Plain-language definitions of accessibility terminology used throughout this site and in accessibility documentation at UL Lafayette. Terms are alphabetized.
New to accessibility? If you’re just getting started, the most important terms to know are: WCAG, Alt Text, Heading Hierarchy, Keyboard Navigation, Screen Reader, Captions, and Color Contrast Ratio. Everything else builds from there.
ACR (Accessibility Conformance Report) — A completed VPAT submitted by a vendor. The ACR documents how well a product meets accessibility standards. Often used interchangeably with VPAT, though technically the VPAT is the blank template and the ACR is the completed document.
Alt Text (Alternative Text) — A written description of an image, added as the alt attribute in HTML or in document accessibility settings. Enables screen readers to describe images to users who cannot see them. Decorative images should have empty alt text (alt="") so screen readers skip them.
ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) — A set of HTML attributes developed by W3C that define ways to make web content and web applications more accessible, especially dynamic content built with JavaScript. ARIA labels, roles, and states help assistive technologies interpret complex UI components. Use ARIA only when native HTML elements cannot accomplish the same goal.
Assistive Technology (AT) — Hardware or software that helps people with disabilities use digital content. Examples include screen readers, screen magnifiers, voice recognition software, Braille displays, and alternative input devices like sip-and-puff switches.
Captions — Text displayed on screen that represents the spoken words and significant sounds in a video. Closed captions can be turned on or off by the viewer. Open captions are permanently embedded. Captions are required for all pre-recorded and live video content under WCAG 1.2.2 and 1.2.4.
Color Contrast Ratio — A numerical measure of the difference in perceived luminance between two colors. WCAG 2.1 AA requires a minimum ratio of 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text (18px or larger, or 14px bold). Measured using tools like the WebAIM Contrast Checker.
Conformance Level (WCAG) — WCAG defines three levels of conformance: Level A (minimum), Level AA (standard, required by PPM-74 and the DOJ rule), and Level AAA (enhanced). Meeting AA means all Level A and AA success criteria are satisfied.
CVAA (21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act) — A U.S. law requiring advanced communications services and products to be accessible to people with disabilities. Relevant to video conferencing tools, telecommunications, and video-enabled products.
DGA Council — The Digital Governance & Accessibility Council at UL Lafayette. Established in response to PPM-74 to coordinate campus-wide digital accessibility compliance. See About → DGA Council.
DOJ Final Rule — The 2024 Department of Justice rule under ADA Title II that formally adopts WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the binding technical standard for digital content provided by state and local governments, with a compliance deadline of April 24, 2026 for larger entities.
Focus Indicator — A visible outline or highlight that appears around an interactive element when it receives keyboard focus. Required by WCAG 2.4.7. Without visible focus indicators, keyboard-only users cannot tell where they are on the page.
Heading Hierarchy — The structured use of heading levels (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to organize content. Screen reader users navigate by heading structure. A correct hierarchy means one H1 per page, with H2 subsections and H3 sub-subsections in logical sequence. Skipping heading levels (going from H2 to H4) breaks navigation.
Keyboard Navigation — The ability to use a website or application using only a keyboard — no mouse or touch required. Required by WCAG 2.1.1. Users with motor disabilities, power users, and many screen reader users rely on keyboard navigation.
Moodle — UL Lafayette’s Learning Management System (LMS). Course materials posted in Moodle are covered by PPM-74 and the DOJ final rule and must meet WCAG 2.1 AA. Moodle includes Panorama, an integrated accessibility tool.
Panorama — An accessibility tool integrated into UL Lafayette’s Moodle LMS. Scans course content for WCAG 2.1 issues, provides icon-based accessibility ratings, and in many cases allows instructors to fix issues directly within the interface. See Fix Your Content → Course Materials.
PDF Accessibility — A PDF is accessible when it has a logical reading order, correct heading tags, alt text for images, and text that is selectable (not a scanned image). Adobe Acrobat Pro includes an accessibility checker and remediation tools.
PPM-74 — Louisiana Policy and Procedure Memorandum 74 — Web Accessibility Compliance. A state policy effective February 10, 2025, requiring all Louisiana public higher education institutions to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA. The primary driver of UL Lafayette’s current digital accessibility initiative.
Reading Order — The sequence in which content is read by a screen reader. In web pages and documents, reading order should follow visual reading order (left to right, top to bottom for English). Tables used for layout, multi-column designs, and floating elements can disrupt reading order.
Screen Reader — Software that reads digital content aloud to users who are blind or have significant visual impairments. Examples include JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver (macOS/iOS), and TalkBack (Android). Screen readers rely on semantic HTML structure, alt text, heading hierarchy, and ARIA attributes to interpret content.
Section 508 — A U.S. law requiring federal agencies and federally funded organizations to make electronic and information technology accessible. Applies to UL Lafayette in certain contexts related to federal funding. Technical standards largely align with WCAG 2.1.
Semantic HTML — HTML that uses elements according to their intended meaning — headings for headings, lists for lists, buttons for buttons — rather than using generic div or span elements styled to look like them. Semantic HTML is the foundation of accessible web content because assistive technologies depend on it to interpret page structure.
SiteImprove — The accessibility monitoring platform licensed by UL Lafayette. Provides automated scanning, accessibility scoring, and issue tracking for all louisiana.edu web properties. Contact OCM for access to your site’s report.
Success Criterion — An individual testable requirement within WCAG. Each success criterion is assigned a level (A, AA, or AAA) and has a unique number (e.g., 1.4.3 for color contrast). Meeting WCAG 2.1 Level AA means all Level A and AA success criteria are satisfied.
Tab Order — The sequence in which keyboard focus moves through interactive elements when the user presses Tab. Tab order should follow the visual reading order of the page. An illogical tab order — jumping around the page unpredictably — is a WCAG 2.4.3 failure.
Transcript — A full text version of audio or video content. Transcripts must include all spoken words and significant non-speech sounds. Required alongside captions for audio-only content (e.g., podcasts) under WCAG 1.2.1.
VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) — A standardized form used by technology vendors to document their product’s accessibility conformance. When completed by a vendor, the VPAT becomes an ACR (Accessibility Conformance Report). Required documentation for digital tool procurement at UL Lafayette. See Training & Resources → VPATs.
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) — The internationally recognized technical standard for digital accessibility, developed by the W3C. WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the standard required by PPM-74, the DOJ final rule, and UL Lafayette’s digital accessibility policy. Organized around four principles: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR).
WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind) — a nonprofit organization based at Utah State University that provides accessibility resources, training, and evaluation tools. WebAIM’s WAVE tool and Contrast Checker are widely used and free. webaim.org