AtoM Heratio implements WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance

[Johan Pieterse]

AtoM Heratio implements WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance through a comprehensive accessibility layer that is globally injected across all pages. This includes ARIA landmarks (banner, main, navigation, complementary, contentinfo), an ARIA live region with programmatic screen reader announcements, automatic table header scoping, automatic form validation linkage (aria-required, aria-invalid, aria-describedby),  collapsible facets with full aria-expanded state, visible focus indicators, and semantic heading hierarchy. 

The theme enforces AA colour contrast ratios (4.5:1 minimum), respects the prefers-reduced-motion media query, and supports Windows High Contrast mode via forced-colors. An optional voice command system with 100+ commands in 11 languages enables hands-free navigation, dictation, and AI-powered image description using a local open-source vision model (LLaVA). Automated compliance is verified through axe-core Playwright tests on key pages. 

These features align with Universal Design principles - equitable use, flexibility, simple and intuitive operation, perceptible information, and tolerance for error, ensuring that GLAM institutions can serve diverse audiences including researchers with disabilities, without requiring any additional configuration.