cedarview-mn.gov (fictional)
Grade CMeaningful barriers are locking some residents out.
WCAG 2.1 AA deadline: April 26, 2028.
Scanned 24 pages · 8 PDFs audited · Engine v2.0
Platform detected: CivicPlus — most CivicPlus issues are template-level fixesWhat we found — and how to fix it
Plain English, ordered by what matters most. Each maps to a specific WCAG 2.1 AA requirement under the DOJ rule.
criticalImages missing text alternatives38×
WCAG 1.1.1 Non-text Content · found on 17 of 24 pages
Images with no alt attribute give screen reader users nothing — they hear the file name or silence.
How to fix: Add alt text describing each image's purpose. Purely decorative images should get an empty alt (alt="") so screen readers skip them.
Examples: council-group-photo.jpg · park-banner-2026.png · news-thumb-114.jpg
criticalForm fields without labels14×
WCAG 1.3.1 / 4.1.2 Labels · found on 6 of 24 pages
Inputs without a programmatic label can't be identified by assistive technology — people can't tell what to type where. Forms are how residents actually use your site.
How to fix: Give every input a <label for> tied to its id, or an aria-label. Placeholder text alone is not a label.
Examples: field “search” · field “email_signup” · (text field)
criticalLinks with no accessible name11×
WCAG 2.4.4 Link Purpose · found on 9 of 24 pages
Links containing only an icon or image with no text leave screen reader users hearing just “link” — no way to know where it goes.
How to fix: Add descriptive text inside the link, alt text on the linked image, or an aria-label on the link.
Examples: facebook.com · instagram.com · ?p=calendar
seriousLow color contrast9×
WCAG 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) · stylesheet analysis
Text that doesn't meet the 4.5:1 contrast ratio (3:1 for large text) is unreadable for many low-vision visitors — the single most common WCAG failure on the web.
How to fix: Darken the text or lighten the background until the ratio meets 4.5:1. Free contrast checkers (WebAIM) verify any color pair instantly.
Examples: .footer-links a — 2.9:1 (needs 4.5:1) · .hero-tagline — 3.6:1 (needs 4.5:1)
seriousData tables without header cells7×
WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships · found on 5 of 24 pages
Tables with no <th> cells force screen reader users to memorize column positions to understand the data.
How to fix: Mark header cells with <th scope="col"> / <th scope="row">. Layout-only tables should get role="presentation".
seriousBroken heading structure19×
WCAG 1.3.1 / 2.4.6 Headings · found on 14 of 24 pages
Missing h1s or skipped heading levels (h2 jumping to h4) break the outline screen reader users navigate by.
How to fix: Use one h1 per page and keep heading levels sequential — headings are a table of contents, not a font-size picker.
seriousEmbedded frames without titles6×
WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value · found on 4 of 24 pages
Iframes (maps, videos, calendars, payment portals) without a title attribute are announced as “frame” with no explanation.
How to fix: Add title="..." to every <iframe> describing what it contains.
Examples: maps.google.com embed · meeting-video-player
moderateVague link text (“click here”, “read more”)31×
WCAG 2.4.4 Link Purpose · found on 18 of 24 pages
Screen reader users often browse a list of the page's links out of context — twelve links that all say “read more” are meaningless.
How to fix: Make link text describe the destination: “Read the 2026 budget proposal” instead of “click here”.
Examples: “Read More” · “Click Here” · “Learn more”
moderateMissing skip-to-content link24×
WCAG 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks · found on 24 of 24 pages
Keyboard users must tab through the entire menu on every single page before reaching the content.
How to fix: Add a “Skip to main content” link as the first focusable element, visible on focus. One template change fixes every page.
Document audit (PDFs)
The Title II rule covers documents too. We audited a sample of 8 PDFs linked from scanned pages — 41 total documents were linked site-wide.
| Document | Result | Finding |
|---|---|---|
| council-agenda-2026-07-14.pdf | Fails | Likely a scanned image — needs OCR and tagging |
| 2026-adopted-budget.pdf | Fails | No accessibility tags detected — likely fails WCAG |
| building-permit-application.pdf | Fails | No accessibility tags detected — likely fails WCAG |
| park-shelter-rental-form.pdf | Review | Tagged, but no document language set |
| water-quality-report-2025.pdf | OK | Tagged PDF with language set — good foundation |
| snow-emergency-routes.pdf | Fails | Likely a scanned image — needs OCR and tagging |
| city-newsletter-summer.pdf | Review | Tagged, but no document language set |
| zoning-map-2026.pdf | OK | Tagged PDF with language set — good foundation |
Page-by-page
| Page | Title | Issues |
|---|---|---|
| / | City of Cedarview, MN | Home | 21 |
| /agendas-minutes | Agendas & Minutes | 17 |
| /pay-utility-bill | Pay Your Utility Bill | 14 |
| /permits | Permits & Licenses | 12 |
| /parks-recreation | Parks & Recreation | 11 |
| /contact | Contact Us | 9 |
| …18 more pages in the full report | 78 | |
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