Accessibility
WCAG 2.0 Level AA
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 · W3C Recommendation, 11 December 2008 · ISO/IEC 40500:2012
WCAG 2.0 is the 2008 version of the W3C's web accessibility standard, and the version Ontario's AODA names. Since 1 January 2021, large organizations and designated public sector organizations in Ontario have had to meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA on their internet websites and web content, apart from live captions and prerecorded audio description.
Track WCAG 2.0The AODA website rule
Last updated 14 October 2026
Key facts about WCAG 2.0
- Published: W3C Recommendation on 11 December 2008.
- Size: 4 principles (perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust), 12 guidelines, and 61 success criteria: 25 at Level A, 13 at Level AA, and 23 at Level AAA.
- Level AA: all 38 Level A and Level AA success criteria.
- In Ontario law: O. Reg. 191/11, section 14, for large and designated public sector organizations, since 1 January 2021.
- Later versions: WCAG 2.1 (2018) and WCAG 2.2 (2023) keep the 2.0 success criteria and add more; the W3C says content that meets WCAG 2.2 also meets WCAG 2.0.
What does the AODA require for websites?
Section 14 of the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation sets out who must meet WCAG 2.0 and when:
| Who | What |
|---|---|
| Large organizations (50 or more employees in Ontario) | Internet websites and web content conform to WCAG 2.0 Level AA since 1 January 2021, apart from 1.2.4 Captions (Live) and 1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded). |
| Designated public sector organizations, at any size | The same requirement, on the same date. |
| Small organizations (1 to 49 employees in Ontario) | Not covered by section 14, but must provide accessible formats and communication supports on request. |
It covers web content published after 1 January 2012, and sites a vendor runs for you under a contract that allows changes. For the full picture by organization size, the compliance report due 31 December 2026, and penalties, see Ontario AODA accessibility standards.
What does WCAG 2.0 cover?
The success criteria sit under four principles. Content must be:
- Perceivable: text alternatives for images, captions and alternatives for audio and video, structure that assistive technology can read, and enough colour contrast.
- Operable: everything works from a keyboard, people have enough time, nothing flashes in a way that can cause seizures, and pages are easy to navigate.
- Understandable: the page language is set, pages behave predictably, and forms help people avoid and correct mistakes.
- Robust: markup that browsers and assistive technologies can interpret, with a name, role, and value for every control.
How Lavawall® helps with WCAG 2.0 and the AODA
- Find issues on your public pages. The Lavawall domain scan includes accessibility checks against WCAG 2.0 Level AA for the AODA, beside WCAG 2.2 Level AA, so you see what a machine can detect and can check again after each fix.
- Track the framework next to the AODA. Turn on WCAG 2.0 with the Ontario AODA framework, keep scan reports and manual test notes as evidence, and give the person who certifies your compliance report the record behind the website answers.
- Work to 2.2, report on 2.0. The WCAG 2.2 framework covers the newer success criteria, so one program of work serves both.
- For MSPs: scan and track every Ontario client from one console.
Automated checks find only part of what WCAG asks for. Lavawall does not file your AODA report or certify conformance; it shows where you stand and keeps the evidence together. See how the AODA framework works step by step.
Related
Primary sources: W3C, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 and the WCAG 2 Overview; Government of Ontario, O. Reg. 191/11, Integrated Accessibility Standards. Last verified 14 October 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is WCAG 2.0?
WCAG 2.0 is version 2.0 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, published by the W3C as a Recommendation on 11 December 2008 and later as ISO/IEC 40500:2012. It has 61 success criteria: 25 at Level A, 13 at Level AA, and 23 at Level AAA. Level AA conformance means meeting the 38 at Levels A and AA.
Why does WCAG 2.0 still matter if WCAG 2.2 exists?
Because the law names it. Section 14 of Ontario's Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (O. Reg. 191/11) requires large organizations (50 or more employees in Ontario) and designated public sector organizations to make their internet websites and web content conform to WCAG 2.0 Level AA, and has since 1 January 2021. An AODA compliance report asks about it.
What does the AODA leave out of WCAG 2.0 Level AA?
Two success criteria: 1.2.4 Captions (Live) and 1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded). Everything else at Levels A and AA applies to the websites and web content in scope.
Should we test against WCAG 2.0 or WCAG 2.2?
Test against WCAG 2.2 Level AA and report against WCAG 2.0 where the AODA asks for it. The W3C says content that meets WCAG 2.2 also meets WCAG 2.0, so you do the work once and cover both, plus WCAG 2.1 for US and EU rules.
Does the AODA website rule apply to small businesses?
No. Section 14 applies to large organizations and designated public sector organizations. Small organizations (1 to 49 employees in Ontario) still have to provide accessible formats and communication supports when asked.
Does Lavawall make our website AODA compliant?
No tool can do that on its own. Lavawall finds the WCAG 2.0 Level AA issues automated checks can detect on your public pages, tracks the framework with evidence beside the Ontario AODA framework, and keeps gaps assigned until they are fixed. The fixes, manual testing, and the compliance report are yours.