The new (version 2) guidelines for accessibility have been finally approved (December 2008). These new guidelines can appear daunting at first view as they are aimed at a much wider range of applications than the original (version 1) guidelines. To simplify matters these notes only cover typical websites, that is the vast majority of websites owned by government departments, business, associations, private individuals etc.
The new guidelines keep the idea of three priority actions (A, AA & AAA), but divide each up into four principals that reflect the four disciplines of webdesign (design, logistics, editorial and engineering)
I) THE FOUR PRINCIPLES OF ACCESSIBILITY
1. Content must be readable (perceivable) by browsers, screen readers and other assistive software.
2. Navigation buttons, videos etc. must be operable and work properly with browsers, screen readers and other assistive software.
3. Content must be understandable and intuitive for your target user.
4. The site’s engineering (html code etc.) must be robust and comply with industry standards.
The table below lists the new guidelines that relate to most standard websites.
1) Perceivable - Information must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive |
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Provide text alternatives for any non-text content so that it can be changed into other forms people need, such as large print, braille, speech, symbols or simpler language |
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| A | All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose, except for the situations listed below. (Level A) |
| A | 1) If non-text content is a control or accepts user input, then it has a name that describes its purpose. (Refer to Guideline 4.1 for additional requirements for controls and content that accepts user input.) |
| A | 2) If non-text content is time-based media, then text alternatives at least provide descriptive identification of the non-text content. (Refer to Guideline 1.2 for additional requirements for media.) |
| A | 3) If non-text content is a test or exercise that must be presented in non-text format, then text alternatives at least provide descriptive identification of the non-text content |
| A | 4) If non-text content is primarily intended to create a specific sensory experience, then text alternatives at least provide descriptive identification of the non-text content |
| A | 5) CAPTCHA: If the purpose non-text content is to confirm that content is being accessed by a person rather than a computer, then text alternatives that identify and describe the purpose of the non-text content are provided, and alternative forms of CAPTCHA using output modes for different types of sensory perception are provided to accommodate different disabilities |
| A | 6) Decoration, Formatting, Invisible: If non-text content is pure decoration, is used only for visual formatting, or is not presented to users, then it is implemented in a way that it can be ignored by assistive technology. |
Provide alternatives for time-based media |
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| A | For prerecorded audio-only and prerecorded video-only media, the following are true, except when the audio or video is a media alternative for text and is clearly labeled as such |
| A | Captions are provided for all prerecorded audio content in synchronized media, except when the media is a media alternative for text and is clearly labeled as such. |
| A | A full text alternative for synchronized media including any interaction or audio description of the prerecorded video content is provided for synchronized media, except when the media is a media alternative for text and is clearly labeled as such |
| AA | Captions are provided for all live audio content in synchronized media |
| AA | Audio description is provided for all prerecorded video content in synchronized media |
| AAA | Sign language interpretation is provided for all prerecorded audio content in synchronized media |
| AAA | Extended audio description is provided for all prerecorded video content in synchronized media |
| AAA | A full text alternative for synchronized media including any interaction is provided for all prerecorded synchronized media and a text alternative that presents equivalent information is provided for all prerecorded video-only media |
| AAA | A text alternative that presents equivalent information for live audio-only content is provided. |
Create content that can be presented in different ways (for example simpler layout ) without losing information or structure |
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| A | Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation can be programmatically determined or are available in text |
| A | When the sequence in which content is presented affects its meaning, a correct reading sequence can be programmatically determined. |
| A | Instructions provided for understanding and operating content do not rely solely on sensory characteristics of components such as shape, size, visual location, orientation, or sound |
Make it easier for users to see and hear content including separating foreground from background |
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| A | Color is not used as the only visual means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element. |
| A | If any audio on a Web page plays automatically for more than 3 seconds, either a mechanism is available to pause or stop the audio, or a mechanism is available to control audio volume independently from the overall system volume level |
| AA | The visual presentation of text and images of text has a contrast ratio of at least 5:1, except for the following: |
| AA | Large-scale text and images of large-scale text have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1; |
| AA | Text or images of text that are part of an inactive user interface component, that are pure decoration, that are incidental text in an image, or that are not visible to anyone, have no minimum contrast requirement. |
| AA | Text that is part of a logo or brand name has no minimum contrast requirement |
| AA | Text (but not images of text) can be resized without assistive technology up to 200 percent without loss of content or functionality |
| AA | If the technologies being used can achieve the visual presentation, text is used to convey information rather than images of text except for the following: |
| AA | The image of text can be visually customized to the user's requirements; |
| AA | A particular presentation of text is essential to the information being conveyed |
| AAA | The visual presentation of text and images of text has a contrast ratio of at least 7:1, except for the following: (Level AAA) |
| AAA | Large-scale text and images of large-scale text have a contrast ratio of at least 5:1; |
| AAA | Text or images of text that are part of an inactive user interface component, that are pure decoration, that are incidental text in an image, or that are not visible to anyone, have no minimum contrast requirement |
| AAA | Text that is part of a logo or brand name has no minimum contrast requirement |
| AAA | For audio content that (1) is not an audio CAPTCHA and (2) contains speech in the foreground, at least one of the following is true: |
| AAA | The audio does not contain background sounds |
| AAA | The background sounds can be turned off. |
| AAA | The background sounds are at least 20 decibels lower than the foreground speech content, with the exception of occasional sound effects. |
| AAA | For the visual presentation of blocks of text, a mechanism is available to achieve the following |
| AAA | foreground and background colors can be selected by the user |
| AAA | width is no more than 80 characters or glyphs (40 if CJK) |
| AAA | text is not justified (aligned to both the left and the right margins) |
| AAA | line spacing (leading) is at least space-and-a-half within paragraphs, and paragraph spacing is at least 1.5 times larger than the line spacing |
