Call for Review: WCAG 2.0 Techniques Draft Updates : January 2014

The W3C WAI announces a Call for Review of updates to two supporting documents for Web Content Accessibility Guideline (WCAG) 2.0. *This is not an update to WCAG 2.0, which is a stable document*.

The supporting documents (W3C Working Group Notes) are updated periodically to reflect current practices and technologies. Previously they were updated about once a year. The WCAG Working Group plans to update them more frequently.

The existing Techniques and Understanding documents remain in place as W3C Notes while these separate draft updates are under review and the WCAG Working Group addresses comments.

The following draft updates are available for review as Editors’ Drafts:

– Techniques for WCAG 2.0 Editors’ Draft (External website)
– Understanding WCAG 2.0 Editors’ Draft (External website)

The changes are highlighted in diff-marked versions at:

– – Techniques for WCAG 2.0 Editors’ Draft Complete Diff-marked versions(External website)
— Understanding WCAG 2.0 Editors’ Draft Complete Diff-marked versions (External website)

Changes that apply to “How to Meet WCAG 2.0: A customizable quick reference…” are available in a draft at: customizable quick reference draft (External website)

Updates for review:

Most of the updates in this draft are new WAI-ARIA Techniques. The WCAG Working Group is still discussing appropriate ways to provide text alternatives for images — specifically, is it OK to not provide an alt attribute and instead use ARIA attributes? We particularly request feedback on this issue and related techniques such as F65[1]. See the examples and details at:
– ARIA10: Using aria-labelledby to provide a text alternative for non-text content(External website)

Please send any comments on these Editors’ Drafts by *14 February 2014*. Comments and contributions for additional WCAG 2.0 techniques can be sent via web form or e-mail, per:
– Instructions for Commenting on WCAG 2.0 Documents
http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/comments/

*Important notes about techniques*:

  • The basis for determining conformance to WCAG 2.0 is the success criteria from the WCAG 2.0 standard — not the techniques. W3C’s techniques are informative and are not intended to be required. Learn more from Understanding Techniques for WCAG Success Criteria(External website)
  • Publication of techniques for a specific technology does not imply that the technology can be used in all cases to create accessible content that meets WCAG 2.0. Developers need to be aware of the limitations of specific technologies and ensure that they provide content in a way that is accessible to all their potential users.

If you are interested in actively contributing to the development of additional WCAG 2.0 techniques and support material through the WCAG Working Group, please see:
Participating in WAI (external website) and contact Michael Cooper

>For an introduction to the WCAG documents, see: WCAG Overview

Regards,
Shawn Henry, W3C, WAI Outreach
Andrew Kirkpatrick, Adobe Systems Inc., WCAG WG Co-Chair
Joshue O Connor, WCAG WG Co-Chair
Michael Cooper, W3C, WCAG WG Staff Contact