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Re: Wcag 2.1

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From: Jonathan Avila
Date: May 11, 2017 8:36AM

> My understanding of WCAG 2.1 is that the new requirements )low vision, cognitive, mobile) success criteria will be optional (I think you can choose to comply with 1 or more of those), though I am not overly clear on the details.

That is not correct. Originally mobile, cognitive, low vision were seen as extensions. However, that approach did not seem to be equitable with the community. Now the work from the task forces is going to be rolled in a WCAG 2.1 without extensions. In order to meet 2.1 at a particular level you will need to conform to all of the criteria at that level. What criteria are in or out is still fluid. Mobile technology is not really a specific area anymore as the reality is really that some people have smaller screens or touch devices but others have touch screens on larger devices. Thus criteria will focus on the capabilities of the content.

Jonathan

Jonathan Avila
Chief Accessibility Officer
SSB BART Group 
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-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Birkir R. Gunnarsson
Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2017 9:58 AM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Wcag 2.1

My understanding of WCAG 2.1 is that the new requirements )low vision, cognitive, mobile) success criteria will be optional (I think you can choose to comply with 1 or more of those), though I am not overly clear on the details.

What I do know is that Section 508 was updated to references WCAG 2.0 on January 18, 2017 (9 years after the WCAG 2.0 release, back then we did not even have an accessible touch screen device), and that the ADA does not reference WCAG 2.0 specifically, which has caused headaches, chaos and endless amount of corporate accessibility policy debate all over the nation. In Europe we started campaigning for the EU Accessibility Directive in 2011 and it came through in late 2016 referncing WCAG 2.0 with compliance coming into effective starting 2018.
So, seriously, even if 2.1 becomes an official standard in 2018 or 2019, there will be another 3 to 5 years (spoken as an unrealistic
optimist) before that standard is likely to be referenced by an official legislation, more likely 6 to 8 years.
WE are all aware that we need more agile standards and legislation to address technological progress, and it is one of the big talking points of WCAG 3.0 (or WCAG AG, nicknamed silver).
Making corporate accessibility policies reference WCAG 2.0 is huge, and the priority for now, I would say. Asking them to do more and prefer for a new standard may be too much for the legal team.
You can review the 2.1 success cirteria with the designers, developers and content folks and dress them up as usability improvements and possible extras.



On 5/11/17, Tim Harshbarger < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> My understanding is that when WCAG 2.1 becomes a technical
> recommendation, there isn't any requirement for laws to update to that
> version. That will be up to whatever political entities have the
> legislative power to change the laws.
>
> Also, by the time WCAG 2.1 is close to becoming an official
> recommendation, it will not be undergoing any more changes. However, I
> expect for most political entities, they will want to wait until the
> specification is completed before they look into altering their laws
> to incorporate it. While WCAG 2.1 has a timeline, that is just the
> plan--and few plans survive contact with reality.
>
> I am sure we have people on this list more fully involved with W3C and
> the process of creating WCAG 2.1 that can give better and more
> accurate information--but that is my understanding of things--well, my
> last comment about when laws might be updated is more an opinion about
> how legislative bodies are likely to react.
>
> Thanks,
> Tim
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On
> Behalf Of JP Jamous
> Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2017 6:55 AM
> To: 'WebAIM Discussion List' < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
> Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Wcag 2.1
>
> I don't know of any company or organization that is pushing for 2.1
> since it is not official yet. It would be nice to get a head start on
> it, but what if they continue to refine it to the last set of weeks
> before the official release. That would only backfire on the organization's SDLC.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On
> Behalf Of Lisa Snider
> Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2017 6:47 AM
> To: WebAIM Discussion List < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
> Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Wcag 2.1
>
> I hear ya! I was also wondering if there is new legislation being
> written, whether we should push for 2.1 now so by the time it is
> written it will include it?
>
> Cheers
>
> Lisa
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On May 11, 2017, at 8:42 AM, JP Jamous < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>>
>> That will probably take another 10 years. *Smiles*
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On
>> Behalf Of Lisa Snider
>> Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2017 6:39 AM
>> To: WebAIM Discussion List < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
>> Subject: [WebAIM] Wcag 2.1
>>
>> Hi Everyone,
>>
>> With wcag 2.1 going to happen in a year or so, will governments have
>> to change legislation that relies on wcag to update from wcag 2.0?
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>> Lisa
>> >> >> archives at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
>> >>
>> >> >> archives at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
>> > > > archives at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> >
> > > archives at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> > > > archives at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> >


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