| AAA | text is resized without assistive technology up to 200 percent in a way that does not require the user to scroll horizontally to read a line of text on a full-screen window |
| AAA | Images of text are only used for pure decoration or where a particular presentation of text is essential to the information being conveyed. |
2) Operable - User interface components and navigation must be operable |
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Make all functionality available from a keyboard |
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| A | All functionality of the content is operable through a keyboard interface without requiring specific timings for individual keystrokes, except where the underlying function requires input that depends on the path of the user's movement and not just the endpoints. |
| A | If keyboard focus can be moved to a component of the page using a keyboard interface, then focus can be moved away from that component using only a keyboard interface, and, if it requires more than unmodified arrow or tab keys, the user is advised of the method for moving focus away. |
| AAA | All functionality of the content is operable through a keyboard interface without requiring specific timings for individual keystrokes. |
Provide users enough time to read and use content |
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| A | Unless essential, time limits are extendable, can be turned off or is longer than 20 hours |
| A | All blinking and auto-updating can be stopped, paused or hidden by the user |
| AAA | Timing is not an essential part of the event or activity presented by the content, except for non-interactive synchronized media and real-time events. |
| AAA | Interruptions can be postponed or suppressed by the user, except interruptions involving an emergency. |
| AAA | When an authenticated session expires, the user can continue the activity without loss of data after re-authenticating. |
Do not design content in a way that is known to cause seizures |
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| A | Web pages do not contain anything that flashes more than three times in any one second period, or the flash is below the general flash and red flash thresholds. |
| AAA | Web pages do not contain anything that flashes more than three times in any one second period |
Provide ways to help users navigate, find content and determine where they are |
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| A | A mechanism is available to bypass blocks of content that are repeated on multiple Web pages. |
| A | Web pages have titles that describe topic or purpose |
| A | If a Web page can be navigated sequentially and the navigation sequences affect meaning or operation, focusable components receive focus in an order that preserves meaning and operability. |
| A | The purpose of each link can be determined from the link text alone, or from the link text together with its programmatically determined link context, except where the purpose of the link would be ambiguous to users in general |
| AA | More than one way is available to locate a Web page within a set of Web pages except where the Web Page is the result of, or a step in, a process. |
| AA | Headings and labels describe topic or purpose. |
| AA | Any keyboard operable user interface has a mode of operation where the keyboard focus indicator is visible. |
| AAA | Information about the user's location within a set of Web pages is available. |
| AAA | A mechanism is available to allow the purpose of each link to be identified from link text alone, except where the purpose of the link would be ambiguous to users in general. |
| AAA | Section headings are used to organize the content. |
3) Understandable - Information and the operation of user interface must be understandable |
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Make text content readable and understandable |
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| A | The default human language of each Web page can be programmatically determined. |
| AA | The human language of each passage or phrase in the content can be programmatically determined except for proper names, technical terms, words of indeterminate language, and words or phrases that have become part of the vernacular of the immediately surrounding text. |
| AAA | A mechanism is available for identifying specific definitions of words or phrases used in an unusual or restricted way, including idioms and jargon. |
| AAA | A mechanism for identifying the expanded form or meaning of abbreviations is available. |
| AAA | When text requires reading ability more advanced than the lower secondary education level, supplemental content, or a version that does not require reading ability more advanced than the lower secondary education level, is available. |
| AAA | A mechanism is available for identifying specific pronunciation of words where meaning of the words, in context, is ambiguous without knowing the pronunciation. |
Make Web pages appear and operate in predictable ways |
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| A | When any component receives focus, it does not initiate a change of context. |
| A | Changing the setting of any user interface component does not automatically cause a change of context unless the user has been advised of the behavior before using the component. |
| AA | Navigational mechanisms that are repeated on multiple Web pages within a set of Web pages occur in the same relative order each time they are repeated, unless a change is initiated by the user. |
| AA | Components that have the same functionality within a set of Web pages are identified consistently |
| AAA | Changes of context are initiated only by user request or a mechanism is available to turn off such changes |
Help users avoid and correct mistakes |
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| A | If an input error is automatically detected, the item that is in error is identified and the error is described to the user in text. |
| A | Labels or instructions are provided when content requires user input. |
| AA | If an input error is automatically detected and suggestions for correction are known, then the suggestions are provided to the user, unless it would jeopardize the security or purpose of the content. |
| AA | For Web pages that cause legal commitments or financial transactions for the user to occur, that modify or delete user-controllable data in data storage systems, or that submit user test responses, either submissions are reversible, or data entered by the user is checked for input errors and the user is provided an opportunity to correct them or a mechanism is available for reviewing, confirming, and correcting information before finalizing the submission |
| AAA | Context-sensitive help is available |
| AAA | For Web pages that require the user to submit information either submissions are reversible, or data entered by the user is checked for input errors and the user is provided an opportunity to correct them or a mechanism is available for reviewing, confirming, and correcting information before finalizing the submission |
4) Robust - Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies |
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Maximize compatibility with current and future user agents, including assistive technologies |
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| A | In content implemented using markup languages, elements have complete start and end tags, elements are nested according to their specifications, elements do not contain duplicate attributes, and any IDs are unique, except where the specifications allow these features. |
| A | For all user user interface components (including but not limited to: form elements, links and components generated by scripts), the name and role can be programmatically determined; states, properties, and values that can be set by the user can be programmatically set; and notification of changes to these items is available to user agents, including assistive technologies. |