Web accessibility isn't a single rulebook. It's a stack of technical guidelines, national laws, and procurement documents spread across the United States, Canada, and Europe, all pointing back to the same core idea: your digital services should work for everyone. Ardor's scanning, real-time remediation, and documentation are built around every one of the standards below, so you're covered no matter which apply to your organization.
WCAG 2.1 — Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
What it is. The technical standard that defines what makes digital content accessible, published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). It's organized around four principles — content must be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust — with three conformance levels: A, AA, and AAA.
Overview. WCAG is the measuring stick nearly every accessibility law points to, and Level AA is the practical target for almost everyone. Its success criteria cover things like color contrast, text alternatives for images, keyboard operability, captions, and predictable navigation.
Who uses it. Developers, designers, auditors, and accessibility tools worldwide — it's the shared language for "is this accessible?" Every scan and report Ardor produces is measured against WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
Who mandates it. The W3C publishes WCAG as a guideline, not a law. But governments and courts adopt it as the benchmark — the ADA, Section 508, AODA, and the EU's EAA all reference it.
WCAG 2.2 — The Latest Guidelines
What it is. The most recent version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, published by the W3C in October 2023. It builds directly on WCAG 2.1 — everything in 2.1 still applies — and adds nine new success criteria.
Overview. WCAG 2.2 is backward-compatible: a site that meets 2.2 Level AA also meets 2.1 Level AA. Its additions focus on people with low-vision, motor, and cognitive disabilities — a minimum target size for controls, keeping keyboard focus visible, offering alternatives to dragging, and authentication that doesn't rely on memory or puzzle tests.
Who uses it. The same audience as WCAG generally — developers, designers, and auditors — and any organization that wants to future-proof its site as laws and procurement standards move toward 2.2.
Who mandates it. The W3C publishes it. Most laws today still reference WCAG 2.0 or 2.1, but 2.2 is the current standard and is increasingly the target as regulations and buyers update their requirements.
ADA — Americans with Disabilities Act
What it is. A U.S. civil-rights law, passed in 1990, that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. Courts and the Department of Justice apply it to websites and apps, not just physical spaces.
Overview. The ADA is split into titles: Title II covers state and local government, and Title III covers businesses open to the public. The DOJ's 2024 Title II rule (28 CFR Part 35) formally adopts WCAG 2.1 Level AA with phased deadlines, while Title III drives the majority of private-sector accessibility lawsuits.
Who uses it. Any U.S. organization with a public-facing website — businesses, state and local governments, schools, and nonprofits.
Who mandates it. U.S. federal law, enforced by the Department of Justice and through private lawsuits.
Section 508 — Rehabilitation Act
What it is. A U.S. federal law requiring that the electronic and information technology used or purchased by federal agencies be accessible to people with disabilities.
Overview. Its standards are harmonized with WCAG Level AA. Critically, it reaches beyond agencies themselves: any vendor selling software, hardware, or digital services to the federal government must conform.
Who uses it. Federal agencies, and any company that sells technology or digital services to the U.S. government.
Who mandates it. U.S. federal law (Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act). The U.S. Access Board writes the standards, and agencies enforce them during procurement.
ACA — Accessible Canada Act
What it is. A Canadian federal law, enacted in 2019, with the goal of a barrier-free Canada by 2040. It covers accessibility across several areas, including information and communication technologies.
Overview. It applies to organizations under federal jurisdiction and requires them to publish accessibility plans and report on their progress. Digital accessibility is generally measured against WCAG.
Who uses it. Federally regulated organizations operating in Canada — the federal government, banks, telecommunications, and interprovincial transportation.
Who mandates it. The Government of Canada, enforced by the Accessibility Commissioner through planning and reporting obligations.
AODA — Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act
What it is. An Ontario (Canada) provincial law, enacted in 2005, aiming to make the province fully accessible. Its Information and Communications standards require accessible websites.
Overview. Public-facing websites and web content must meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA. The law applies to the Ontario public sector and to private and nonprofit organizations above a size threshold (generally 50 or more employees), with mandatory compliance reporting.
Who uses it. Organizations that operate in Ontario — government, businesses, and nonprofits over the size threshold.
Who mandates it. The Government of Ontario, enforced provincially with reporting requirements and financial penalties.
EAA — European Accessibility Act
What it is. A European Union directive, adopted in 2019, requiring a broad range of products and services to be accessible, with enforcement beginning June 28, 2025.
Overview. It covers areas such as e-commerce, banking, e-books, ticketing, and transport offered in the EU. Conformance is typically demonstrated against the EN 301 549 standard, which itself points to WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
Who uses it. Companies selling covered products or services into the EU market — including businesses based outside the EU that serve EU customers.
Who mandates it. The European Union. Each member state transposes the directive into its own national law and enforces it.
VPAT/ACR — Voluntary Product Accessibility Template & Accessibility Conformance Report
What it is. A standardized document that reports, criterion by criterion, how a product conforms to accessibility standards such as WCAG, Section 508, and EN 301 549. A completed VPAT is called an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR).
Overview. It isn't a law — it's the deliverable procurement teams ask for before they buy. A credible VPAT/ACR is often the difference between winning and losing a government or enterprise contract. Ardor generates one for your site from your latest scan data.
Who uses it. Software and hardware vendors produce them; procurement teams at governments, universities, and enterprises require and review them.
Who mandates it. No single law mandates a VPAT, but procurement rules effectively require one — Section 508 for federal buyers, and purchasing policies at most large institutions.
One platform, every standard
You don't need a different tool for each of these. Ardor scans your site against WCAG 2.1 Level AA — the standard all of these laws point to — remediates common violations in real time, and produces the legally defensible documentation each framework expects, right down to a ready-to-send VPAT/ACR. Request a demo and we'll show you exactly how it maps to the rules that apply to you.