readme.txt

=== Equalize Digital Accessibility Checker - Audit Your Website for WCAG, ADA, and Section 508 Accessibility Errors ===
Contributors: equalizedigital, alh0319, stevejonesdev
Tags: accessibility, accessible, wcag, ada, WP accessibility
Requires at least: 6.2
Tested up to: 6.7.0
Stable tag: 1.18.0
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html


Ensure your site's accessibility with a pre-publish audit. Get in-post WCAG compliance help without API or per-page fees.

== Description ==

[Plugin Website](https://equalizedigital.com/accessibility-checker/) | [Documentation](https://equalizedigital.com/accessibility-checker/documentation/) | [Compare Free to Pro](https://equalizedigital.com/accessibility-checker/features/#comparison) | [Get Pro](https://equalizedigital.com/accessibility-checker/pricing/) | [WP Accessibility Meetup](https://equalizedigital.com/wordpress-accessibility-meetup/) | [WP Accessibility Facebook Group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/wordpress.accessibility)

### Make Your Website Accessible with Accessibility Checker

Equalize Digital's Accessibility Checker provides accessibility error and warning notifications right on your post and/or page edit screen.

Accessibility Checker automatically scans your content each time you save a draft or hit publish, giving you real-time feedback on your post's or page's accessibility. Receive a visual overview of how your content stacks up against more than 40 different accessibility checks created to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 success criteria.

For each error or warning flagged, Accessibility Checker lists the code that triggered the error or warning. Each item is identified as an error or warning depending upon its severity, so that you can prioritize your fixes. Thorough documentation is available to guide you on how to fix accessibility problems on your website and personalized accessibility remediation assistance and accessibility consulting is available if desired.

### Ensure Ongoing ADA, Section 508, AODA, & WCAG Compliance

For already accessible websites, Accessibility Checker is an excellent tool for ensuring ongoing compliance and accessibility.

The in-page tests help content managers and contributors confirm they have entered their content in an accessible manner. There's no need to be an accessibility expert or memorize long lists of WCAG success criteria - Accessibility Checker provides an easy to understand accessibility checklist and reading level checks so that you can ensure you're not adding accessibility problems as new content is added.

Content area scans are visible on each post's or page's edit screen as you type - no need to go elsewhere on your site to view results or visit a third-party website. These scans allow your team to create accessibile websites from the start, reducing the need for costly retroactive remediation.

### A Vital Part of Your WordPress Accessibility Strategy

Accessibility Checker is the best automated tool to run along with your manual accessibility tests. It's perfect for **small business websites**, **large enterprise organizations**, and everything in between. Whether you're running a small brochure website, an **eCommerce** store with thousands of products, or a **multi-site** network for a university, Accessibility Checker is the right tool for your website.

* **No limits on pages scanned.** Have hundreds of blog posts or pages on your website? No problem!
* **Coded and tested by accessibility experts.** Equalize Digital is a corporate member of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals and experts at building accessible WordPress websites.
* **WCAG 2.1 A, AA, & AAA guidance.** Flags errors and warnings for accessibility problems according to WCAG 2.1.
* **Readability analysis & auto insertion of simplified summary.** Includes a Flesch Kincaid grade level analysis and place to enter a simplified summary to meet WCAG Success Criterion 3.1.5 Reading Level.
* **Ignore feature.** Easily close errors or warnings that have been assessed manually and determined to be not relevant. Optionally, document a reason/notes with each ignore. Logs username and date/time when errors/warnings are ignored.
* **Accessibility statement.** Draft accessibility statement that you can modify for your organization and publish on your website to share your accessibility efforts with the public.
* **Footer accessibility statement.** One-click to insert an accessibility statement in your footer.
* **Detailed documentation.** Thorough help articles and instructions for fixing problems - the perfect resource for learning more about accessibility.
* **[Pro] Bulk scanning.** Scan all posts and pages in bulk rather than one-by-one for an overview of your entire site's accessibility.
* **[Pro] Scan additional post types.** Add the Accessibility Checker in-post accessibility audit to any post type present on your website.
* **[Pro] Admin columns.** Quickly seeing the accessibility status of posts and pages at a glance by adding accessibility status columns.
* **[Pro] Centralized Open Issues list.** See all existing issues in one place for fast-track accessibility remediation.
* **[Pro] Ignore Log.** See all items that have been ignored on the website, by whom, and when, in one central place. Reopen errors or warnings that have been incorrectly ignored.
* **[Pro] User restrictions on Ignore.** Limit which user roles can ignore errors and warnings - allows for greater admin control and management of accessibility review.
* **[Pro] Rename Simplified Summary.** Rename the simplified summary heading to something that makes more sense for your audience and brand.

