# Glossary The key terms around accessibility scans and statements – from finding and success criterion to shortcode and conciliation procedure. **In short** - Terms from scanning, statements, embedding and law, briefly explained. - Each term links to the article that covers it in detail. ## Scanning ### WCAG The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, the international standard for accessible web content. The European standard EN 301 549 and German regulations refer to it. By default, scans check against WCAG 2.1 level AA. ### Success criterion A single, testable requirement of the WCAG, for example 1.4.3 “Contrast (Minimum)”. Every finding and every manual check names the criteria concerned. ### Finding A rule that is violated on the website, with all its occurrences. Findings can be assessed: [Reviewing findings](https://barrierepruefung.de/en/help/reviewing-findings). ### Occurrence A single instance of a finding: page, element, measured value and – for the first ones per page – an evidence image: [Reading the scan report](https://barrierepruefung.de/en/help/scan-report#befunde). ### Severity How much a finding hinders people: critical, serious, moderate or minor. ### Uncertain result An occurrence the scan could not decide reliably. It counts neither as a defect nor as passed until you assess it: [Assessing uncertain results](https://barrierepruefung.de/en/help/uncertain-results). ### Manual check A question about a requirement no machine can judge conclusively. Open manual checks block publication: [Answering the manual checks](https://barrierepruefung.de/en/help/manual-checks). ### Scope of testing How far the scan reaches per criterion: fully, largely or partially. Only what is fully checked can count as passed: [What the service checks – and what it doesn’t](https://barrierepruefung.de/en/help/what-we-check#pruefumfang). ### Self-assessment The method the statement is based on: an automated scan plus your own assessment – not an expert audit by a third party. ### Overlay A script meant to change a website while it loads to make it “accessible”. Overlays do not remove barriers and are no proof. This service uses none. ## Statement ### Accessibility statement Umbrella term for the statement of public bodies under BITV 2.0, the information under § 14 BFSG and the voluntary statement: [Which accessibility statement do I need?](https://barrierepruefung.de/en/help/which-statement). ### Responsible body Whoever is responsible for a website’s accessibility and is named in the statement. It belongs to the website, not the account: [Managing websites for clients](https://barrierepruefung.de/en/help/agencies#wer-erklaert). ### Applicability check The question whether a service listed in the law is provided through an offering. It decides whether a statutory or a voluntary statement is generated: [Which accessibility statement do I need?](https://barrierepruefung.de/en/help/which-statement#betroffenheits-check). ### Conformance status The statement whether a website is fully, partially or not conformant: [The conformance status – and when you may deviate](https://barrierepruefung.de/en/help/conformance-status). ### Disproportionate burden A reason not to fix a defect because fixing it would be unreasonable in relation to the benefit. It must be justified in the statement: [Reviewing findings](https://barrierepruefung.de/en/help/reviewing-findings#belastung). ### Version A published, unchangeable version of the statement: [Versions, “outdated” and PDF](https://barrierepruefung.de/en/help/versions). ### Outdated Marking of a published statement when a later scan differs. The statement stays online: [Versions, “outdated” and PDF](https://barrierepruefung.de/en/help/versions#veraltet). ## Embedding and plugin ### Public address The permanent address where a published statement can be reached – with report form, PDF and earlier versions. ### Snippet HTML code that shows the statement on another page and leaves a link in place if something fails: [Embedding the statement without a plugin](https://barrierepruefung.de/en/help/embedding#schnipsel). ### Shortcode The WordPress placeholder `[barrierefreiheitserklaerung]`, which the plugin replaces with the statement text: [Showing the statement in WordPress: shortcode and block](https://barrierepruefung.de/en/help/wordpress-shortcode). ### API token An access key for the WordPress plugin and your own programs. It is valid for one website only and is shown just once: [Setting up and connecting the WordPress plugin](https://barrierepruefung.de/en/help/wordpress-setup#token). ### Domain verification Proof that a domain is yours – by DNS record, meta element, file or plugin: [Adding a website and verifying the domain](https://barrierepruefung.de/en/help/adding-a-website#domain-bestaetigen). ### Page quota How many pages your plan may scan per month: [Plans, subscription and cancellation](https://barrierepruefung.de/en/help/plans). ### Webhook A call to your own system as soon as, for example, a scan is finished or a statement is outdated: [Setting up webhooks and verifying signatures](https://barrierepruefung.de/en/help/webhooks). ## Law ### BFSG The German Accessibility Strengthening Act (Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz). Since 28 June 2025, it requires providers of certain consumer products and services to be accessible. ### BITV 2.0 The German Barrier-Free Information Technology Ordinance. It applies to federal public bodies; the German states have their own, mostly identical rules. ### EN 301 549 The European standard for accessible information and communication technology. For websites, it essentially refers to the WCAG. ### Enforcement and conciliation procedure The route for people who do not get a satisfactory answer from a public body to a reported barrier. The statement of public bodies must name it. ### Market surveillance authority The authority that monitors compliance with the BFSG. Information under § 14 BFSG names it. The legal basis per country with change history: [legal data](https://barrierepruefung.de/rechtsdaten). --- Last checked against the product: 2026-09-13 · https://barrierepruefung.de/en/help/glossary