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Title: Overview of the Web Accessibility Initiative

Overview of the Web Accessibility Initiative

Daniel Dardailler - Oct 2014

Based on old WAI Overview

This presentation covers:

  • What is Web accessibility?
  • Why is Web accessibility important for people with and without disabilities?
  • What is the World Wide Web Consortium doing to address Web accessibility?
  • What resources are available to help make Web sites and Web applications accessible?
  • What actions are useful in promoting Web accessibility?

What is Web Accessibility?

Web accessibility means access to the Web by everyone, regardless of disability.

Web accessibility includes:
  • Web sites and applications
    • that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with;
  • Web browsers and media players
    • that can be used effectively by people with disabilities, and
    • that work well with assistive technologies that some people with disabilities use to access the Web;
  • Web authoring tools, and evolving Web technologies
    • that support production of accessible Web content and Web sites, and
    • that can be used effectively by people with disabilities.

Technical overview

WAI technical arch

Why is Web Accessibility an Issue?

There are several reasons why Web accessibility is important:

  • use of the Web has spread into all areas of society;
  • there are barriers on the Web for many types of disabilities;
  • millions of people have disabilities that affect access to the Web;
  • some Web sites are required to be accessible;
  • Web accessibility also has carry-over benefits for other users.

The next slides explore these reasons in more detail.

Impact of the Web on People with Disabilities

  • The Web has become a key resource for:
    • news, information, commerce, entertainment,
    • classroom education, distance learning,
    • job searching, workplace interaction,
    • civic participation, government services.
  • It is displacing traditional sources of information and interaction --
    • schools, libraries, print materials, discourse of the workplace;
    • some of the traditional resources were accessible; some not.
  • An accessible Web means unprecedented access to information for people with disabilities.

Web Accessibility is a Cross-Disability Issue

Examples of design requirements for people with different kinds of disabilities include:

  • Visual:
    • described graphics or video;
    • well marked-up tables or frames;
    • keyboard support, screen reader compatibility;
  • Hearing:
    • captioning for audio, supplemental illustration;
  • Physical, Speech:
    • keyboard or single-switch support;
    • alternatives for speech input on voice portals;
  • Cognitive, Neurological:
    • consistent navigation, appropriate language level;
    • illustration; no flickering or strobing designs.

Web Accessibility is a Marketplace Issue

  • At least 10% of the population in most countries has disabilities;
    • visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, and neurological disabilities can all affect access to the Web
  • Average age of population in many countries is increasing;
    • aging sometimes results in combinations of accessibility issues;
    • vision & hearing changes, changes in dexterity & memory.
  • Few organizations can afford to deliberately miss this market sector.

Accessibility Contributes to Universal Design

Accessible Web design contributes to better design for other users:

  • Multi-modality (support for visual, auditory, tactile access) benefits users of:
    • mobile phones with small display screens, Web-TV, kiosks.
  • Multi-modality increases usability of Web sites in different situations:
    • low bandwidth (images are slow to download);
    • noisy environments (difficult to hear the audio);
    • screen-glare (difficult to see the screen);
    • driving (eyes and hands are "busy").
  • Redundant text/audio/video can support:
    • different learning styles; low literacy levels; second-language access.
  • Style sheets can support:
    • more efficient page transmission and site maintenance.
  • Captioning of audio files supports:
    • better machine indexing of content; faster searching of content.

Web Accessibility is Sometimes a Requirement

A number of governments require accessibility of specific kinds of Web sites.

  • often required for government Web sites first; 
  • sometimes for educational or commercial sites;
  • provinces, states, municipalities may have requirements;
  • corporations and non-governmental organizations sometimes set own requirements.

Information on requirements in different countries is available in Policies Relating to Web Accessibility

W3C Plays Leading Role in Development of Web Technologies

W3C Hosts the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)

  • The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI):
    • coordinates with all the other domains of the W3C;
    • operates internationally in all three host sites of W3C.
  • WAI is sponsored by a variety of government and industry supporters of accessibility:
  • Many organizations from around the world participate in WAI work, including:
    • industry, disability organizations, accessibility research centers, government, schools and universities,
    • and more.
  • WAI enables representatives from these different constituencies to: 
    • work together at the design stage of key Web technologies
    • develop accessibility solutions by consensus under W3C Process. 
  • This process includes:
    • collaborative development in W3C working groups;
    • extensive opportunities for public comment.

Ensuring that Web Technologies Support Accessibility

The Protocols and Formats Working Group:

  • Ensures that W3C technologies support Web accessibility
  • Reviews W3C specifications
    • at or before Last Call Working Draft stage
    • many technical experts from W3C working groups participate
  • Produces requirements statements and review comments
  • Is developing WAI-ARIA

Developing Guidelines for Accessibility

Guidelines play a critical role in making the Web accessible, by explaining: 
  • how to create accessible Web content
  • how to design software that supports production of accessible Web sites
  • how to design accessible browsers, and authoring tools
WAI has three different guidelines to address these different needs:

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0

Participation Opportunities in WAI

  • WAI Working Groups & Interest Groups operate under W3C process.
  • Work takes place via e-mail lists, the Web, telephone, and face-to-face meetings.
  • Working Groups and Interest Groups include representatives from all sectors
  • Participation requirements, including expertise and commitment level, vary.
  • Most WAI groups have publicly viewable mailing lists.
  • All WAI groups welcome comments on draft documents.
  • General discussion about Web accessibility

Action Steps to Consider


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