### How It Works

To get started with Accessibility Checker or learn more about how it works, please reference our [Getting Started Quick Guide](https://equalizedigital.com/accessibility-checker/getting-started-quick-guide/) or watch this quick video demonstration of the software. Please note that the video demonstration does show some features that are only available in the paid version.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncAfP06dPpU]

### Our Support Team is Here to Help You

The Equalize Digital team aims to provide regular support for Accessibility Checker on the WordPress.org forums. If you have a question about the plugin or its use, please post in the support forum, and we will do our best to help you in a timely manner. Our support hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM U.S. central time. Please understand that we do prioritize support for purchasers of Accessibility Checker Pro.

If you need one-on-one email support, please consider purchasing [Accessibility Checker Pro](https://equalizedigital.com/accessibility-checker/pricing/). Accessibility Checker Pro customers receive unlimited personal support on plugin usage and features.

Join our [WordPress Accessibility Facebook group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/wordpress.accessibility) for community support and to connect with other developers, designers, and content creators who are working to make their websites more accessible. This is a great place to get free WP accessibility remediation assistance from others in the community.

For paid Accessibility Checker customers on a small business plan or above, we provide two accessibility [office hour
](https://equalizedigital.com/accessibility-checker/pricing/#common-pre-sale-questions) calls each month to address your remediation queries. This is an invaluable resource for those who need direct assistance and expert insights when making their sites more accessible.

### Multi-platform Accessibility

Accessibility Checker supports a variety of WordPress editors and can scan and identify issues no matter how you're building your site. Accessibility Checker has been tested and confirmed compatible with:

* Gutenberg Block Editor
* The Classic Editor
* Advanced Custom Fields
* Beaver Builder
* Divi
* Elementor
* Oxygen
* **[Pro]** WooCommerce

### Learn Accessibility

Want to learn more about accessibility and stay on-top of accessibility best practices? Attend an official WordPress Accessibility Meetup!

These free virtual meetups are held twice per month via Zoom and are live captioned. [Learn more about WP Accessibility Meetup](https://equalizedigital.com/wordpress-accessibility-meetup/)

### About Us

[Equalize Digital](https://equalizedigital.com) is a Certified B Corporation, WordPress VIP Agency Partner, and corporate member of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP), striving to create a world where all people have equal access to products and tools on web, regardless of ability. Our team has been building custom WordPress websites, themes, and plugins since 2010 and working on government, higher ed, and enterprise websites since 2016. We created Accessibility Checker after hearing from our clients about the challenges that they face in maintating accessibility on their websites. We're continually working to improve Accessibility Checker and are proud to give back to the WordPress community through education and support.

== Installation ==

Getting started with Accessibility Checker is as easy as installing and activating the plugin, then configuring a few basic settings.

### Installing Accessibility Checker Within WordPress
1. Visit the plugins page within your dashboard and select ‘Add New’.
2. Search for ‘Accessibility Checker’;
3. On the Accessibility Checker plugin, click or activate the 'Install' button.
4. Activate Accessibility Checker from your Plugins page.
5. Follow the ‘after activation’ steps listed below.

### Installing Accessibility Checker Manually

1.Upload the unzipped ‘accessibility-checker’ folder to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory on your website via FTP.
2. Activate Accessibility Checker from your Plugins page.
3. Follow the ‘after activation’ steps listed below.

### After Activation
After activating the plugin, go to the Accessibility Checker settings page in your WordPress admin (found at '/wp-admin/admin.php?page=accessibility_checker_settings') to configure the plugin settings.

