How Israeli Accessibility Standards Differ from WCAG

הנחיות WCAG שמהוות את הבסיס הבינלאומי להנגשת אתרי אינטרנט, אומצו על ידי מדינות רבות, אך כל מדינה בוחרת לעיתים לבצע התאמות משלה – בהתאם לצרכים המקומיים, לשפה ולתרבות. בישראל, התקן ת״י 5568 מבוסס על WCAG 2.0, אך כולל שינויים והחמרות במטרה להבטיח נגישות טובה ומעשית יותר לקהל המקומי.

The international WCAG guidelines form the foundation for web accessibility worldwide and have been adopted by many countries, yet each nation often makes localized adjustments to meet regional needs, language considerations, and cultural contexts. In Israel, Standard SI 5568 is based on WCAG 2.0 but includes stricter rules and enhancements designed to provide better, more practical accessibility for local users with disabilities.

Israel's standard incorporates mandatory additions and stricter requirements in areas where the international standard only offers recommendations—particularly for time-based media (video, audio, animations, etc.) and hierarchical content structure. These changes address the needs of people with hearing loss, vision impairment, and difficulty understanding page layout, and are especially critical for information, public services, education, and health websites..

Israel's standard includes enhancements to the international baseline, reflected in both stricter rules for specific sections and mandatory requirements for criteria that are optional in global standards. This shift followed a policy change: sites made accessible before October 2014 only had to meet Level A, but from October 2014 onward, Level AA compliance became the sole requirement..

 Key Changes Explained:

🎧 1.2.1 – Audio-only or Video-only Media (Pre-recorded)

• In WCAG: Level A
• In SI 5568: Level AA
• Explanation:
• For pre-recorded audio only (such as a radio program):
  You must provide a complete and clear text alternative of the recorded content..
• For pre-recorded video-only (such as a demonstration video with no audio):
  You must provide either a text alternative or a matching audio description that clearly explains what happens.. 

🎬 1.2.2 – Captions for Audio Content in Video

• In WCAG: Level A
• In SI 5568: Level AA
• Explanation:
• For pre-recorded video with audio (such as a recorded lecture):
  You must provide accessible captions for all spoken or audio content in the video.. 

📝 1.2.3 – Audio Description or Text Alternative for Video with Audio

• In WCAG: Level A
• In SI 5568: Level AA
• Explanation:
  You must provide at least one of the following:
1. A complete and clear text alternative of all content happening in the video..
2. Audio description (Audio Description) of the visual information – delivered as a separate audio track.. 

🧭 2.4.10 – Use of Structural Headings Within Content

• In WCAG: Level AAA (optional)
• In SI 5568: Level AA (mandatory)
• Explanation:
  On every web page with hierarchical text content, you must use proper HTML heading tags (H1, H2, etc.) to improve navigation for screen reader users and keyboard users..

Summary Overview: