#43095
Speaker(s)
- Jeff Singleton, Principal, Converge Accessibility LLC
Session Details
- Length of Session: 1-hr
- Format: Lecture
- Expertise Level: Intermediate
- Type of session: General Conference
Summary
WCAG 2.2 added nine success criteria, and reliable testing methodology has lagged behind. Title II still references 2.1, but the regulatory and legal landscape is steadily moving toward 2.2. This session walks through the new SC for WCAG 2.2 AA with concrete evaluation procedures. Attendees leave with a testing knowledge that helps future-proof their conformance program.
Abstract
Since WCAG 2.2 became a W3C Recommendation in October 2023, accessibility teams have faced a practical challenge: how do you reliably test the new success criteria (SC)? Many testers default to WCAG 2.1 muscle memory, miss key evaluation steps, or lean on automated scanners.
The ADA Title II Final Rule references WCAG 2.1 Level AA, so 2.2 is not yet legally required. But standards bodies, settlements, state laws, and federal rulemaking are moving toward 2.2, and the technical standard referenced by Title II may itself be revisited in future rulemaking. Building WCAG 2.2 testing into your program now is future-proofing. You stay aligned with current Title II obligations while preparing for the next regulatory shift, rather than later retooling under the pressure of a deadline.
This session is for testers, QA professionals, web teams, and accessibility coordinators who need to evaluate WCAG 2.2 with the confidence they have for 2.1.
We work through the new success criterion, with extra time on the ones that produce the most evaluation errors in real audits: Focus Not Obscured (2.4.11), Dragging Movements (2.5.7), Target Size Minimum (2.5.8), Consistent Help (3.2.6), Redundant Entry (3.3.7), and Accessible Authentication (3.3.8). For each, we cover what the SC actually requires (and what it does not), a step-by-step testing procedure using keyboard, screen reader, and visual evaluation, common edge cases and judgment calls, where automated tools succeed, fail, or produce false confidence, and documentation language suitable for conformance reports.
The session uses live demonstrations on real-world websites to walk through testing techniques and edge cases. Attendees leave able to reliably evaluate WCAG 2.2 conformance, defend their findings to stakeholders and procurement teams, and identify which 2.2 issues their automated scanners are silently missing.
Keypoints
- How to test the new success criteria in WCAG 2.2.
- Manually testing the new WCAG 2.2 success criteria is more reliable than automated scanning alone.
- How to document accessibility findings clearly and consistently.
Disability Areas
All Areas
Topic Areas
Legal, Uncategorized, Web/Media/App Access
Speaker Bio(s)
Jeff Singleton
Jeff Singleton is a recognized authority on web accessibility and testing. He is a former member of Microsoft's Accessible Technology Group (ATG), where he led the Windows Narrator quality assurance team. An expert user of most assistive technologies, Jeff has a keen understanding of accessibility standards such as WCAG and Section 508, as well as the practical impact of accessibility issues on people with disabilities.
Jeff has led accessibility projects for leading companies, including HP and Microsoft, helped government agencies, such as the Veterans Health Administration, make their technology accessible, and conducted accessibility reviews of technologies and websites used by NASA grantees.
One of Jeff's strongest talents and passions is educating others about accessibility. For more than a decade, he has led training sessions at major international accessibility conferences, including the CSUN Assistive Technology Conference and the National ADA Symposium. Jeff also holds an ADA Coordinator Title III Business Certificate and is a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE).