Resolving Form Accessibility Issues

What are form accessibility issues?

Forms allow visitors to submit information, request services, or complete tasks on your website. DubBot reports form accessibility issues when form elements may be difficult for visitors using assistive technologies to understand or complete.

Common issues include missing labels, unclear instructions, inaccessible error messages, or fields that cannot be navigated using a keyboard.

Common form issues

DubBot may report issues such as:

• Missing form labels
• Form fields without accessible names
• Missing instructions
• Required fields that are not clearly identified
• Inaccessible error messages
• Keyboard navigation issues

Forms managed by Web Services

Many UMKC websites use centrally managed forms or third-party form platforms. In these cases, accessibility issues often originate from the form itself rather than the page where it appears.

If you cannot edit the form fields directly, submit a Web Services support ticket with:

• The affected page URL
• The form name or purpose
• The DubBot issue being reported

Forms managed by content editors

If you manage your own form, review the following:

• Every form field has a visible label.
• Instructions are clear and easy to understand.
• Required fields are identified consistently.
• Error messages clearly explain what needs to be corrected.
• Buttons are labeled with meaningful actions such as Submit, Search, or Register.

Avoid using placeholder text as the only label for a field. Placeholder text disappears as visitors begin typing and should not replace a visible label.

Verify the correction

After updating the form:

1. Open the published page.
2. Complete the form using only the keyboard, if possible.
3. Confirm all labels, instructions, and buttons are clear.
4. Wait for DubBot’s next crawl to verify the issue has been resolved.

When to contact Web Services

Many form accessibility issues involve template code, third-party services, or custom applications that cannot be modified through the CMS.

If the reported issue cannot be resolved by updating the form content, submit a Web Services support ticket for assistance.