WordPress recently announced that version 6.0, scheduled for release on May 24, 2022, will feature numerous accessibility improvements aimed at making the platform easier to use and closer to WCAG 2.0 AA compliance.
WordPress Accessibility
WordPress prioritizes inclusiveness and accessibility as core goals “as much as possible” in all releases. To achieve this, WordPress has an internal team dedicated to accessibility.
The WordPress statement on accessibility notes:
“The WordPress community and the open-source WordPress project are committed to being as inclusive and accessible as possible. We want users, regardless of device or ability, to be able to publish content and maintain a website or application built with WordPress.”
Accessibility Improvements in WordPress 6.0
WordPress has offered a preview of the enhancements coming in version 6.0.
Alt Text
An improvement will automatically use the post title as the alt text for featured images when they are linked to the post.
Improvements to Tabbing
An addition that allows tabbing into a block placeholder has been noted. According to the GitHub pull request:
“When focus is on a block with a placeholder (e.g., Image or Columns block) and we are in Edit mode, we should be able to Tab into the placeholder controls. This makes the placeholder controls keyboard accessible when the “Contain text cursor inside block” preference is enabled. It also makes it possible to tab into a block that only contains a block inserter, such as an empty Group block.”
Screen Reader Related Improvements
Several updates make it easier for screen reader users to navigate blocks and perform actions:
- Announce search results in the Block Manager.
- Ensure that blocks with a placeholder setup have their description read by VoiceOver.
- Improve successful draft save notification for screen readers.
- Add button text labels to the site editor.
- Avoid duplicate labels for “Save Draft” and “Save as pending” buttons.
Notably, a critical fix ensures an error message is provided when a required name field is left blank in the "tags" editing section.
Another useful fix addresses a toolbar function flaw in iOS and a lack of text labels. According to the GitHub pull request:
“When you use VoiceOver on iOS, the link to open the “New” dropdown menu in the toolbar is read out as “post new.php”.”
Aria-Related Accessibility Fixes to WordPress 6.0
- Reverse
disableLineBreaksto determinearia-multilinestate. - Remove
roleattributes on SVGs meant for decoration to fix issues by eliminating the role attribute.
Improvements to the Navigation Block
Enhanced navigation block features will assist users in understanding multiple navigation menus and improve UI feedback for screen readers when creating a new menu.
Additional improvements are made to various other blocks, including adding an aria label to the search button.
Improvements to WordPress List View
The List View interface helps in navigating through content sections. The list view toggle button at the top of the page in the toolbar reveals a dropdown menu. WordPress announced eight improvements to this interface, enhancing block selection, aria labels, keyboard controls, and other aspects.
Improvements to Handling Media
WordPress is also improving media handling with updates:
- Preserve attachment properties on cropping custom logos.
- Stop arrow keys from switching media if the URL is focused.
- Add a "Copy URL to clipboard" function in the list table view.
- Set break-word on sample permalinks for better mobile view.
- Remove
target="_blank"from media uploader edit links and from certain links to clarify their purposes.
Additional Accessibility Improvements
WordPress 6.0 also brings enhancements to screen reader and keyboard functionality in Quick/Bulk editing and fixes issues with login and registration buttons. Miscellaneous improvements were made to official WordPress themes, including:
- Fixes to Twenty Nineteen and Twenty Twenty themes.
- Adjustments to the Twenty Twenty-One theme for better handling of
prefers-reduced-motion. - Consistency improvements in theme detail button pointers.
WordPress 6.0 Accessibility
The WordPress accessibility team dedicated considerable effort to making version 6.0 accessible and inclusive, aligning with their goal of achieving as much WCAG 2.0 AA compliance as possible.
