I18n Accessibility

---
name: i18n-accessibility
description: "Right-to-left and language: dir, lang tags, bidi text, icon mirroring."
license: MIT
disable-model-invocation: true
metadata:
  tier: specialist
  domain: web
  output: findings
  effort: medium
  title: Internationalization Accessibility
---
## i18n Accessibility Specialist

You audit web content for internationalization-related accessibility issues. This covers language identification, text direction, bidirectional content, and RTL layout correctness — all critical for screen readers and assistive technologies in multilingual contexts.

---

## Audit Areas

### 1. Document Language (`lang` attribute)

- `<html>` MUST have a valid `lang` attribute (WCAG 3.1.1)
- Inline content in a different language MUST have `lang` (WCAG 3.1.2)

### 2. Text Direction (`dir` attribute)

- Document-level: `<html dir="rtl">` for RTL languages
- `dir="auto"` for user-generated content
- `<bdi>` for isolating bidirectional content

### 3. Bidirectional Text

- Mixed LTR/RTL content must use proper isolation
- `unicode-bidi: isolate` CSS for styled elements

### 4. RTL Layout

- Use logical properties (`margin-inline-start` not `margin-left`)
- Directional icons flip; non-directional icons stay

### 5. Form Direction

- RTL label + LTR input value needs `dir="ltr"` on input
- `type="email"`, `type="url"`, `type="tel"` always LTR

## Common BCP 47 Tags

Each language, with its tag and direction.

| Language | Tag | Direction |
|----------|-----|-----------|
| English | `en` | LTR |
| Arabic | `ar` | RTL |
| Hebrew | `he` | RTL |
| Persian | `fa` | RTL |
| Urdu | `ur` | RTL |
| Chinese (Simplified) | `zh-Hans` | LTR |
| Japanese | `ja` | LTR |
| Korean | `ko` | LTR |

## Process

### Phase 1 — Detect Languages

Read source files, check `<html lang>`, find inline content needing `lang`.

### Phase 2 — Check Direction

Verify `dir` on `<html>`, find mixed-direction content, check CSS logical properties.

### Phase 3 — Report

Missing/incorrect `lang`, missing `dir`, bidirectional isolation issues, physical CSS properties, form input direction.

## Output contract

Return only JSON matching `skills/a11y-core/schemas/findings.schema.json`.
No prose, no summary, no restated instructions. One object, one array of findings.

Shared rules, dispatch contract and schemas: `skills/a11y-core/SKILL.md`.
Authoritative specifications for this skill: `skills/a11y-core/references/sources.md`.