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WCAG and accessibility

 

WHAT WAI MEANS FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION - HOW WE CAN HELP

The World Wide Web is a marvel of modern ingenuity. Its existence has elevated the exchange of information to previously unheard of levels for people the world over. We now depend upon it – to varying degrees - in virtually every aspect of our life.

Now imagine your world without it. Worse yet, imagine knowing of it – but not being able to use it, even if you wanted to.

It’s a reality many of those with physical or intellectual challenges face every day. An effort from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is looking to change that, however, through its Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) and, more specifically, the adoption of WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) – all designed to establish specific web standards.

More pointedly, it directly affects your organization. First, some background . . .

ALL ABOUT W3C, WAI and WCAG

The World Wide Web Consortium or W3C, is a group founded by Sir Timothy Berners-Lee (the man credited as literally inventing the web itself) who believes, “the power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.” This includes people that utilize technology such as screen readers, speech recognition software, Braille terminals and screen magnification, due to any number of challenges:

The W3C’s Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) is the by-product of various world leaders from within the fields of industry, disability organizations, research labs and government, all striving to make the web as accessible as possible through the establishment of specific web standards.

WCAG (or Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is the actual means through which an organization can gauge their accessibility and identify areas in need of improvement.

WHAT DOES WCAG COVER?

WCAG is written as a series of testable statements designed to determine how content can be made more accessible for all users in general. None of the criteria is technology-specific. The guidelines cover several areas:
• providing alternatives for time-based media
• creating content that can be presented in different ways
• making foreground and background content distinguishable from each other
• making all functionality available from a keyboard
• providing enough time for users to read and use content
• ensuring the content is not designed in a way known to cause seizures
• provide ways to help users navigate and find content
• making text readable and understandable
• making web pages that appear and operate in predictable ways
• helping users avoid and correct mistakes
• maximizing compatibility with current and future user agents, including assistive technologies

HOW ELSE DOES WCAG HELP WEB ACCESSBILITY?

WCAG also plays an important role in the ever-evolving world of mobile media, particularly with users of smartphones or text-based browers that utilize them to surf the web. In addition, WCAG also takes users with slower internet connections into consideration, along with those without a keyboard or mouse.

The guidelines were first introduced in 1999, with a WCAG 2.0 put into play at the end of 2008. Various governments across the world have already adapted, or, are in the process of adapting, these standards or measures based upon similar criteria, including those in France, Italy, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia and the United States.

CANADA’S ROLE IN WEBSITE ACCESSBILITY

Canada’s federal government led the world by first introducing its accessibility-centric Common Look & Feel (CLF) policy. It has since been replaced with its Standard On Web Accessibility and Standard on Web Usability.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY ORGANIZATION MUST COMPLY WITH THESE ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS?

The Jodhan vs. Attorney General of Canada ruling requires the Canadian government to update the guidelines to WCAG 2.0. This was implemented as the Standard on Web Accessibility on Aug 1, 2011. 2.2 Section 6.1.1 applies to all web pages that: are public facing; the department is accountable for; and are provided through Government of Canada web sites. 2.3 Section 6.1.1 does not apply to: web content that the department is not accountable for; and web pages that are archived on the web. It also does not apply to video content provided exclusively for reuse by media for broadcast purposes.

HOW WILL THE “STANDARD ON WEB ACCESSIBILITY” BE IMPLEMENTED IN CANADA?

2.4 Section 6.1.1 is implemented in phases and applies as follows:

Phase I (August 1, 2011 - February 29, 2012)

Phase II (March 1, 2012 - July 31, 2012)

Phase III (August 1, 2012 - July 31, 2013)

HOW DOES MY WEBSITE BECOME WCAG COMPLIANT?

Wired Solutions offers a FREE website accessibility test and offers recommendations on how to improve the overall accessibility (as per WAI). If desired, we can then also put these measures into action. Wired Solutions can also, if desired, design a new website from the ground up – with WCAG compliance built in.

Either way, Wired Solutions is your best choice for bringing your organization up to WCAG standards. 

- By Mike Michalski, SMM/SEO Manager of Wired Solutions