About

Version: WCAG 2.0 and up
Number: 3.1.5
Level: AAA
Applicability:
  • Text
Requirement:

When text requires reading ability more advanced than the lower secondary education level after removal of proper names and titles, supplemental content, or a version that does not require reading ability more advanced than the lower secondary education level, is available.

Guidance:
Techniques:

Purpose

The purpose of this success criterion is to ensure that readers with difficulty processing complex text have an alternative in simpler prose.

How to Meet

To meet this success criterion, publishers must either author their content so that it has a low readability score or provide alternative content in simpler prose for all text that uses complex language.

Whether this success criterion is attainable will depend on the nature of the publication. It may not be realistic, for example, for advanced textbooks and other works that deal with complex topics.

Additional Information

The knowledge base does not currently include information on reading complexity. Refer to the WCAG guidance documents for additional information.