Current settings in the free plugin include:
* Ability to control when the plugin prompts for a Simplified Summary.
* Ability to set the position of the Simplified Summary, if using, above or below content or manually with a function in a page template.
* Ability to turn off Accessibility Checker for posts or pages as desired.
* Set a username and password to allow scanning functionality on password-protected sites.

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Does this plugin make my website accessible? =

No. Despite what other plugins, integrations, or overlay products might tell you, there is **NO** way for any automated tool or plugin to ensure your website is fully accessible. True accessibility can only be achieved through a combination of automated scans and manual review, and if you read the 'fine print' for any of the accessibility overlays or plugins on the market, you'll see that they do not guarantee your website will be accessible.

Accessibility Checker does not make your website accessible, but it is a valuable tool to help you make your website accessible, the right way.

= Is this an accessibility overlay or tool bar like AccessiBe, Userway, AudioEye, etc.? =

No. Accessibility Checker is a testing tool that scans for problems and presents reports in the admin dashboard. It does not "fix" problems or add any overlays, toolbars, or widgets to the front end of your website. It will not use JavaScript to modify how screen reader and other assistive technology users are able to engage with your website.

Accessibility Checker is the kind of accessibility tool that accessibility consultants and people with disability support - one that helps you identify issues so that you can make your website accessible the right way.

= Does Accessibility Checker scan all of my content? =

Accessibility Checker Free scans blog posts and pages, including the header, content area, sidebar, and footer on those pages. There is no limit to the number of pages or posts that you can scan with Accessibility Checker or the number of times any one page or post can be scanned. So, if your website only contains standard posts and pages, then YES, Accessibility Checker will scan all of your content. If you have custom post types (such as a portfolio, team member pages, or WooCommerce products), the free version of the plugin will not scan these posts.

For bulk full-site scanning or to check custom post types for accessibility, please upgrade to [Accessibility Checker Pro](https:my.equalizedigital.com).

= How do I know how to fix accessibility problems on my website? =

Every error and warning in Accessibility Checker has an 'i' icon to the right of the error or warning name on the details tab. If you click these 'i' icons, you'll be directed to a help article that clearly explains what the error or warning is, what its impact on accessibility is, and how to fix or resolve it. Generally, these help articles will provide sufficient information to point you in the right direction, but if you still have questions, open a support ticket on WordPress.org and we'll do our best to help you.

= Can you help me fix accessibility problems on my website? =

Yes! If you need need accessibility fixes custom coded for your site, we offer website accessibility remediation to help bring your current site into compliance. [Learn more about Website Accessibility Remediation](https://equalizedigital.com/services/website-accessibility-remediation/)

= What if there are accessibility errors in my theme or a plugin that I cannot fix? =

If Accessibility Checker is identifying errors in your theme or a plugin and you're not sure how to fix them, the best bet is to reach out to the theme or plugin developer for assistance. If that does not work, we may be able to help.  There is more guidance about how to handle problems in your theme or plugins at:
* [What to do if a Plugin You’re Using has Accessibility Errors](https://equalizedigital.com/accessibility-checker/errors-in-plugin/)
* [What to do if There are Accessibility Errors in Your Theme](https://equalizedigital.com/accessibility-checker/errors-in-theme/)

= Will this slow down my website? =

Accessibility Checker does not load anything on the front end of your website so it has zero speed impact for your website visitors.

= Do I have to connect to any third-party APIs? =

No, Accessibility Checker runs completely on your server and does not require you to connect to any external APIs or services for scans. This can save you thousands of dollars per year in accessibility scanning fees and is privacy-focused, ensuring that your website data stays completely under your control.

== Screenshots ==

1. Accessibility Checker Summary tab on a page with numerous errors and warnings.
2. Accessibility problems can be viewed on the front end of the website, as shown on the NASA website.
3. Accessibility Checker Details tab showing errors, warnings, and passed checks.
4. Expanded error example 'Image Empty Alternative Text' showing the code for 7 items that caused the error to be flagged.
5. Ignore comment box and button to ignore the error.
6. Example of an ignored error, including the username and date/time the error was ignored. Ignored errors and warnings can be reopened if ignored incorrectly.
7. Accessibility Checker Readability Tab checks the grade level of the content and allows for the insertion of a simplified summary to meet WCAG AAA accessibility.
8. Accessibility Checker Summary tab on a page with no accessibility error or warnings and an included simplified summary.

