WCAG 2.2 AA · FSE Block Theme

Accessible by default.
Built to impress.

Ariade is the flagship of Ananyoo’s free accessible WordPress themes — a full site editing theme that ships conformant, screen-reader-ready websites visually, with accessible Forms, Carousel and Login plugins already inside.

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Technologies used

  • WordPress
  • Full Site Editing
  • HTML5
  • CSS3
  • JavaScript

Tested with real assistive tech

JAWS NVDA VoiceOver TalkBack Keyboard only
AccessibleInclusiveWCAG 2.2 AAKeyboard readyScreen-reader tested

Why Ariade

Accessibility, handled at the source

The issues an audit usually flags are already solved in every template — so the sites you build start conformant, not patched after the fact.

Screen-reader tested

Every template is verified by hand with JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver and TalkBack — not only automated scanners.

WCAG 4.1.2

Contrast-safe tokens

Colour palettes ship pre-checked at 4.5:1, so text stays readable across every section and style variation.

WCAG 1.4.3

Keyboard-first

Logical focus order, skip links and high-visibility focus rings are on the moment you activate the theme.

WCAG 2.1.1 · 2.4.7

About the theme

Two decades of accessibility, built into a theme

Ariade comes from a two-decade accessibility practice — building barrier-free websites since 2003. Everything that usually gets bolted on at audit time is already part of the theme.

Compose pages from blocks, switch style variations, and ship knowing the landmarks, headings, contrast and focus behaviour are handled for you. Ariade anchors Ananyoo’s family of accessible WordPress themes and plugins.

Read the case study

Ariade home page preview — from Ananyoo's collection of accessible WordPress themes
AAWCAG 2.2 conformance target
60+Accessible block patterns
5Accessible plugins included
20+Years of accessibility work

Main features

A complete toolkit for inclusive sites

Multi-purpose full site editing for consultants, agencies and professional-services teams who can't afford to fail an audit.

Complete toolkit

Build any business layout from predesigned pages and patterns — no page-builder plugin needed.

Lifetime updates

Stay current with WordPress and accessibility guidance as standards evolve — at no extra cost.

Accessibility ready

Committed to inclusive, barrier-free experiences — usable and enjoyable for everyone.

WCAG 2.2 AA

Multilingual & RTL

Translation-ready with right-to-left support, so accessibility travels across languages.

Easy to use

Enjoy the native WordPress editing experience — clean, fast, and free of clutter.

Built for speed

Lean, standards-driven code with no bloat — fast for visitors and assistive tech alike.

Style variations

Vibrant palettes, every one AA

Switch the whole site’s colour scheme in a click. Each variation is pre-checked, so text never drops below 4.5:1.

Cobalt

Aa 6.9:1 AA

Violet

Aa 7.1:1 AA

Rose

Aa 6.0:1 AA

Midnight

Aa 17:1:1 AAA

Typography

Type that stays legible at any size

A two-font system tuned for reading: a tall, clear body face and a condensed display face, with a scale that holds up at 200% zoom.

Display

Barlow Semi Condensed

AaBbCc 0123 — uppercase headings

700800900

Body

Geist

AaBbCc 0123 — optimised for screen reading

400500600
H1Accessible
H2Inclusive design
H3Readable everywhere
BodyThe quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog while a screen reader announces every word.
SmallCaptions and metadata stay above 4.5:1 contrast.
LinkAn underlined link with a visible focus ring.

The team pattern

Put a human face on your site

A ready team layout — drop in your own people and photos.

Portrait of Maya R.

Maya R.

Accessibility Lead

WCAG audits and screen-reader testing.

Portrait of Daniel O.

Daniel O.

Front-end Engineer

Semantic, keyboard-first interfaces.

Portrait of Aisha K.

Aisha K.

UX Designer

Inclusive layouts and clear content.

Portrait of Leo F.

Leo F.

QA & AT Tester

JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, TalkBack.

Avatars are placeholders — swap each for a licensed or AI-generated photo (the image slot keeps proper alt text).

