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Re: WCAG 2.0 understanding conformance

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From: Steve Green
Date: Feb 6, 2021 12:38PM

When requirement 5 refers to "technologies", it is referring to things like CSS, JavaScript, Flash, SVG etc. As such, the overlay is not a technology - it is simply an application that is built using a variety of those technologies.

The approach for testing a website that has an overlay is:
1. Test the website as usual with the overlay turned off.
2. If you find any WCAG non-conformances, turn on the overlay and see any of its features provide fixes or workarounds that would allow you to claim conformance for any of those success criteria. The navigation path to the feature and the feature itself must be WCAG conformant, but it does not matter if features you do not rely on (or the paths to them) are non-conformant.

Coincidentally, a couple of days ago we tested a website that has the ReciteMe overlay. Of all the non-conformances, we identified three that an overlay could potentially address. However, due to the design of its features, and constraints that would affect any overlay, it was not able to adequately address any of the three non-conformances. And of course there were also the non-conformances that we knew it wouldn't be able to address.

This adds to the overwhelming weight of evidence against the use of these overlays. I would like to write a report on these findings, but I don't think there is any chance our client will let me because it makes them look stupid. I am also reluctant to do a similar test on the website of a non-customer, so that only leaves the ReciteMe website itself so I think we will have a go at that.

Steve Green
Managing Director
Test Partners Ltd


-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum < <EMAIL REMOVED> > On Behalf Of Birkir R. Gunnarsson
Sent: 06 February 2021 15:15
To: WebAIM Discussion List < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] WCAG 2.0 understanding conformance

Hi

If those overlays made the website fully accessible, and if they let the user review and use all the website content and services, they would be an accessible solution.
The fact is that these overlays are either not accessible at all or only offer users with disabilities access to a limited subset of the website, in which case they don't enjoy the full and equal experience.
They used to try to have an "accessible website" version of popular sites, but those ended up only offering a subset of the information and oten did not have the same deals and offers as the main site.


On 2/6/21, Spiro < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> Hello all
>
> I would like to ask experts opinion, and if it's possible from the
> WCAG 2.0 members
>
> on the WCAG 2.0 understanding conformance
> https://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/conformance.html under
> understanding requirement 5
>
> How this requirement addresses the overlays / supposedly accessible
> add ONS that are installed in so many websites and from what it seems
> to causes many Accessibility barriers for people with disabilities and
> specially for screen reader users.
>
> What I am trying to understand if this requirement is prohibit using
> this tools
>
> Thanks in advance
> > > archives at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> >


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