Contrast

Overview

Color contrast in college materials matters because it helps everyone comfortably read and interact with the information. When text stands out clearly from the background, it’s easier for people with low vision or color-vision differences to find what they need. Good contrast also supports accessibility guidelines and keeps the websites and documents looking polished and welcoming. By getting color contrast right, Black Hawk College makes its online spaces easier for all students, staff and visitors to use.

Testing for Contrast

WCAG testing criteria work by checking a website against a set of clear, measurable rules that help make the site easier for everyone to use. These rules are grouped into levels (A, AA, and AAA), with AA being the standard most institutions aim for. Testers look at each rule to see whether the site meets it – for example, whether text is easy to read or elements behave predictably. If the site passes all the required checks for a level, it’s considered compliant at that level.

Contrast for brand colors has already been performed (below). Additional colors can be tested (using hex values) for compliance from the link below or other resources on the web.

Test Color Contrast