WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: W3C-WAI Low Vision Accessibility Task Force -SeekingParticipation

for

From: Léonie Watson
Date: Aug 20, 2015 2:54AM

The creation of this W3C TF is very welcome. Coupled with the TF already looking into accessibility for people with cognitive disabilities [1], it's a positive step towards closing the gaps in WCAG.

I'd be interested to know what people think about WCAG extensions for people in these user groups being optional though. The draft charter for the WCAG Working Group [2] states "ensure that extensions are optional and are not required for conformance to WCAG 2.0".

It's understandable that WCAG 2.0 itself can't be amended, but is a set of separate optional extensions the best approach? Is there a way to incorporate the much needed guidance for cognitive and low vision (in a timely fashion), without conveying the message that accessibility for these groups is optional?

One suggestion is WCAG 2.1, consisting of WCAG 2.0 as it stands (possibly with editorial corrections), plus the extensions for low vision and cognitive. Although WCAG 2.1 would itself be optional, particularly where WCAG 2.0 is required in law, it would present a clear and holistic set of guidelines for people to use if they wish - without raising the possibility that accessibility for certain groups might be optional.

Léonie.


[1] http://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/cognitive-a11y-tf/
[2] http://www.w3.org/2015/04/draft-wcag-charter

--
Senior accessibility engineer @PacielloGroup @LeonieWatson