Plugins included

Forms & sign-in, accessible from the first click

Every screen on this demo — including the WordPress sign-in itself — passes WCAG 2.2 AA.

  • Labelled fields, required marked in text
  • Errors announced, not by colour alone
  • Real show / hide password control
  • Keyboard-first with visible focus
Try the accessible sign-in →

Ariade styles the WordPress sign-in screen itself — no extra plugin needed.

Ariade Accessible Forms

Start a project

Every field is labelled, every error is announced. Required fields are marked in text, not by colour alone.

Live plugin demos

The accessible plugins behind this demo

Every login, slider and form on this site is one of our free accessible WordPress plugins, each built to WCAG 2.2 AA. Try them live:

5 free pluginsAll running live on this demo site — and free on WordPress.org

See all plugin demos →

Free & open source

Every feature, free from day one

Like all Ananyoo accessible WordPress themes, Ariade is completely free — no subscriptions, no paid tiers, no lock-in. Download it, keep it, and build accessible sites for as long as you like.

Download Ariade — free

WooCommerce ready

An accessible shop, out of the box

Product grid, single product, cart and checkout templates — every control labelled, every “Add to cart” distinct for screen readers.

Visit the shop
[products limit="4" columns="4" visibility="featured" orderby="date" order="DESC"]

Blog layouts

Blog cards, three new styles

The newest additions to Ariade’s pattern library — zoom, floating and gradient-spine cards — with tiles, bento, mosaic, glass and ledger layouts also included. Every layout keeps heading order and readable contrast.

Zoom cards

Category pill on the image, soft zoom on hover, gradient title underline.

Floating cards

The body card overlaps the image and floats on a deep shadow.

Gradient spine

Your brand gradient tops every card; the outline button fills on hover.

Powered by Ananyoo Accessible Events

Upcoming accessible events

Workshops, webinars and clinics where every event states the accommodations it provides — captions, sign language, wheelchair access and more. Powered by our free Accessible Events plugin.

Subscribe See all events
[events show="upcoming" limit="3" paginate="no" filter="no" view_switch="no" subscribe="no" heading="3"]

From the blog

Notes on building accessible sites

Practical write-ups from two decades of accessibility work — testing with real screen readers, fixing what audits catch, and building accessible WordPress themes, plugins and sites that work for everyone.

See all posts

No posts published yet — check back soon.

FAQ

Accessible WordPress themes & plugins — frequently asked questions

Quick answers about this showcase — the accessible WordPress themes and plugins from Ananyoo you see running live on this site, and how everything is built and tested.

6 quick answersEverything else — just ask, we reply to every enquiry

Ask a question →
Are these accessible WordPress themes and plugins really free?

Yes. Everything you see on this showcase is free — the Ariade theme and every Ananyoo accessibility plugin, with no paid tiers, subscriptions or locked features. The plugins are on WordPress.org, and updates cost nothing.

How are the themes and plugins tested for WCAG 2.2 AA?

Every theme template and plugin screen is checked with automated tools — Deque axe, Lighthouse and WAVE — and then tested by hand with JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver and TalkBack, keyboard-only use, 400% zoom and forced-colors mode. It is built by an accessibility consultant who audits websites for a living.

Which plugins are included with the theme?

This demo runs our free accessibility plugins together with Ariade: Accessible Forms, Accessible Login, Accessible Carousel, Accessible Portfolio and Accessible Events — each built to WCAG 2.2 AA and available free on WordPress.org.

Does Ariade work with WooCommerce?

Yes. The shop grid, single product, cart and checkout templates are styled and audited — every control is labelled and every Add to cart button is distinct for screen readers. The shop section on this page is live WooCommerce output.

Can I use Ariade for client projects?

Absolutely. The theme is GPL licensed, so you can use it on unlimited personal and client websites. Agencies use it as their accessible starting point for business, government and education sites.

Do I need to know WCAG to build an accessible site with it?

No. The accessible defaults do the heavy lifting — landmarks, heading order, contrast-safe palettes, focus styles and keyboard behaviour are already handled. You compose pages with blocks, and the theme keeps them conformant.