1. Website Accessibility
The principles of WCAG 2
Website Accessibility

2. Overview
What is Accessibility?
Guidelines
Conformance
Planning

3. Accessibility More than just for blind people
More than for disabled people
Accessibility is for everyone
Old devices
Mobile devices
Search engines

4. The law Confusion Lack of clear legislation Numerous guidelines
Disability Discrimination Act – “provision of services”, which might include websites
Numerous guidelines

5. WCAG 2 W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
Released 2008 to replace 1999’s WCAG 1
Some controversy
Greatly improved

6. Structure Three tiers: Principles Guidelines – goals to work towards
Success criteria – measurable/testable
(Techniques – ideas for how to achieve)

7. Principle 1: Perceivable
Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive
Text alternatives
Time based media (incl live) – transcript, captions, audio desc, sign lang
Adaptable – e.g. Simpler layout
Distinguishable – colour, contrast, audio, text, layout
Perceivable – information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive.
Text alternatives
For any non-text content, e.g. video, audio, forms, CAPTCHA, so that it can be changed into other forms people need like large print, Braille, speech, etc.
Time based media
Things like captions for video and transcripts for audio (live & pre-recorded)
Adaptable
Content needs to be able to be presented in multiple ways, e.g. a simpler layout for users with cognitive disabilities, without losing info or structure.
Boils down to using good semantic markup, good page structure, not using things like colour alone to convey information
Distinguishable
Making it easier for users to see and hear content, separating background & content, contract, colour, control over audio/video.

8. Principle 2: Operable
User interface components and navigation must be easy to use whatever disability someone may have
Keyboard access – all functionality, no traps
Enough time – turn off/adjust/extend, pause/stop/hide
Seizures – max 3 flashes per second
Navigable – title, headings, links, labels, bypass, focus
Operable – User interface components and navigation must be easy to use whatever disability someone may have.
Keyboard Access
Make all functionality available from a keyboard, e.g. flash video
Enough time
For people to read and use content, especially time based material
Seizures
Don’t design content in a way that is known to cause seizures
Navigable
Provide ways to help users navigate, find content and determine where they are, e.g.:
Skipping content
Descriptive page titles
Tab order
Links that make sense out of context

9. Principle 3: Understandable
Information and operation of the user interface must be understandable
Readable – language, abbrev, jargon, age
Predictable – navigation, no surprises
Input assistance – errors, instructions, suggestions, help, prevention
Understandable – Information and operation of the user interface must be understandable.
Readable
Make text content readable and understandable.
Set the language in the header of the page
Not using jargon
Abbreviations need to be explained
Consider reading level of audience, e.g. people with English as a second language, or dyslexia
Predictable
Make web pages appear and operate is predictable ways
No uninitiated changes to the page (e.g. by AJAX),
Input assistance
Help users avoid and correct mistakes
How are form errors/validation handled, what feedback is given, what labels are used, are they descriptive?
Help, tooltips, etc.

10. Principle 4: Robust
Content must be robust enough that is can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies
Compatible – good, standard, semantic markup
Robust – Content must be robust enough that is can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.
AJAX can be used so long as the site is operable without it. Alternative versions are ok too.
Compatible – Maximise compatibility with current and future user agents including assistive technologies.

11. Conformance A, AA, AAA Each success criterion has a level
Levels are being played down
Users’ needs are more important
Page-by-page (processes)
Unfeasible to have AAA site-wide?
AAA, AA, A levels are being played down. They weren’t doing a lot of good and generated a “checkbox mentality” without thinking about the needs of their users.
Conformance is page by page (rather than site wide, as in WCAG 1) so you can mix and match conformance.
“It is not recommended that level AAA conformance is required for entire sites because it is not possible to satisfy all level AAA success criteria for some content.”

12. Start with the basics Work towards conformance
Start with the “quick wins”, e.g.
Alt & title attributes
Media alternatives
JavaScript (progressive enhancement)
Resizable text
Standards based
Single A

13. Improve where you can Consult with your community Test with real users
Identify and deal with major issues first
Build to AA and AAA on some pages

14. Complaints Complaints need to be addressed quickly and thoroughly
Can you be sued? Yes.
Is there precedent? Sort of.

15. Planning Establish approach with your client/agency Remain pragmatic
Have a reason for any non-compliance
Think of accessibility from the start

16. Responsibility Everybody’s responsibility Check everything
Principles
Guidelines
Success criteria
Check everything
Needs to be second nature

17. More information oxfordcc.co.uk/accessibility Slides Links
Other resources