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WAI: Strategies, guidelines, resources to make the Web accessible to people with disabilities

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Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)

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The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.

-- Tim Berners-Lee, W3C Director and inventor of the World Wide Web

Highlights

WCAG 2.0 is Finalized: W3C Web Standard Defines Accessibility for Next Generation Web

On 11 December 2008 W3C announced a new standard that will help Web designers and developers create sites that better meet the needs of users with disabilities and older users. Drawing on extensive experience and community feedback, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 improves upon W3C's groundbreaking initial standard for accessible Web content, applies to more advanced technologies, and is more precisely testable. Please see additional information in:

(2008-12-11)

For Review: ATAG 2.0 Updated Working Draft

An updated Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) 2.0 Working Draft was published 24 November 2008. ATAG defines how authoring tools should help Web developers produce Web content that is accessible and conforms to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). ATAG also defines how to make authoring tools accessible so that people with disabilities can use them. WAI encourages you to review ATAG 2.0 and submit any comments. See:

Please send comments by 6 January 2009.    (2008-11-24)

WCAG 2.0 succeeds in test sites, moves to last stage

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 was published as a W3C Proposed Recommendation on 3 November 2008. This means that the technical material of WCAG 2.0 is complete and it has been implemented in real sites. The next stage is the final publication, which is expected in December 2008. Please see additional information in:

(2008-11-03)

For Review: EARL Companion Documents

The Evaluation and Repair Tools Working Group today published Representing Content in RDF as a First Public Working Draft, and an updated Working Draft of HTTP Vocabulary in RDF. These documents are companions to Evaluation and Report Language (EARL), a format to exchange, combine, and analyze results from different evaluation tools. See:

Please send comments by 29 September 2008.    (2008-09-08)

For Review: Updated WAI-ARIA Specification

WAI has published an updated Working Draft of WAI-ARIA, the Accessible Rich Internet Applications technical specification. We especially request review of how WAI-ARIA is implemented in host languages, such as HTML, XHTML, and SVG. See:

Please send comments by 3 September 2008.    (2008-08-06)

Shared Web Experiences: Mobile and Accessibility Barriers

WAI has just published an updated draft of Shared Web Experiences: Barriers Common to Mobile Device Users and People with Disabilities. This document is particularly useful for demonstrating the overlap between accessible and mobile-friendly Web content, for developing a business case for accessibility, and for more efficiently developing your Web site for both accessibility and mobile devices. See:

Please send comments by 20 August 2008, if possible.    (2008-07-29)

For Review: WCAG 2 at a Glance

Web Accessibility: WCAG 2.0 at a Glance provides a summary of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. We welcome your comments on this draft, preferably by 15 July 2008.   (2008-07-07)

For Review: Updated Accessibility-Mobile Web Overlap Document

Web sites can be designed more efficiently to be accessible for people with disabilities and also for people using mobile devices when developers understand the significant overlap between the two design goals and guidelines. W3C recently published updated material describing this overlap. See:

We welcome your comments on these documents, preferably by 15 August 2008.   (2008-07-07)

WAI-AGE: Addressing Accessibility Needs Due to Ageing

The WAI-AGE Project (Ageing Education and Harmonisation) focuses on education and outreach regarding the requirements of people with Web accessibility needs related to ageing. One of the WAI-AGE project deliverables is Web Accessibility for Older Users: A Literature Review, which was published on 14 March as a First Public Working Draft. WAI encourages you to review this draft and submit any comments by 4 June 2008, if possible.

See Call for Review and Participation: WAI-AGE Literature Review and Task Force for an introduction to the project and an invitation to contribute to the literature review and other WAI-AGE work.   (2008-05-14)

WCAG 2.0 On the Move: Ready to Test-Drive

We are excited to announce that Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2.0) was published as a W3C Candidate Recommendation on 30 April 2008. The Candidate Recommendation stage means that there is broad consensus on the technical content, and W3C invites you to implement WCAG 2.0. Please see additional information in:

If you are interested in sharing implementation experience, please let us know by 23 May 2008.   (2008-04-30)

For Review: UAAG 2.0 First Public Working Draft

The First Public Working Draft of User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG) 2.0 was published 12 March 2008. UAAG explains how to make browsers and media players accessible to people with disabilities, and how to make them work better with assistive technologies. UAAG 2.0 will address more advanced Web technologies than UAAG 1.0. WAI encourages you to review UAAG 2.0 and submit any comments. See:

Please send comments by 14 April 2008.   (2008-03-13)

For Review: Updated ATAG 2.0 Working Drafts

Updated Working Drafts of Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 and Implementation Techniques for ATAG 2.0 were published 10 March 2008. WAI encourages you to review these documents and submit any comments. See:

Please send comments by 14 April 2008.   (2008-03-10)

