SearchStax Site Search solution customers sometimes ask about accessibility compliance. Only the SearchStax Search Component has been independently tested and is confirmed to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA. Other SearchStax components are WCAG 2.2 AA Ready.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) cover a wide range of recommendations for making Web content more accessible to people with disabilities. This includes accommodations for blindness and low vision, deafness and hearing loss, limited movement, speech disabilities, photosensitivity, and combinations of these. It also provides accommodation for learning disabilities and cognitive limitations.
We've designed our Search UI Toolkit as a flexible foundation for developers to build customized search experiences. While our UI components provide a robust starting point, each implementation has unique requirements, including accessibility.
WCAG 2.2 AA Ready means these components are designed to support accessible implementations and may require additional accessibility testing and remediation based on the final user experience, content, and integrations.
See our blog WCAG Compliant Search Experience with SearchStax Site Search for more information.
SearchStax Accessibility Conformance Report
The SearchStax, Inc. Accessibility Conformance Report , WCAG Edition, is downloadable as a PDF file.
The report is based on VPAT® Version 2.5. ("Voluntary Product Accessibility Template" and "VPAT" are registered service marks of the Information Technology Industry Council, ITI.)
Visual Media
Search result pages can include thumbnail images, image galleries, or video snippets. If these are included in search results, they may need additional tagging.
This includes image alt descriptions, descriptive filenames, and for videos: titles, descriptions, and captions for any spoken dialog.
You may need to add additional fields to your search index (such as image descriptions or video captions) so that they can be included in each search result.
Inputs, Navigation, and Filtering
Search inputs (including suggested keyword results) may need additional tagging (e.g. tab order) and other functions to support keyboard navigation and selection.
Search result filtering interfaces (including facets, filters, and sorting options) may need additional functionality to verify that all selectable options are visible and that input labels are appropriately tied to their relevant input. Inputs may need to support keyboard navigation to select or update options as well as go between different inputs.
Search Interface
Other critical WCAG guidelines include verifying that text is large enough with sufficient background contrast to be perceptible.
Colors for text, inputs, and other interface items should have enough contrast ratio so that they can be perceived against the backdrop. Color alone shouldn't be used to convey information.
Other accessibility considerations include how content is displayed and updated. Users should be able to consistently find interface items and search results as they continue to refine or update their search keywords.
Additional WCAG Resources
Since every site and search experience is different, developers and site maintainers must verify that their information and user experience meets WCAG guidelines.