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Accessible Technology

Forms

Applies to

  • Websites
  • Documents

Overview

Electronic forms are more accessible than forms that are designed to be printed and completed by hand (imagine trying to complete a printable form as a person who is blind, or unable to read small print, or physically unable to write with a pen or pencil).

However, electronic forms must be created with care in order to ensure they’re fully accessible. For example:

  • All form fields must have accurate labels or prompts so screen reader users know what each field is asking for.
  • The tab order must be logical. As users navigate through the form using the tab key on the keyboard, they should land on fields in the expected order.
  • Feedback, such as error messages, must be accessible to screen reader users.
  • Fields that require users to perform actions with a mouse, such as drag-and-drop, must  be avoided unless they have accessible alternatives for keyboard users.

Techniques

WCAG 2.1 Success Criteria

The issues described on this page, and associated Techniques pages, map to the following success criteria in the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1: