An image that carries real information is added through CSS as a background image, so there is no alt text anywhere — screen reader users never know it exists.
WCAG 2.2 Accessibility Scenario Learning Hub
A guided course for learning accessibility through realistic, industry-grounded product scenarios. Each scenario carries a unique real-world example, plain-language explanation, and a direct reference to the official WCAG 2.2 Understanding document.
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Module · Perceivable
1.1.1 — Non-text Content
Every meaningful image, icon, chart, or other non-text object needs a text alternative that serves the same purpose, while purely decorative images must be hidden from assistive technology.
The alt text describes the image but leaves out information that is shown only through colors in the image (e.g., which bar on the chart is which).
A script swaps the paperclip icon when files are attached, but never updates the image's alt text, so screen readers still announce the old state: no files attached.
The 'alt text' is not really a description — it's a filename (IMG_0234.jpg) or a filler word like 'image', which tells the user nothing.
A purely decorative image has no alt attribute and no role="presentation", so screen readers can't tell it should be ignored: they stop on it and may read out its file name.
A decorative spacer image has alt text such as "image" or "spacer" instead of an empty alt, so screen readers read out a meaningless word instead of skipping it.
The forecast's weather icon and the icon-only refresh button are img elements with no alt attribute at all, so screen readers may read the file name or just say "image", and the refresh button has no name.
The route map has a long description, but it describes the wrong thing: the image's aria-describedby points to a paragraph about the company, so none of what the map shows (the streets, the turns, the travel time) reaches someone who can't see it.
The "About Me" heading is typed in Unicode math letters (𝓐𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓜𝓮) that only look like a script font. They aren't the letters A, b, o, u, t, so screen readers, braille displays, search and translation tools may not get the words "About Me", and there's no text alternative.
The playlist's cat mascot is ASCII art: a picture drawn with keyboard characters such as /, \, _, ( and ^ inside a <pre>. It has no text alternative, so a screen reader gets the characters, not the picture, and nothing says it shows a cat (F72).
Glossary
- Accessible name
- The short name assistive technology uses for a control — often from a label, aria-label, or associated text. Comes up directly in WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value: user interface components must expose an accessible name, role, and current value or state that assistive technologies can determine and update.
- Alt text (text alternative)
- The written description of an image that screen readers read aloud instead of the image. Comes up directly in WCAG 1.1.1 Non-text Content: every meaningful image, icon, chart, or other non-text object needs a text alternative that serves the same purpose, while purely decorative images must be hidden from assistive technology.
- ARIA
- A set of HTML attributes that explain roles, names, and states to assistive technologies when native HTML is not enough.
- Assistive technology (AT)
- Tools people with disabilities use to operate software: screen readers, magnifiers, voice control, switch devices. Comes up directly in WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value: user interface components must expose an accessible name, role, and current value or state that assistive technologies can determine and update.
- Contrast ratio
- A measured difference between text (or a graphic) and what sits behind it; higher ratios are easier to see. Comes up directly in WCAG 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum): normal text must meet at least 4.5:1 contrast against its background, and large text must meet at least 3:1.
- Focus / keyboard focus
- The single element currently 'selected' by the keyboard — where Enter/Space/typing will act. Moved with Tab. Comes up directly in WCAG 2.4.7 Focus Visible: keyboard focus must always be visible.
- Focus indicator
- The visible highlight that shows which element currently has keyboard focus. Comes up directly in WCAG 2.4.7 Focus Visible: keyboard focus must always be visible.
- Focus order / tab order
- The sequence elements are reached when pressing Tab repeatedly. Comes up directly in WCAG 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence: the reading order in the code must match the order that makes sense visually.
- Keyboard trap
- A situation where keyboard focus moves into a component and cannot move out using standard keys. Comes up directly in WCAG 2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap: keyboard focus must never get stuck anywhere on the page.
- Landmark
- A page region such as banner, navigation, main, or contentinfo that screen-reader users can jump between. Comes up directly in WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships: structure you can SEE (headings, lists, tables, labels, groups, required marks) must also exist in the code so screen readers perceive the same structure.
- Live region / status role
- Markup (for example aria-live or role="status") that tells screen readers to announce updates without moving focus. Comes up directly in WCAG 4.1.3 Status Messages: status messages ('Saved', 'Loading', '3 results') must be announced by screen readers without stealing focus.
- Programmatically determinable
- Available in code so software — not only human eyes — can read the information reliably.
- Reading order
- The order assistive technology reads content, which follows the DOM sequence rather than pure visual placement. Comes up directly in WCAG 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence: the reading order in the code must match the order that makes sense visually.
- Screen reader
- Software such as NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, or TalkBack that speaks or brailles interface content and controls. Comes up directly in WCAG 1.1.1 Non-text Content: every meaningful image, icon, chart, or other non-text object needs a text alternative that serves the same purpose, while purely decorative images must be hidden from assistive technology.
- Semantic markup
- Using HTML elements that match meaning (headings, lists, tables, buttons) instead of generic styled containers alone. Comes up directly in WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships: structure you can SEE (headings, lists, tables, labels, groups, required marks) must also exist in the code so screen readers perceive the same structure.
- Viewport
- The visible browser area. Reflow testing often uses about 320 CSS pixels of width. Comes up directly in WCAG 1.4.10 Reflow: at 320px width (400% zoom on desktop) content must reflow into one column with no horizontal scrolling and nothing missing.
Capstone audits
Practice spotting real issues (and ignoring correct implementations) in branded product flows.
CityLights (W3C Before & After Demo)
Audit This: CityLights — W3C’s real ‘Before and After Demonstration’ site
6 checks · 4 fails · 2 passes
Start audit →Animal Shelter Demo (codepo8 / Christian Heilmann)
Audit This: A real open-source ‘page with errors’ accessibility teaching demo
7 checks · 5 fails · 2 passes
Start audit →Atomic Accessibility Demo
Audit This: A real published ‘inaccessible web page’ demo, checked against its own accessible twin
4 checks · 4 fails · 0 passes
Start audit →Final exam
Comprehensive assessment
WCAG 2.2 Comprehensive Assessment
110 questions · pass at 80% · scored by WCAG principle with remediation links
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