Introduction to WCAG, ATAG and UAAGJan Richards, Project ManagerInclusive Design Research CentreOCAD University

http://idrc.ocad.ca

W3C-WAI Model• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Recommendation:

• Guidelines for making Web content more accessible.• Authoring Tools Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) 2.0 Working Draft (1.0 is

Rec): • Guidelines for: (1) making authoring tools more accessible to authors

and (2) supporting the production of accessible content by all authors.• User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG) 2.0 Working Draft (1.0 is Rec):

• Guidelines for making user agents (browsers, media players) more accessible to end users.

WCAG 2.0

•Version 2.0 is a Full Recommendation.•Applies to:

• Various web content technologies (HTML, SVG, PDF, etc.) • Static pages• Web applications• Etc.

•Notes:• Only Accessibility-Supported

Ways of Using Technologies• Full Pages/Compete Processes

WCAG 2.0: Perceivable

•1.1 Provide text alternatives for any non-text content so that it can be changed into other forms people need, such as large print, braille, speech, symbols or simpler language:• Control or accepts user input: Describe its purpose. • Time-Based Media: Provide descriptive identification. • Test or exercise: Provide descriptive identification. • Sensory experience: Provide descriptive identification. • CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers

and Humans Apart): Note purpose and provide alternative forms of CAPTCHA in another mode (sound).

• Decoration, Formatting, Invisible: Help assistive technology ignore it (i.e. alt=“”).

WCAG 2.0: Perceivable

•1.2 Provide alternatives for time-based media.:•Audio

• Captions (Prerecorded)• Captions (Live)• Sign language translation

•Video:• Audio Descriptions• Extended Audio Descriptions

• Interaction:• Text alternatives including interaction

WCAG 2.0: Perceivable

•1.3 Create content that can be presented in different ways (for example simpler layout) without losing information or structure.• Labels for form controls• Table headings• Roles, states, etc. (WAI-ARIA)

WCAG 2.0: Perceivable

•1.4 Make it easier for users to see and hear content including separating foreground from background:• Sufficient contrast• Resizability• Ability to control audio• Low or no background audio

No one appreciates this…

….and this isn’t nice either.

WCAG 2.0: Operable

•2.1 Make all functionality available from a keyboard:• No “keyboard traps”.

•2.2 Provide users enough time to read and use content.

•2.3 Do not design content in a way that is known to cause seizures.

•2.4 Provide ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are.• Provide structure to help the user

navigate (headers, bypass links, tab order, etc.).

WCAG 2.0: Understandable

•3.1 Make text content readable and understandable.•3.2 Make Web pages appear and operate in predictable

ways.• Don’t shift the user’s context just because they move the

focus or change the setting of a control.

• Keep navigation and control labelling consistent.•3.3 Help users avoid and correct mistakes.

WCAG 2.0: Robust

•4.1 Maximize compatibility with current and future user agents, including assistive technologies.• Web content must be compatible with a wide range of user

agents:• Being parsable• Passing along semantic information such as name, role and values

(e.g. WAI-ARIA information)

ATAG 2.0

•Version 1.0 was published in 1999.•Version 2.0 is nearing completion.•Applies to:

• WYSIWYG editors, plain text editors • conversion tools

(e.g., "Save as HTML")• blogging tools, wikis,

online forums, email clients• multimedia authoring• CMS systems,• Etc.

ATAG 2.0: Definition of Authoring Tool• Any web-based or non-web-based application(s) that can be used by

authors (alone or collaboratively) to create or modify web content for use by other people (other authors or end users).• Note 1: "application(s)": ATAG 2.0 may be conformed to by stand-alone

applications or by collections of applications. If a conformance claim is made, then the claim must provide identifying information for each application and also for any required extensions, plug-ins, etc.

• Note 2: "alone or collaboratively": Multiple authors may contribute to the creation of web content and, depending on the authoring tool, each author may work with different views of the content and different author permissions.

• Note 3: "to create or modify web content": This clause rules out software that collects data from a person for other purposes (e.g., online grocery order form) and then creates web content from that data (e.g., a web-based warehouse order) without informing the person (however, WCAG 2.0 would still apply). This clause also rules out software used to create content exclusively in non-web content technologies.

• Note 4: "for use by other people": This clause rules out the many web applications that allow people to modify web content that only they themselves experience (e.g., web-based email display settings) or that only provide input to automated processes (e.g., library catalog search page).

ATAG 2.0: Supports WCAG 2.0• ATAG 2.0 uses the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) as

the determinant of Web content accessibility.• ATAG 2.0 has special checkpoints related to checking, repair, etc. of

content that take their level directly from WCAG.

