Ballarat In The Know Accessibility Audit
Comprehensive Manual Audit as well as Automated audit of the 'Ballarat In The Know' website.
This Ballarat In The Know accessibility audit and WCAG 2.1 AA remediation covered a React-based community information site for Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, sharing local news, events and what’s-on listings with residents and visitors.
A local information site keeps a community connected through news, event listings and updates. Residents who use assistive technology rely on it just as much as anyone, so the accessibility of that content and its dynamic, app-like interface decides whether everyone stays in the know.
Table of Contents
Why accessibility matters for a community information site
In Australia, government and public bodies have clear obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act, and WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the standard used to judge an accessible website. For Ballarat In The Know the duty is practical as well as legal: residents and visitors who use assistive technology must be able to read information and complete tasks just like anyone else.
Scope and standard
Our Ballarat In The Know accessibility audit assessed the site against WCAG 2.1 Level AA, across the journeys that matter: news and article pages, event and what’s-on listings, search and filtering, sign-up or contact forms, and navigation — with attention to the dynamic content updates of a React build.
How we ran the Ballarat In The Know accessibility audit
- Screen-reader testing with JAWS and NVDA on Windows, VoiceOver on macOS and iOS, and TalkBack on Android
- Automated audits with Deque axe, Google Lighthouse and WAVE
- Keyboard-only operation of every step, with attention to focus order and a clearly visible focus indicator
- Colour-contrast analysis, plus 400% zoom and reflow testing for low-vision users
What accessibility means on each part of the site
Because Ballarat In The Know is a public-sector site that informs and serves residents, our Ballarat In The Know accessibility audit focused on the parts people depend on:
- Information and programme pages need a clear heading structure and readable text, so a screen-reader user can find services without relying on visual layout.
- Forms and applications need programmatic labels, clear instructions and announced errors, so applying for a service or permit never depends on sight or a mouse.
- Documents and PDFs need to be tagged and readable, since so much public information is delivered as downloads.
- Search, navigation and any maps need operable controls and results in text, not by map alone.
- All content needs sufficient colour contrast, visible focus and clean reflow at 400% zoom for low-vision residents.
Outcome
This Ballarat In The Know accessibility audit, combining manual and automated testing with remediation, brought the site into line with WCAG 2.1 AA expectations, so people using a screen reader or a keyboard can use it without barriers. Every fix was verified with assistive technology rather than assumed from an automated pass, so the result holds up in real use.