One of the challenges of modern web design is ensuring that the colours used are WCAG 2.0 contrast compliant. Although there are sites that automatically check a URL for WCAG 2.0 contrast compliance they’re not really that useful for the design process. Here are a couple of useful tools that we use on our projects.

Colour Contrast Checker

Colour Contrast Checker is a fantastic online tool that allows to specify a foreground and a background colour and determine if they provide enough of a contrast when viewed by someone having color deficits or when viewed on a black and white screen. Though it doesn’t automatically check you’re Photoshop or Fireworks visuals it does give you some fighting chance when having to design WCAG 2.0 contrast compliant sites.

Colour Oracle

Colour Oracle is a free tool that simulates deuteranopia, protanopia and tritanopia. By using a system-wide menu you can quickly simulate what colourblind people see. Also, as this is a system-wide tool it doesn’t matter what application you use for your designs.