Achieving WCAG A Compliance for Boards
Padlet offers Boards as a versatile online collaboration tool that enables users to create and share diverse content — including text, images, videos, and links — in customizable spaces. We launched a project to bring our Board product to WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) Level A standards, with engineers Estee Tey and Julian Almandos addressing accessibility issues.
We prioritized improvements like text alternatives for images, keyboard navigation, and screen reader compatibility. We also published a VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) document to communicate our accessibility status and acknowledge remaining gaps.
Clearer Document Structure
The boards page now uses heading landmarks, allowing screen reader users to jump to different sections and posts on the board more easily than before.
Keyboard Navigation Improvements
Previously, some buttons could be clicked with a mouse but not accessed via keyboard. We eliminated these gaps and added focus-visible styles to buttons, including the add post button for both desktop and mobile interfaces.
Automatic Captions
Captions are essential for accessibility because they ensure that content is accessible to individuals with various disabilities. Padlet now auto-generates captions for uploaded audio and video content using AI, with future plans for editing capabilities.
GIF Motion Control
Users with motion sensitivity can rely on a “prefers reduced motion” device setting. We disabled auto-playing GIFs by default for these users while allowing manual play/pause controls.
Accessibility Settings
New toggles under Dashboard > Settings > Accessibility include:
- Single-key keyboard shortcut toggle
- Auto-dismissal toggle for toast notifications
Admin-Specific Features
- Real-time screen reader announcements for board setting updates
- Announcements when post custom field order changes
- Keyboard-only reordering capability for custom fields
Future Direction
We aim to progress toward WCAG AA compliance, including enhanced contrast, focus visibility, and media element adaptations. Users can contact Padlet with accessibility concerns for prompt resolution.
