Text Formatting

The Standards

Section 508 Standards:

  • Standard 1194.21, g “Applications shall not override user selected contrast and color selections and other individual display attributes.” (Section508.gov)

WCAG 2.0 Guidelines:

  • Guideline 1.4.4 “Resize text: Except for captions and images of text, text can be resized without assistive technology up to 200 percent without loss of content or functionality. (Level AA)” (W3C)
  • Guideline 1.4.5 “Images of Text: If the technologies being used can achieve the visual presentation, text is used to convey information rather than images of text except for the following: (Level AA)” (W3C)

What do the Standards Mean?

There are a number of factors to consider when selecting which fonts to use when creating compliant content.  Some of these factors include but are not limited to, readability, font size, font variations, number of fonts used, etc.

When selecting a font for readability, choosing a font from the most commonly used font families which are universal to most devices is recommended.  The Serif and Sans-serif font families are two of the most common.  Known for its flared extensions and thick and thin lines, the Serif font family consists of Times News Roman, Georgia, and Antiqua.  The Sans-serif font family has more of a block appearance to its letter and consists of Arial, Tahoma, Trebuchet MS, and Verdana. Specific details on each of the fonts listed above can be found on WebAIM Font Techniques.

Although the number of fonts used in a text-based document is not directly tied to accessibility, it is often considered a best practice to limit the numbers of fonts used within a document.  This best practice also applies to the font variations.  Limiting the number of fonts and variations used can lead to better document readability and less confusion for readers.

Today’s browsers have made the selection of font size less important because users can magnify and shrink text based on their needs and preferences.  Content creators should select a font that maintains its readability and functionality when magnified or shrunk. Readability and functionality must be maintained at a magnification of 200% to be compliant.

How to Verify Text Formatting is Accessible?

  1. Is the font selected from the Serif or Sans-serif font families?
  2. Are there a limited number of fonts and font variations used in the text-based document?
  3. When magnifying or shrinking the text is the readability maintained?