WCAG 2.0 Now Finalized
The AniktoBlog has been quiet of late due to work commitments; however, we must not miss an opportunity to mention that the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 became a W3C-finalized standard this week. This is a significant improvement in the approach and methodology towards delivering content that benefits users of all abilities.
Formed by an extensive team of experts and endless feedback from the community, WCAG 2.0 improves upon previous standards by releasing a guidance that is both measurable and extensible. The top-level goal was to apply accessibility standards to more advanced Web technologies, apply rigorous and automated testing criteria, and improve the comprehension of the written text. At the same time, the standards provide more flexibility in allowing scripting solutions and select animation techniques.
The best way to understand the ideology behind WCAG 2.0 is to review the following excerpt from the W3C press release:
WCAG 2.0 addresses barriers to accessing the Web experienced by people with visual, auditory, physical, cognitive and neurological disabilities, and by older Web users with accessibility needs. WCAG 2.0 explains how to make content:
- Perceivable (for instance by addressing text alternatives for images, captions for audio, adaptability of presentation, and color contrast);
- Operable (by addressing keyboard access, color contrast, timing of input, seizure avoidance, and navigability);
- Understandable (by addressing readability, predictability, and input assistance); and
- Robust (for instance by addressing compatibility with assistive technologies).
Personal note – while at UPA in Baltimore in June 2008, I had the opportunity to talk with several members of the WCAG task force. A word I often heard repeated was “harmonization” — the development of a shared international standard that would inform content guidelines from multiple countries and sources. I’m currently coauthoring a paper detailing the legal discrepancies of accessibility among four different countries, so I’ll be interested to see how WCAG 2.0 impacts our research.
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