DreamHost Accessibility Checker

Accessibility on DreamHost

DreamHost hosts WordPress sites as well as custom and static sites. For every one of them, accessibility is decided by the code, theme, plugins and content, not by the host.

Blogs and content-heavy sites have their own common gaps: images without alt text, long posts with no heading structure and links that just say "read more".

WebAIM’s annual analysis of the top one million home pages finds detectable WCAG failures on the vast majority of them, year after year, with low-contrast text, missing alternative text and missing form labels among the most common. (opens in a new tab, source: WebAIM Million)

Common Accessibility Issues on DreamHost Sites

• Blog images

  Featured images and in-post images published without alt text.

• Heading structure

  Long posts that skip heading levels or use bold text instead of headings.

• Vague link text

  Repeated "read more" and "click here" links that do not say where they go.

• Theme contrast

  Light gray meta text, captions and buttons that fail WCAG contrast.

• Comment and search forms

  Fields without labels and buttons without accessible names.

How AccessBell Scans Your DreamHost Site

1. Enter any public page. Paste the address of a page on your DreamHost site into the scanner above. There is nothing to install on your hosting account: no plugin, no code snippet and no login.
2. We load it in a real browser. AccessBell opens the page in headless Chrome and runs its scripts, so it tests what your visitors actually see, including content added by your theme, builder or plugins.
3. We run the WCAG rules. The open-source axe-core engine checks the page against the standard you choose, and every result is mapped to the WCAG success criteria it affects.
4. You get a report in seconds. Each issue comes with the failing HTML and how to fix it. Our methodology explains exactly what runs and what still needs a person.

What's Included in Every Scan

• 63 automated rules for WCAG 2.2 Level AA, or presets for WCAG 2.1 AA, the ADA, Section 508 and EN 301 549
• Every issue ranked by severity, from critical to minor
• The WCAG success criteria each issue fails, which you can look up in our WCAG library
• The failing HTML, so you can find the element in your site editor or code
• How to fix each issue, with a link to the rule's full documentation
• A list of checks that need a person to review, so nothing is missed
• Filters by WCAG version, level, principle, success criterion and severity

The free scan checks one page at a time. AccessBell Pro scans up to 500 pages per domain every day and alerts you when something changes.

How to Fix What the Scan Finds

1. Set up your editor workflow so every post gets alt text, real headings and descriptive link text before it is published.
2. Fix theme colors and form markup once, in the theme or a child theme, so every page benefits.
3. Run a free scan above on your homepage and a few key pages, fix issues starting with critical and serious, then rescan to confirm.
4. For ongoing protection, AccessBell Pro monitors up to 500 URLs per domain every day and alerts you when a theme, app or plugin update introduces a new issue.

Related Guides

• WCAG 1.1.1 Non-text Content Explained in Plain EnglishWCAG 1.1.1 Non-text Content explained simply: how to write alt text for every kind of image, icon, chart and CAPTCHA, with code examples and a test routine.
• WCAG 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence Explained in Plain EnglishWCAG 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence explained simply: why reading order matters, how CSS and layout tables break it, how to fix it and how to test your pages.
• SEO Audit: How to Conduct a Full Site CheckHow to do an SEO audit step by step: crawling and indexing, technical health, speed, on-page basics, content and links, with free tools and a checklist.
• WCAG Success Criteria LibraryLook up any success criterion the scan flags, in plain language.
• Free Accessibility Statement GeneratorPublish a statement once your DreamHost site's known issues are fixed.

DreamHost Accessibility — Frequently Asked Questions