1.4.1 - Use of colour

The intent of this success criterion is to ensure that all users can access information that is conveyed by colour differences, that is, by the use of colour where each colour has a meaning assigned to it. If the information is conveyed through colour differences in an image (or other non-text format), the colour may not be seen by users with colour deficiencies.

Ensure that colour is not used as the only visual means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element i.e. “required fields are indicated in red”. Users often can’t distinguish or may override page colours.

Ensure that:

• information conveyed in colour is also available in text i.e. required fields on a form can be denoted with:
  • red asterisk (colour and character cue)
  • red label as well as contain the word (required) (colour and text cue)
• colour is combined with a pattern i.e. pie graph or map
  • each graph or map section needs to be denoted by colour and pattern
• links differentiate from the rest of the text with underlines as well as colour