ATAG 2.0: Accessible Authoring UI• Part A: Make the authoring tool user interface accessible• Principle A.1. Authoring tool user interfaces must follow applicable

accessibility guidelines• A.1.1. (For the authoring tool user interface) Ensure that web-based functionality is

accessible• A.1.2. (For the authoring tool user interface) Ensure that non-web-based functionality

is accessible• Principle A.2. Editing-views must be perceivable

• A.2.1. (For the authoring tool user interface) Make alternative content available to authors

• A.2.2. (For the authoring tool user interface) Editing-view presentation can be programmatically determined

• …

ATAG 2.0: Accessible Authoring UI• …• Principle A.3. Editing-views must be operable

• A.3.1. (For the authoring tool user interface) Provide keyboard access to authoring features

• A.3.2. (For the authoring tool user interface) Provide authors with enough time• A.3.3. (For the authoring tool user interface) Help authors avoid flashing that could

cause seizures• A.3.4. (For the authoring tool user interface) Enhance navigation and editing via

content structure• A.3.5. (For the authoring tool user interface) Provide text search of the content• A.3.6. (For the authoring tool user interface) Manage preference settings• A.3.7. (For the authoring tool user interface) Ensure that previews are as accessible as

existing user agents• Principle A.4. Editing-views must be understandable

• A.4.1. (For the authoring tool user interface) Help authors avoid and correct mistakes• A.4.2. (For the authoring tool user interface) Document the user interface including all

accessibility features

ATAG 2.0: Accessible content production• We shouldn’t rely on the average author to implement WCAG on

their own because…• accessibility requirements can be complex to manage (e.g. keeping

navigation consistent),• most authors are not (nor do they wish to be) accessibility experts

(and WCAG is a technical document, on par with a format recommendation),

• the delivery of Web content is becoming more complex,• and tools are being produced that hide many of the low-level details

of the final content.

ATAG 2.0: Accessible content production• Part B: Support the production of accessible content• Principle B.1: Fully automatic processes must produce accessible content

• B.1.1. Ensure automatically specified content is accessible• B.1.2. Ensure accessibility information is preserved

• Principle B.2: Authors must be supported in producing accessible content• B.2.1. Ensure accessible content production is possible• B.2.2. Guide authors to produce accessible content• B.2.3. Assist authors with managing alternative content for non-text content• B.2.4. Assist authors with accessible templates• B.2.5. Assist authors with accessible pre-authored content

• Principle B.3: Authors must be supported in improving the accessibility of existing content• B.3.1. Assist authors in checking for accessibility problems• B.3.2. Assist authors in repairing accessibility problems

• Principle B.4. Authoring tools must promoted and integrate their accessibility features• B.4.1. Ensure the availability of features that support the production of accessible

content• B.4.2. Ensure that documentation promotes the production of accessible content

ATAG 2.0: Automating Accessibility• Authoring tools need to support accessibility in the same way as

they support correct syntax and spelling:

ATAG 2.0: Automating Accessibility• In case people think developers aren’t paying attention (from the

iPhone Accessibility Programming Guide)….

UAAG 2.0

• Version 1.0 was published in 2002.• Version 2.0 is in progress.• Appliers to:

• Browsers• Media players• Web-based user agents

UAAG 2.0: Supports WCAG• UAAG 2.0 supports WCAG 2.0 but because it gives guidance to user

agents rendering any Web content, it cannot assume WCAG requirements have been followed.

UAAG 2.0: Principles• PRINCIPLE 1: Perceivable

• Guideline 1.1: Alternative content• Guideline 1.2: Missing content• Guideline 1.3: Highlighting• Guideline 1.4: Text configuration• Guideline 1.5: Volume configuration• Guideline 1.6: Synthesized speech configuration• Guideline 1.7: Style sheets configuration• Guideline 1.8: Viewports• Guideline 1.9: Focus• Guideline 1.10: Source views• Guideline 1.11: Element Information

• …

UAAG 2.0: Principles• …• PRINCIPLE 2. Operable

• Guideline 2.1: Keyboard access• Guideline 2.2: Sequential navigation• Guideline 2.3: Direct navigation and activation• Guideline 2.4: Search• Guideline 2.5: Structured navigation• Guideline 2.6: Event handlers• Guideline 2.7: Preference settings• Guideline 2.8: Toolbar configuration• Guideline 2.9: Time-independence• Guideline 2.10: Flashing• Guideline 2.11: Media

• …

UAAG 2.0: Principles• …• PRINCIPLE 3: Understandable

• Guideline 3.1: Unnecessary messages• Guideline 3.2: Mistakes• Guideline 3.3: Documentation• Guideline 3.4: Predictable

• PRINCIPLE 4. Programmatic access• Guideline 4.1: Assistive technology• Guideline 4.2: Nested user agents

• PRINCIPLE 5. Specifications and conventions• Guideline 5.1: Desktop apps• Guideline 5.2: Web & web apps• Guideline 5.3: Accessibility features• Guideline 5.4: Follow specifications

Standards: Future-Proof?• Standard-setting is to some extent an attempt to predict the

future.• W3C-WAI Guidelines attempt to cope by avoiding requirements

around specific technologies and keeping requirements functional.

Thank You

•Questions?