Human Kinetics Journals

This report reflects the findings of a high-level assessment of Human Kinetics Journals platform for its conformance with the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 (WCAG 2.1). There are very few WCAG 2.1 compliance issues with the platform, and the few that are present are programmatic in nature and should be relatively easy to fix. However, creating an accessible platform is a constantly moving goalpost, so it is important to keep in mind that there are continual updates to the WCAG standards that may require more work in the future. Below are the most critical issues to focus on correcting to improve access for all potential users of the system.

Top 3 Issues:

1. Compatibility: Compatibility is the top issue with the system as reviewed. This is a common problem for most websites and can be complicated to solve depending on the design and implementation of components on the site. However, unresolved, it can lead to severe issues with the site’s navigability for users that require a screen reader. Please consult the WAI-ARIA Patterns Guide as a reference for the successful implementation of ARIA.
2. Keyboard Navigability: Overall, the platform does a good job of making the site’s functionality accessible using the keyboard. However, there are several issues identified where keyboard focus is not visible to the user, which makes it very difficult to navigate using the keyboard alone.
3. Color Contrast: There are a few issues with color contrast and link contrast. Keep in mind that all text must meet a 4.5:1 contrast with the background of the page. Links have additional requirements for contrast. They must also meet a 4.5:1 contrast with the background and a 3:1 with surrounding text or a text decoration identifying the text as a link, such as an underline.