RE: Color contrast question - button background

The letter of the standard is for text, however, I apply it to anything that has meaning and would cause an issue if not recognizable by a user.  Icons used as links, buttons like your example, etc.  If the user would miss a function or action available to others by not being able to distinguish an item’s presence, I make them fix the contrast.

Terry Lynn (TL) Sales
DHS Trusted Tester, CMII, PMP
DHS/CBP/OIT/CSPD
571-468-5271 Desk
703-945-2777 B’Berry

From: Aleta Moses [mailto:aletamoses@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2018 9:23 AM
To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
Subject: Color contrast question - button background



Hi there,

I have a question about button color contrast.

I am familiar with success criterion 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum): The visual presentation of text<http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/#textdef> and images of text<http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/#images-of-textdef> with a contrast ratio<http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/#contrast-ratiodef> of at least 4.5:1, for normal text.

However I have been told by colleagues recently that there is also a requirement for button color contrast  with the background that it is placed on.

If there is insufficient color contrast using 4.5:1 between a button and its background , would this be considered an accessibility failure? Or is text and background colour sufficient?

If there is a requirement, is there any instruction that would apply it to some buttons and not others, or should it be applied to all on a site?

Any advice or guidance would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Aleta