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WAI: Strategies, guidelines, resources to make the Web accessible to people with disabilities

What WAI Does

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Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)

Announcements

Events, Meetings, Presentations

[WAI Presentations]
[Past WAI Events]

Documents in Progress

[Documents in progress are listed on the WAI IG page]

Sidebar

The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.

-- Tim Berners-Lee, W3C Director and inventor of the World Wide Web

Highlights

Calling All Authoring Tool Developers: ATAG 2 for You

If you develop web authoring tools (content management systems, HTML editors, websites that let users add content, and more), now is the time to take a good look at the ATAG 2.0 Working Draft. It's in Last Call Working Draft stage, and we need you to use it in developing your tools and let us know how it works for you. People with disabilities and accessibility specialists are also encouraged to review it now. See:

Please send any comments on this Last Call Working Draft by 2 September 2010. Thanks! (2010-July-08)

For Review: Updated WCAG 2.0 Techniques

WAI announces a Call for Review of draft updates to supporting documents for WCAG 2.0: Techniques for WCAG 2.0 (Editors' Draft) and Understanding WCAG 2.0 (Editors' Draft). (This is not an update to WCAG 2.0, which is a stable document.) To learn more about the updates, see Call for Review: WCAG 2.0 Techniques Draft Updates e-mail. Please submit comments by 9 August 2010. (2010-July-08)

For Review: UAAG 2.0 and Implementing UAAG 2.0 Working Drafts

WAI has published updated Working Drafts of User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG) 2.0 and the Implementing UAAG 2.0 supporting Note. UAAG defines how browsers, media players, and other "user agents" should support accessibility for people with disabilities and work with assistive technologies. WAI encourages you to review UAAG 2.0 and submit comments now, as the Working Group is preparing for Last Call. See:

Please send comments by 29 July 2010. (2010-June-17)

Reach your audience: Make your presentations accessible to all

How to Make Presentations Accessible to All helps you make presentations, talks, meetings, and training accessible to all of your potential audience, including people with disabilities and others. WAI would like to know how this resource works for you and how we can improve it. See the blog post: Make Your Presentations Accessible to All. Please send comments by 19 July 2010. (2010-June-16)

Working Together for Better Accessibility

To help and encourage developers and users working together, WAI has updated the following documents:

See Updated Resources Encourage Working Together for Better Accessibility e-mail for more information. (2010-April-22)

WCAG 2.0 in Italian: Authorized Translation Published

Linee guida per l'accessibilità dei contenuti Web (WCAG) 2.0, the Italian Authorized Translation of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, is now available, following completion of the W3C Authorized Translations process. WAI encourages translating WAI documents in all languages. See:

(2009-Dec-21)

Resources Supporting Web Accessibility Business Case - Share Yours

Resources for Developing a Web Accessibility Business Case for Your Organization provides a first collection of statistics, case studies, and articles that support the business case for web accessibility. We are looking for additional case studies and resources; see Share Resources Supporting the Web Accessibility Business Case blog post. (2009-Dec-14)

Want Better, Easier Accessibility? Involve Users in Your Web Projects

The new document Involving Users in Web Projects for Better, Easier Accessibility provides guidance for project managers, designers, and developers of:

Learn more about this and the related document Involving Users in Evaluating Web Accessibility in the Involving Users announcement e-mail and the blog post Discover new ways of thinking about accessibility. Watch for other documents from the WAI-AGE Project coming soon... (2009-Dec-09)

WCAG 2.0 in German: Authorized Translation Published

Richtlinien für barrierefreie Webinhalte (WCAG) 2.0, the German Authorized Translation of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, is now available, following completion of the W3C Authorized Translations process. WAI encourages translating WAI documents in all languages. See:

(2009-October-29)

New: Perspectives on Web Accessibility

Along with the redesigned W3C website, we have a new Accessibility page that introduces the what, why, where, and how of web accessibility. Read what it says about how the impact of disabilities can be radically changed for people using the Web when websites, web technologies, and web tools are properly designed. (2009-Oct-14)

Accessible and Mobile: WCAG-MWBP Overlap Document Published

Relationship between Mobile Web Best Practices (MWBP) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is published as a W3C Working Group Note. See also:

(2009-July-09)

WCAG 2.0 in French: Authorized Translation Published

Règles pour l'accessibilité des contenus Web (WCAG) 2.0, the French Authorized Translation of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, is now available, following completion of the W3C Authorized Translations process. WAI encourages translating WAI documents in all languages. See:

(2009-June-26)

Business Case Updated: Impact of Older Web Users Expanded

Developing a Web Accessibility Business Case for Your Organization is updated to more thoroughly address the impact of Web accessibility on older users, as part of the WAI-AGE Project.Older users are an increasing market segment and an important target group for many organizations. This update also includes references to the new WCAG 2. Get more details on recent and upcoming updates from the WAI IG e-mail. (2009-June-25)

How People with Disabilities Use the Web - Draft Introduced

"How People with Disabilities Use the Web" provides detailed examples of people with different disabilities using Web sites, applications, browsers, and authoring tools. It is currently a draft, and will soon be updated to reflect current best practice. Introduction to "How People with Disabilities Use the Web" provides a stable reference that will always link to the latest version of the main document. (2009-Apr-22)

Which links to what: Referencing WCAG, ATAG, UAAG, and WAI-ARIA

Ever wonder which URI (Web address) you should use for links to WCAG or other WAI technical documents? To learn which URI to use for what, which have stable content, and which give you the latest version, see Referencing and Linking to WAI Guidelines and Technical Documents. (2009-Mar-12)

WCAG 2.0 is Finalized: W3C Web Standard Defines Accessibility for Next Generation Web

On 11 December 2008 W3C announced a new standard that will help Web designers and developers create sites that better meet the needs of users with disabilities and older users. Drawing on extensive experience and community feedback, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 improves upon W3C's groundbreaking initial standard for accessible Web content, applies to more advanced technologies, and is more precisely testable. Please see additional information in:

(2008-Dec-11)

WAI-AGE: Addressing Accessibility Needs Due to Ageing

The WAI-AGE Project (Ageing Education and Harmonisation) focuses on education and outreach regarding the requirements of people with Web accessibility needs related to ageing. One of the WAI-AGE project deliverables is Web Accessibility for Older Users: A Literature Review, which was published on 14 March as a First Public Working Draft. WAI encourages you to review this draft and submit any comments by 4 June 2008, if possible.

See Call for Review and Participation: WAI-AGE Literature Review and Task Force for an introduction to the project and an invitation to contribute to the literature review and other WAI-AGE work. (2008-May-14)

Web Accessibility: The Fellowship of the Guidelines

Many people know about WAI's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the responsibilities of Web developers in making the Web accessible to people with disabilities. But Web developers alone cannot make the Web accessible.

Web browsers, assistive technologies, and authoring tools also have a vital role in Web accessibility. Essential Components of Web Accessibility describes these roles along with the WAI guidelines. (2005-July-22)

See additional highlights in the Highlights Archive.
WAI home page Highlights are edited by Shawn Henry, WAI's Education and Outreach Working Group, and other WAI Team and Working Groups.

Sponsors

WAI is supported in part by: the U.S. Department of Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, European Commission's Information Society Technologies Programme, HP, IBM, Microsoft Corporation, SAP, Verizon Foundation, and Wells Fargo.

WAI welcomes additional sponsors and contributors.

Validation Logos

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