== Changelog ==

= 1.18.0 =
* New: Add a new fix for adding a new tab/window warning to links with target="_blank".
* Enahncement: Allow cache bypass from stats requests to force latest numbers.
* Enhancement: Make a clear-issues endpoint more usable in different situations.
* Removed: Removed some code that was trying to force no notifications on the plugin pages.

= 1.17.0 =
* New: Add a new fix for adding a new tab/window warning to links with target="_blank".
* New: Add a REST endpoint to retrieve a site scan summary.
* Enhancement: Ensure frontend highlighter can load even when Cloudflare Rocket Loader is enabled.
* Enhancement: Only show ignore button when user can ignore issues.
* Fix: URLs without issues would always output `0` when viewed on welcome widget.

= 1.16.4 =
* Enhancement: Improve the table header detection and validation for row headers.
* Enhancement: Show notice on fixes settings when they are saved from options page.
* Fixed: Don't check for possible headerif there is no text content.
* Fixed: Multisite query fix to make sure issues are assigned correct site id.
* Fixed: Correct where a scan link points.

= 1.16.3 =
* Enhancement: Add Fix settings to site health info panels.
* Fixed: Corrected a string that was misplaced in a fix.

= 1.16.2 =
* Enhancement: Use better names for fix modal titles.
* Enhancement: Improve the link_pdf rule to detect more accurately.
* Enhancement: Improve the link_ms_office_doc rule to detect more accurately.
* Fixed: Rely on labels for link_ambiguous_text rule first before checking just the text content.
* Fixed: Remove a duplicatable rule empty_form_label.

= 1.16.1 =
* Fixed: Remove redundant empty_form_label rule definition.

= 1.16.0 =
* New: Introduced a system to handle automated fixes for issues that the scanner would discover.
* New: Fix to remove or update bad tabindex values on elements.
* New: Fix to remove title attributes in favor of preferred accessible names to elements.
* New: Fix to add missing lang and dir attributes to the <html> element.
* New: Fix to add skip links to pages where they are missing.
* New: Fix to add labels to comment and search forms.
* New: Fix to ensure that the meta viewport tag does not prevent user scaling or zooming.
* New: Fix to ensure that focus outlines are present on focusable elements.
* Enhancement: Improve the tabindex_modified check to handle every element with tabindex.
* Enhancement: Improve the link_blank rule to check on fully rendered pages.
* Enhancement: Improve the link_ambiguous_text rule to check on fully rendered pages.
* Enhancement: Improve the broken_skip_anchor_link rule to check on fully rendered pages.
* Enhancement: Improve the html lang and dir attribute check to on check fully rendered pages.
* Enhancement: Improve the document title check to check on fully rendered pages.
* Enhancement: Add a clear button to the editor to allow for .
* Enhancement: Improved GTM iframe detection.
* Fixed: Avoid showing 100% passed results when scans are not complete.
* Fixed: Improve or add better aria-labels in several places.
* Fixed: Don't flag empty paragraphs if they have aria-hidden.

= 1.15.3 =
* Enhancement: Detect missing labels on more elements.
* Enhancement: Detect slick slider that gets initialized after the page loads.

= 1.15.2 =
* Fixed: Issue where CPT results would not be reflected in dashboard widgets and reports

= 1.15.1 =
* Fixed: Issue where a modal could result in JS error preventing display
* Fixed: Situations where Gutenberg created new posts may not trigger the JS scan when publishing

= 1.15.0 =
* Added: WP-CLI commands to get stats and delete stats
* Enhancement: Image inputs with alt text shouldn't flag for missing_form_label
* Fixed: Don't flag .avif as missing transcript or video present
* Fixed: Purge the post data if the saved post is in or is moving to the trash
* Fixed: Handle stacking contexts for callout button in admin correctly
* Fixed: PHP 8.4 deprecation notice fix for implicitly nullable Meta_Boxes

Older versions can be found in the plugins `changelog.txt`.