Missing focus indicators
Many WordPress themes strip the default browser focus outline for aesthetic reasons, breaking keyboard navigation entirely for motor-impaired users.
free wordpress plugin Section 508 accessibility Section 508 compliance
Section 508 compliance
for WordPress.
Make your WordPress site accessible to everyone. Cirv Guard audits against Section 508 AA and fixes the most common issues automatically, no developer required.
What is Section 508?
The Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act sets accessibility requirements for US federal agencies and contractors. At Level AA, it covers four core principles: content must be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust (POUR). These translate to dozens of specific technical criteria your WordPress site must meet.
For WordPress sites, the most common failures are: missing keyboard focus styles, form inputs without associated labels, images without alt text, insufficient colour contrast ratios, and no skip navigation for keyboard users. Each blocks a segment of your visitors from using your site effectively.
The business case is straightforward: over 1 billion people worldwide live with a disability. Inaccessible sites exclude those users, and increasingly, regulators are taking notice. Section 508 compliance protects your site from legal risk while expanding the audience you can serve.
Where WordPress typically fails Section 508.
These are the issues Cirv Guard detects and patches automatically.
Insufficient colour contrast
Section 508 Level AA requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text. Default WordPress palettes frequently fail this check.
Missing form labels
Forms without properly associated labels are unusable with screen readers. This affects contact forms, search boxes, and newsletter signups.
No skip navigation
Without a "skip to main content" link, keyboard users tab through every navigation item on every page load, a significant usability barrier.
Images without alt text
Decorative and informative images both need correct alt handling. Missing or incorrect alt fails Section 508 and reduces SEO value.
Missing ARIA landmarks
Screen reader users rely on ARIA landmarks to navigate pages. Many WordPress themes output HTML without the required landmark roles.
What Cirv Guard patches for you.
No code changes to your theme. Cirv Guard patches at the WordPress layer.
- Focus indicator styles
- Colour contrast fixes
- Form label association
- Skip navigation link
- Alt text auditing
- ARIA landmark roles
- Accessibility statement
- Continuous monitoring
- Section 508 AA report
Section 508 compliant in 3 steps.
install cirv guard
Find "Cirv Guard" in the WordPress plugin repository, install, and activate. No theme modifications required, works with any WordPress setup.
run your audit
Cirv Guard scans your WordPress site against Section 508 AA criteria and surfaces every issue with a severity rating and fix recommendation.
enable auto-fixes
Toggle on automatic fixes for focus styles, skip navigation, and ARIA labels. Cirv Guard monitors continuously and alerts on regressions.
Section 508 + WordPress questions.
Is WordPress Section 508 compliant out of the box?
Not fully. WordPress provides some accessibility features but most sites have gaps, particularly around focus styles, colour contrast, and ARIA. An audit always reveals issues that need addressing.
Can a plugin alone make my site fully accessible?
Cirv Guard handles the technical fixes that can be automated. Some improvements, writing good alt text, restructuring content hierarchy, still need human attention. Cirv Guard identifies those too, so you know exactly what to address manually.
Does Section 508 compliance improve SEO?
Yes, significantly. Semantic HTML, proper heading structure, descriptive alt text, and fast keyboard navigation all correlate with better Core Web Vitals and crawlability. Accessible sites consistently outperform inaccessible ones in organic search.
Is Cirv Guard free?
Yes, the core plugin is free on WordPress.org. Pro adds continuous monitoring, automated reporting, and priority support. Most sites get significant compliance coverage from the free version alone.
ship it
Make your WordPress site accessible.
Cirv Guard is free to install. Audit your WordPress site now and fix the issues blocking ~15% of your potential audience.