WAI Interviews: Shadi and Shawn Talk Web Accessibility

Recent interviews with Shadi Abou-Zahra and Shawn Lawton Henry are available online:

(2008-03-05)

For Review: UAAG 2.0 Requirements

User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG) provides guidance on designing Web browsers, media players, assistive technologies, and other 'user agents' to increase accessibility of the Web to people with disabilities. Plans for new work on a second generation of UAAG was published in the UAAG 2.0 Requirements Working Draft on 31 October 2007. WAI encourages you to review this document, submit any comments, and consider participating in the UAAG Working Group. See:

Please send comments by 14 December 2007.   (2007-10-31)

Pass It On: WCAG 2.0 Presentation Materials

"About WCAG 2.0 Web Content Accessibility Guidelines" is a presentation that covers the benefits of WCAG 2.0, shortcuts for using WCAG 2.0, how it differs from WCAG 1.0, and related topics. The presentation "slides" and extensive notes are designed for presenters to use for their own presentations. It's also available for anyone who wants to learn about WCAG 2.0. See Instructions for the "About WCAG 2.0" Presentation.   (2007-10-31)

Now Showing at the YUI Theater: WCAG 2.0 Presentation

Learn how the WCAG 2.0 Working Draft differs from WCAG 1.0, get shortcuts for using WCAG 2.0, and hear answers to common questions on W3C WAI's work in Shawn Henry's presentation to the Yahoo! User Interface Developer Network. Shawn also addresses the role of browsers and authoring tools in Web accessibility, and combining standards and usability techniques to optimize accessibility. See video with audio and slides, and text transcript.   (2007-08-16)

A Video Interview with Shawn Henry, From California to Japan

As part of the Mitsue-Links "Meet the Professionals" video series, Shawn Henry of W3C WAI talks with Kazuhito Kidachi about shared responsibilities between web site developers, browsers, and assistive technologies; the importance of different types of authoring tools supporting accessibility; how WCAG 2.0 and WAI-ARIA address the more difficult aspects of Web accessibility; WAI's outreach resources; and what led Shawn to accessibility years ago. See video with English audio and Japanese subtitles, and text transcripts.   (2007-07-11)

WaSP Interview: Judy Brewer on WCAG 2

Judy Brewer discusses WCAG 2.0 status and upcoming drafts with Web Standards Project (WaSP) Accessibility Task Force member Jared Smith. See Interview with Judy Brewer.    (2007-05-07)

Updates: WCAG 2.0 and WAI Resources Handouts

WCAG 2.0 primary points, current status, and Web accessibility resources from W3C WAI are topics covered in new handouts that you can use for conferences and presentations. The handouts direct readers to the updated WCAG 2 FAQ, How WAI Develops Accessibility Guidelines through the W3C Process, and other documents. See:

(2007-04-04)

WAI to Advise on 508 Standards Update

W3C WAI has been appointed to the Advisory Committee for the revision of U.S. Section 255 guidelines and Section 508 standards, which include Web accessibility. WAI looks forward to continuing to coordinate with organizations around the world to develop harmonized standards for Web accessibility. Additional information is available in the U.S. Access Board article: Board Names Advisory Committee for 508 Standards Update.   (2006-07-20)

Want to know how people with disabilities use your Web site? Ask.

Web accessibility guidelines, techniques, and tools provide the basis for Web accessibility. Including people with disabilities in the Web development process helps to understand the "why" behind accessibility. It leads to more effective accessibility solutions, developed more efficiently. See "Involving Users in Web Accessibility Evaluation".   (2005-11-02)

Blogs, Wikis, CMS... Got ATAG?

Web content is created by many different types of tools these days: Web log (blog) comment features, Wikis for editing Web pages, content management systems (CMS), e-mail archivers, word processors, and more.

All of these tool are covered by WAI's Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG), which explain:

Does your tool know ATAG?    (2005-07-22)

Web Accessibility: The Fellowship of the Guidelines

Many people know about WAI's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the responsibilities of Web developers in making the Web accessible to people with disabilities. But Web developers alone cannot make the Web accessible.

Web browsers, assistive technologies, and authoring tools also have a vital role in Web accessibility. Essential Components of Web Accessibility describes these roles along with the WAI guidelines.    (2005-07-22)

See additional highlights in the Highlights Archive.
WAI home page Highlights are edited by Shawn Henry, WAI's Education and Outreach Working Group, and other WAI Team and Working Groups.

Sponsors

WAI is supported in part by: the U.S. Department of Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, European Commission's Information Society Technologies Programme, HP, IBM, Microsoft Corporation, SAP, Verizon Foundation, and Wells Fargo.

WAI welcomes additional sponsors and contributors.

Validation Logos

Level Double-A conformance icon, W3C-WAI Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional Valid CSS!