Accessibility checks by page type

Not every page needs the same accessibility review. A homepage has different risks than a contact form, a donation page, or a blog article. Choosing the right focus saves time and catches the issues that matter most for each page type.

Why page type matters

Accessibility issues are not one-size-fits-all. A homepage with a carousel, promotional images, and multiple navigation menus has different risks than a contact form with required fields and error states. A donation page needs careful payment flow review, while a blog article needs strong heading structure and image alt text.

When you choose a page type in the SiteCheck Canada checker, the report adds context-specific review reminders and prioritization hints. The automated scan rules stay the same — the preset adds human-focused guidance, not magic detection. See the contact page and donation page checklists for dedicated guidance on those page types.

Homepage checks

The homepage is often the most visited page on a site. It sets expectations for accessibility across the rest of the site.

• Heading structure: Does the page have one clear H1 that describes the site or organization? Do headings create a logical outline?
• Link and button text: Are navigation links, CTAs, and image links descriptive? Avoid vague text like "Learn more" or "Click here."
• Promotional images: Do hero banners, stock photos, and decorative images have useful alt text or are they correctly marked decorative?
• Carousel or hero controls: Can carousel content be navigated, paused, and controlled with a keyboard? Are auto-advancing slides announced to screen readers?
• Colour contrast: Hero sections with text overlaid on images often fail contrast checks. Test rendered text, not just design mockups.
• Skip link: Is there a visible skip-to-content link at the start of the page?

Contact page checks

Contact pages are where many accessibility barriers show up first, especially around forms.

• Form labels: Does every input, textarea, and select have a visible, programmatically associated label?
• Required fields: Are required fields clearly marked and communicated to screen readers? Avoid relying only on colour or asterisks.
• Error states: Are validation errors announced, clearly associated with the field, and easy to understand?
• Keyboard focus: Can the full form be completed using only the keyboard? Is the focus order logical?
• Submit button: Does the submit button have clear, descriptive text? Avoid generic text like "Submit" — use "Send message" or similar.
• Privacy expectations: If the form collects personal information, include a brief note about how the information will be used. (This is a practical courtesy, not legal advice.)

Service page checks

Service pages often combine descriptive content, calls to action, and links to related forms or booking tools.

• Heading outline: Does the heading structure clearly separate service descriptions, pricing, and CTAs?
• Link text: Do links to booking forms, application pages, or related services describe the destination?
• Images and icons: Do service icons and illustrations have meaningful alt text or are they correctly marked decorative?
• Tables: If pricing or comparison tables are used, are they marked up with proper table headers and associations?
• PDFs and documents: Are linked documents available in accessible formats?

Donation page checks

Donation pages involve sensitive financial information. Accessibility barriers here can directly prevent people from completing donations.

• Form labels and instructions: Every donation input needs a clear label. Instructions should be available before the form, not hidden in placeholder text.
• Error recovery: If a donation form has validation errors, can users find and fix them easily? Are error messages clear and specific?
• Payment iframe titles: If the payment form is embedded in an iframe, does the iframe have a descriptive title?
• Keyboard access: Can the full donation flow — amount selection, personal information, payment — be completed with a keyboard?
• Trust and clarity: Are required fields clearly marked? Is it clear what will happen after the donation is submitted?

Municipal/community information page checks

Municipal and community pages serve diverse audiences, including people who may be less familiar with digital services.

• Heading structure: Does the page use clear headings to organize services, contact information, and announcements?
• PDFs and documents: Are linked PDFs, forms, and reports available in accessible formats? Consider providing HTML alternatives.
• Plain language: Is the content written in plain language? Avoid jargon, acronyms, and complex sentence structures.
• Links to services and forms: Do links to online services, permit applications, and community programs clearly describe what they link to?
• Captions and transcripts: If the page embeds public meeting recordings or community videos, do they have captions and transcripts?

Blog/article page checks

Content-heavy pages like blog posts and articles rely heavily on structure and readability.

• Heading outline: Does the article use a logical heading hierarchy? The article title should be the H1, with section headings as H2s and subsections as H3s.
• Image alt text: Do images in the article have alt text that describes their purpose in context? Decorative images should be marked as such.
• Link text: Do inline links describe the destination? Avoid "click here" or "read more."
• Embedded media: If the article includes video, audio, or interactive embeds, are they keyboard accessible and do they have captions or transcripts?
• Document/download links: Are links to PDFs, spreadsheets, or other documents clearly labeled with the file type and size?

Landing page checks

Landing pages are often designed for a single goal — signing up, downloading, or purchasing. Every element should support that goal accessibly.

• Clear heading: Does the page have one strong H1 that matches the campaign or offer?
• Form accessibility: If the landing page includes a sign-up or lead capture form, follow the same form checks as the contact page.
• CTA button text: Is the call-to-action button text descriptive? "Get the guide" is better than "Download."
• Visual hierarchy: Does the page use headings, spacing, and contrast to guide attention without relying only on colour?
• Focus management: If the landing page uses modals, pop-ups, or slide-in forms, does focus move correctly and return when closed?

What automated checks can help with

Automated accessibility checkers like SiteCheck Canada can detect many common issues across all page types:

• Missing or generic image alt text
• Missing form labels
• Empty links and buttons
• Missing page title or language
• Skipped heading levels or missing H1
• Low colour contrast in inline styles
• Missing iframe titles
• Duplicate IDs
• Viewport zoom restrictions

These checks are fast and reliable. They give you a useful starting point for prioritizing fixes.

What still needs manual review

Automated scans cannot check everything. For every page type, a person still needs to review:

• Keyboard navigation: Can every interactive element be reached and operated with a keyboard?
• Screen reader flow: Does the page make sense when read aloud by a screen reader?
• Alt text quality: Does alt text actually describe the image purpose in context?
• Colour-only meaning: Is any information conveyed only through colour?
• Dynamic content: Are live updates, modal dialogs, and error messages announced to assistive technology?
• Documents and media: Are PDFs, videos, and audio content accessible?
• Third-party widgets: Are embedded maps, booking tools, payment forms, and social media feeds accessible?

For a complete list, see the Canadian website accessibility checklist and the guide on what automated accessibility checkers miss.