Goal
Provide content that can be understood by users with lower reading ability.
Success Criterion · WCAG 3.1.5
Reading Level
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.
Level AAAWCAG 2.0Understandable3.1 · Readable
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What to do
When text requires advanced reading ability, provide a simpler alternative or supplemental content.
Why it matters
Some users have lower literacy or cognitive disabilities; complex prose can exclude them from understanding.
Success criterion
What WCAG 3.1.5 requires
Summarized directly from the official Understanding document so teams can quote the requirement accurately.
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.
Intent
Why WCAG created this requirement
- Complex language can be a barrier even when content is technically accessible.
- Provide alternatives like summaries, bullet points, or plain-language versions.
- This supports cognitive accessibility and broader comprehension.
Benefits
Who gains when you pass
- Users with cognitive disabilities can understand content more easily.
- Users with lower literacy benefit from plain language alternatives.
- Non-native speakers can understand complex topics with simplified explanations.
Why it matters
User impact when this criterion fails
Summaries drawn from the Understanding document help you socialize impact statements with product stakeholders.
Users may misinterpret instructions or policies if written in complex language.
Users may abandon content that is hard to read or requires advanced literacy.
Overview
If content is written above a lower-secondary reading level, provide a simpler summary, alternative version, or supplemental explanation (e.g., plain language summary, glossary, visuals).
- This is about reading level, not just vocabulary; structure and clarity matter.
- Provide summaries or alternative content, especially for legal/technical pages.
- Use headings, lists, and visuals to support comprehension.
Reference: All summaries and highlights originate from Understanding WCAG 3.1.5 and the W3C quick reference.
Fast facts
- Conformance level
- Level AAA
- WCAG version introduced
- WCAG 2.0
- Principle
- Understandable
- Guideline
- 3.1 · Readable
Examples
Make success tangible for teams
Share pass/fail snapshots to coach designers, engineers, QA, and content authors.
Privacy policy
Pass
Policy includes a “Plain language summary” section with bullet points.
Fail
Only dense legal text is provided with no summary.
Technical guide
Pass
Guide includes “In brief” explanations and examples for complex topics.
Fail
Guide uses advanced prose and jargon with no alternative explanations.
Evidence to keep
Document conformance decisions
Capture artifacts for VPATs, procurement reviews, and regression testing.
- Document content standards for plain language and when summaries are required.
- Maintain a checklist for content reviews including reading-level considerations.
Official resources
Deep dives and supporting material
Keep these links handy when writing acceptance criteria or responding to audits.
Implementation checklist
Capture progress and blockers
- Identify pages with complex, dense language (legal, policies, technical explanations).
- Provide a plain-language summary or simplified version.
- Add definitions and examples for complex concepts.
- Use clear structure (headings, bullets) to reduce cognitive load.
Testing ideas
Prove conformance with evidence
- Review content for complexity and jargon density.
- Verify a simplified alternative or summary is provided when needed.
- Test with users/readability tools where possible to validate comprehension.
Related success criteria