizzly-eye view of the Arctic
  • H2 The WSU Difference
  • H2 Connect With Cougs
A+
Alt Text Quality
All 38 images OK
PASS
All 38 images OK
Info::
14 decorative image(s) correctly marked
Info::
24 image(s) with good alt text
38 images 24 good alt text 14 decorative
All images have appropriate alt text.
A
Form Accessibility
1 of 1 controls have issues
PASS
1 of 1 controls have issues
Warning::
1 control(s) rely on placeholder only
Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.
Got: <input type="text" name="q">
1 controls
0 labeled
1 placeholder only
0 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
qtext(Search)placeholder only

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

<input type="text" name="q">

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

A+
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Score 97/100 — 2 failing, 29 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.

Best practices

Touch targets with sufficient size and spacing help users who may have difficulty targeting small controls to activate the targets. Learn more about touch targets.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
#spocougs article.crt-post > div.crt-post-c > div.crt-post-text > a
#wsuspokane article.crt-post > div.crt-post-c > div.crt-post-text > a
#gocougs article.crt-post > div.crt-post-c > div.crt-post-text > a
#spring article.crt-post > div.crt-post-c > div.crt-post-text > a
#spokane article.crt-post > div.crt-post-c > div.crt-post-text > a
#wsu article.crt-post > div.crt-post-c > div.crt-post-text > a
4 DAYS AGO div.crt-post-c > div.crt-post-footer > span.crt-post-date > a.crt-post-date-link
POLICIES nav.wsu-footer-global__navigation > ul.wsu-menu-tertiary > li > a
FOLLOW WSU nav.wsu-footer-global__navigation > ul.wsu-menu-tertiary > li > a

These items highlight common accessibility best practices.

Visible text labels that do not match the accessible name can result in a confusing experience for screen reader users. Learn more about accessible names.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
Explore WSU Spokane div.wsu-hero > div.wsu-hero__content > div.wsu-hero__caption > a.wsu-button
Explore WSU Tri-Cities div.wsu-hero > div.wsu-hero__content > div.wsu-hero__caption > a.wsu-button
○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]` 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
●`[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
●`[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
●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
●Heading elements appear in a sequentially-descending order
●Skip links are focusable.
●Document has a main landmark.
●Deprecated ARIA roles were not used
●`<video>` elements contain a `<track>` element with `[kind="captions"]`
●Identical links have the same purpose.
○`[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
○`[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 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.
○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
○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.
○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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