Templates

WCAG 2.1 Level AA Compliance

Last Updated: 05/13/2026

Beginning Spring 2027, all theses and dissertations deposited with Purdue University must comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards.

This requirement ensures that graduate research is accessible to individuals with disabilities and aligns with federal accessibility obligations.

Student Responsibility

Students are responsible for ensuring that their thesis or dissertation file is fully accessible prior to submission. This includes verifying that all required accessibility elements are present and that the document passes an accessibility check before it is deposited.

Submissions that are reviewed and found to be non‑compliant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards will be returned to the student for correction. Accessibility compliance is required for final acceptance.

What This Means for Your Submission

To meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA requirements, your thesis or dissertation must be created using accessible authoring practices, such as:

• Headings. Your thesis or dissertation must use built‑in heading styles (for example, Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3) to show the structure of the document. Headings are not just visual formatting. They create a navigable outline that screen‑reader users rely on to move through your work.
• Color Contrast. All text, charts, graphs, and figures must have enough contrast between foreground and background colors so they can be read by users with low vision or color‑vision deficiencies. For normal text, WCAG 2.1 Level AA requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 between text and its background. Color should never be the only way information is conveyed.
• Alternative Text. All meaningful images, including charts, graphs, diagrams, and figures—must include alternative text (alt text) that describes the information the image conveys. Complex images require a two‑part text alternative. The first part is a short description that identifies the image and, when appropriate, directs readers to the long description. The second part is the long description itself, which explains the key information the image communicates.
• Accessible Tables. Tables must be created using Word or LaTeX’s built‑in table tools, not by using tabs, spaces, or images of tables. Tables should have a simple, logical structure, with clearly identified row and/or column headers so screen readers can correctly associate data cells with their headers.
• Logical Reading Order. The logical reading order must be manually checked to ensure that a screen reader will read content in the same order a sighted reader would expect. If your final submission is a PDF, it must be a tagged PDF. Tags provide the underlying structure (headings, paragraphs, lists, tables, figures) that assistive technologies use to read the document correctly.
• Selectable Text. All text in your thesis or dissertation must be real, selectable text, not scanned images of text. Screen readers cannot read scanned text unless it has been properly converted using OCR, and OCR errors often make documents inaccessible.

Recommended Tools for Checking Accessibility

Students are encouraged to use the following tools when preparing their document:

• Microsoft Word Accessibility Checker (for Word‑based documents)
• Adobe Acrobat Accessibility Checker (for PDF documents)

Running these checks early and addressing issues throughout the writing process will help avoid delays at the time of deposit. However, automated accessibility checkers are not sufficient for confirming compliance. Manual checks are still needed to ensure that the thesis or dissertation file meets all WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards including color contrast requirements and logical reading order.

Timing and Impact on Graduation

Accessibility compliance is a required component of the thesis and dissertation deposit process. Students should plan adequate time to address accessibility issues before their final submission deadline. Failure to submit an accessible document may delay acceptance of the thesis or dissertation and could impact graduation timelines.

Additional Support

Students are encouraged to review these materials early in the writing process.

• Purdue Innovation Learning offers workshops. For more information, please visit https://www.purdue.edu/innovativelearning/tools-resources/accessibility/.
• Purdue Libraries offers a Digital Accessibility Skills Resource Guide to support the creation of accessible digital content.
• FAQs and accessibility resources are available on the ADA Title II Compliance FAQs webpage provided by Innovative Learning at Purdue University.
• The Assistive Technology Lab (ATL) provides assistive technology resources to support faculty, staff, and students with accessible information access and computing.