The WCAG principles apply not only to individuals who are blind but to a broad spectrum of people with various types of disabilities, including:
People with visual impairments – In addition to those who are blind, this includes individuals with low vision, color blindness, and those with difficulty distinguishing colors. WCAG recommends, for example, alternative descriptions (alt text) for graphics, appropriate color contrast, and text resizability.
People with motor disabilities – Those with limited motor control, such as users who rely on a keyboard instead of a mouse or use other assistive devices. WCAG requires full keyboard accessibility for all elements, flexible time limits for completing tasks, and ease of use for interactive elements.
People with cognitive and neurological disabilities – Those who experience difficulties with content comprehension, memory, or concentration, as well as sensitivity to stimuli or flashing elements. WCAG advises using simple and understandable language, consistent navigation, minimizing distractions, and ensuring interface stability.
People with auditory disabilities – While not described in detail in this excerpt, digital accessibility requirements standardly address this by requiring captions for video materials or text alternatives for audio content.
In conclusion, WCAG principles apply to all users with various types of disabilities—visual, auditory, motor, cognitive, and neurological—and also aim to increase the general usability of websites and applications for everyone.
More details are available on the project website here.