How Can I Make My Forms Accessible

You may wonder what accessibility means in terms of the web and your forms. In short, it is a principle and practice of providing accessible sites. It focuses on enabling access to your sites for as many people as possible, for people with disabilities or special needs, or enabling access through assistive technology such as screen readers, voice recognition programs, screen enlargement applications, etc.

We are excited to announce our improvements in the forms’ accessibility. Jotform builder lets you create accessible forms that are Section 508 and WCAG 2.1 Level A and Level AA compliant. You will find out how to enable accessibility and a short FAQ below.

Here are the steps to enable Form Accessibility:

1. In the Form Builder, go to the Settings tab.
2. Click the Show More Options button under the Form Settings section.

3. Look for the Form Accessibility option and select Enabled from the list.

The Form Builder will analyze the form and, if any accessibility issues are detected, warn you about the aspects that should be fixed to make the form accessible. For example, if a field is missing a label, an image has no alternative text, an unsupported widget or field is used, or other issues are detected, you will see warnings in the editor.

All you need to do is adjust the form to address any detected issues. When there are no warnings displayed, it means that your form is accessible.

We also offer ready-to-use, accessible color schemes for classic and card layout forms. These color schemes are specially tailored for the best accessibility. They are marked with a little human body icon in the form designer.

You may also find a list of common questions and answers on the forms accessibility topic below.

What are Section 508 and WCAG compliance?

Section 508 is a United States federal law that requires federal agencies to procure, create, use and maintain information and communications technology (ICT) that is accessible to people with disabilities.

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is an international standard for web content accessibility. The WCAG guidelines explain how to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities.

Who needs to be Section 508 compliant?

Section 508 applies to all agencies that receive federal funding. This includes government agencies, non-profit organizations that receive federal funding, public K–12 schools, and public colleges and universities.

Can I enable Form Accessibility on an existing form or do I need to create a new form?

Form Accessibility can be enabled on your existing forms as well as on the new forms.

What fields can I use for accessible forms?

You can use all basic fields, payment fields, and most widgets. You will see a warning in the editor if a specific widget is not supported.

What is a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT)? Do you offer it?

VPAT provides a comprehensive breakdown of how a specific product or technology follows Section 508 and WCAG compliance standards. If your company is required by law to follow accessibility guidelines, review Jotform VPAT.