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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Choose a consultant who will assess your actual WordPress site against a clearly named WCAG version and conformance level, combine automated checks with human evaluation, and deliver findings your team can act on. A theme’s “accessibility-ready” label or an automated score is not proof that the finished site is accessible.
Start by defining what the consultant will assess
Before comparing proposals, identify the parts of your site that matter to visitors: page templates, content types, plugins, and key journeys such as searching, registering, purchasing, or submitting a form. Ask each consultant to list what is in scope, what is excluded, and whether the evaluation covers every item or uses sampling. A proposal that says only “WordPress accessibility audit” does not tell you what will actually be tested.
Ask for the guideline version and conformance level in writing. W3C recommends using the latest WCAG version and explains that content meeting WCAG 2.2 also meets WCAG 2.1 and 2.0. WordPress’s coding standards expect code integrated into its ecosystem to conform to WCAG 2.2 Level AA; that expectation is not a guarantee about every third-party theme, plugin, or live site. See the W3C WCAG 2 overview and WordPress accessibility coding standards.
WCAG 2.2 AA is a useful target to discuss, not universal legal advice. Applicable obligations depend on factors such as jurisdiction and organization type. Identify the official requirements relevant to your situation rather than assuming one standard settles the legal question.
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Make sure the evaluation covers the real WordPress site
WordPress.org says the project aims for WCAG 2.2 AA in its administration interface and bundled themes where possible, while acknowledging that current features may not fully comply and that it cannot guarantee every theme is compliant. Its accessibility-ready designation reflects a theme review for basic requirements; it does not establish that your configured theme, plugins, content, and interactions pass a full evaluation. Review the WordPress accessibility page for that distinction.
Ask the consultant how they will examine the assembled site, including customized templates, interactive components, and relevant third-party integrations. If a part of the site is not included, get that exclusion documented so your team understands what the final findings do—and do not—cover.
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Require both automated checks and human evaluation
Automated tools can help locate potential issues, but they cannot judge every aspect of accessibility. They can also produce false or misleading results. W3C/WAI puts it plainly: “no tool alone can determine if a site meets accessibility standards.” Ask how the evaluator will verify tool findings and identify barriers that automation may miss. The W3C explains this in its Evaluating Web Accessibility Overview and guidance on selecting evaluation tools.
Ask what manual work is included. Depending on the site and scope, that may include inspecting pages and controls, navigating by keyboard, and testing with assistive technologies. The proposal should describe actual methods rather than treating a scanner report or a single score as the audit.
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Check the evaluator’s expertise and perspectives
Accessibility evaluation draws on several kinds of knowledge: web technologies, accessibility guidelines, evaluation methods, disability-related barriers, and assistive-technology use. Find out who will do the work, what experience they bring, and how they will address gaps in the team’s expertise. WordPress implementation experience is useful for understanding how themes, plugins, and customizations interact, but it should sit alongside accessibility evaluation skills.
Ask whether people with disabilities participate in the evaluation and which experiences or assistive technologies are represented. Their perspectives can reveal practical barriers that standards-focused testing alone may not capture. User evaluation and standards-based conformance testing contribute different evidence; ask how the consultant will distinguish and report them. W3C’s guidance on combined expertise discusses both collaboration and clear communication of findings.
Compare the report and follow-through
A useful report lets your team locate, understand, prioritize, and address each finding. Ask for a sample or a description of the report format. It should make clear where an issue occurs, how to reproduce it, which relevant criterion it relates to, its impact or priority, and what practical next action is recommended. W3C provides evaluation and reporting resources, including WCAG-EM; ask how the proposed scope and reporting approach relate to a recognized method such as WCAG-EM.
Clarify responsibilities and completion terms before signing. Some consultants evaluate only; others may advise on or implement fixes. Establish who owns remediation, whether retesting is included, what the retest will cover, and what result counts as completion. These are proposal and contract details, not standardized inclusions, so compare them directly rather than assuming an audit automatically includes fixes.
Questions to ask before hiring
- Which WCAG version and conformance level will you assess against, and why is that target appropriate for our site?
- Which WordPress templates, plugins, user journeys, and content types are included? What is excluded or sampled?
- Which parts of the evaluation are automated and which are manual? What keyboard and assistive-technology testing will you perform?
- Who will evaluate the site, and what experience do they have with WordPress, web technologies, WCAG, disability barriers, and assistive technologies?
- Do people with disabilities participate? Which perspectives and assistive technologies are represented, and how does that work relate to conformance testing?
- What will each report finding include so our team can locate, understand, prioritize, and address it?
- Do you provide remediation advice, implement fixes, or only evaluate? Who owns fixes, and is retesting included?
- How does your audit scope and reporting align with a recognized method such as WCAG-EM?
If you are unsure where to begin, W3C’s planning guidance speaks directly to that starting point: “I need to make my website accessible and I don’t even know where to start!” See the W3C planning and policies overview.
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