1.
WCAG 2.0 for writers A brief overview of accessible content WANAU Melbourne September 2009

2.
Accessibility? What’s that?

3.
… but that’s for blind people and we don’t have any here

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I thought the web team did all that stuff

5.
… and so it came to pass that their new accessible website was ruined by their web writers!

6.
Potential impact of web writers <ul><ul><li>Document file types </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Accessibility supported technologies </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Writing style </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Structure and formatting </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Design elements </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Link text </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Page titles </li></ul></ul>

7.
Document file types <ul><li>WCAG 2.0 is technology neutral </li></ul><ul><li>PDF, Word, RTF, PowerPoint files heavily used online </li></ul><ul><li>If used as the only format, they must: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Be ‘accessibility supported’ </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Meet the WCAG 2.0 success criteria </li></ul></ul>

8.
‘ Accessibility supported’ means <ul><li>a) Format can be made accessible, AND </li></ul><ul><li>b) Content in the format can be accessed by: </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Assistive technologies </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Accessibility features of user agents (browsers and plug-ins) </li></ul></ul><ul><li>No one has yet done the work to test (a) </li></ul><ul><li>What level of AT/UA support is needed for (b)? </li></ul>

9.
Is PDF ‘accessibility supported’? <ul><li>Older versions of Acrobat not capable of making accessible PDF documents; newer versions better </li></ul><ul><li>Only newer versions of screen readers can make use of this support </li></ul><ul><li>Is PDF accessibility supported? No definitive answer yet </li></ul><ul><li>Even if it is, PDFs must meet WCAG 2.0 requirements (so must Word, RTF, PowerPoint) if use as only format </li></ul>

10.
Potential impact of web writers <ul><ul><li>Document file types </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Writing style </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Readability, shortened forms, instructions, non-literal use of words, foreign language, pronunciation </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Structure and formatting </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Design elements </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Link text </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Page titles </li></ul></ul>

11.
Readability <ul><li>SC 3.1.5 (AAA) </li></ul><ul><li>Content is written at lower secondary level or has supplementary content or an alternative </li></ul><ul><li>Techniques for 3.1.5 Understanding 3.1.5 </li></ul>

14.
Shortened forms <ul><li>SC 3.1.4 (AAA) </li></ul><ul><li>Abbreviations, acronyms or initialisms are expanded </li></ul><ul><li>Techniques for 3.1.4 Understanding 3.1.4 </li></ul>

19.
Instructions <ul><li>SC 1.3.3 (A) </li></ul><ul><li>Instructions for using/understanding content do not rely on shape, size, location, orientation or sound </li></ul><ul><li>Techniques for 1.3.3 Understanding 1.3.3 </li></ul>

21.
Non-literal or specialised use of words <ul><li>SC 3.1.3 (AAA) </li></ul><ul><li>Idioms, metaphors, jargon are explained </li></ul><ul><li>Techniques for 3.1.3 Understanding 3.1.3 </li></ul>

23.
Foreign language <ul><li>SC 3.1.2 (AA) </li></ul><ul><li>Foreign language terms are able to be understood by different UAs and ATs </li></ul><ul><li>Techniques for 3.1.2 Understanding 3.1.2 </li></ul>

24.
Pronunciation <ul><li>SC 3.1.6 (AA) </li></ul><ul><li>A pronunciation is provided for words where the meaning would otherwise be ambiguous </li></ul><ul><li>Techniques for 3.1.6 Understanding 3.1.6 </li></ul>

25.
Potential impact of web writers <ul><ul><li>Document file types </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Writing style </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Structure and formatting </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Headings, tables, lists, special text elements </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Design elements </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Link text </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Page titles </li></ul></ul>

26.
Headings (1 of 3) <ul><li>SC 2.4.10 (AAA) </li></ul><ul><li>Headings are used to organise the content </li></ul><ul><li>Techniques for 2.4.10 Understanding 2.4.10 </li></ul>

27.
<ul><li>SC 2.4.6 (AA) </li></ul><ul><li>Headings are descriptive </li></ul><ul><li>Techniques for 2.4.6 Understanding 2.4.6 </li></ul>Headings (2 of 3)

28.
How descriptive is this heading? <ul><li>“ Important information” </li></ul><ul><li>Your clues: </li></ul><ul><li>On a page from the University of Canberra </li></ul><ul><li>Page is in the “Students with disabilities” section </li></ul><ul><li>It is the main heading on the page (H1) </li></ul>

30.
Headings (3 of 3) <ul><li>SC 1.3.1 (A) </li></ul><ul><li>Headings can be recognised as such by different UAs and ATs </li></ul><ul><li>Techniques for 1.3.1 Understanding 1.3.1 </li></ul>

33.
Tables, lists, quotations, citations … <ul><li>SC 1.3.1 (A) </li></ul><ul><li>Special elements marked up so they can be recognised by different UAs and ATs </li></ul><ul><li> Techniques for 1.3.1 Understanding 1.3.1 </li></ul>

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Potential impact of web writers <ul><ul><li>Document file types </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Writing style </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Structure and formatting </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Design elements </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><ul><li>Images, text as images, colour, contrast </li></ul></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Link text </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Page titles </li></ul></ul>

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Images (1 of 2) SC 1.1.1 (A) Images have an equivalent text alternative Techniques for 1.1.1 Understanding 1.1.1

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Equivalent text alternatives <ul><li>Role of the image </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Decorative or informative? </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Use in context of the page? </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Used as a link? (next topic) </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Techniques </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Blank text alternative </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Short text alternative </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Short and long text alternative </li></ul></ul>

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Images (2 of 2) <ul><li>SC 1.4.5 (AA) </li></ul><ul><li>Text is not presented as an image (except in logos) </li></ul><ul><li>Techniques for 1.4.5 Understanding 1.4.5 </li></ul>

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Colour <ul><li>SC 1.4.1 (A) </li></ul><ul><li>Colour is not used on its own to show meaning </li></ul><ul><li>Techniques for 1.4.1 Understanding 1.4.4 </li></ul>

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Contrast (1 of 2) <ul><li>SC 1.4.3 (AA) </li></ul><ul><li>Text and background colours have a contrast ratio of 4.5:1 or 3:1 for large text ( also applies to images of text) </li></ul><ul><li>Techniques for 1.4.3 Understanding 1.4.3 </li></ul>

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Contrast (2 of 2) <ul><li>SC 1.4.6 (AAA) </li></ul><ul><li>Text and background colours have a contrast ratio of 7:1 (also applies to images of text) </li></ul><ul><li>Techniques for 1.4.6 Understanding 1.4.6 </li></ul>

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Potential impact of web writers <ul><ul><li>Document file types </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Writing style </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Structure and formatting </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Design elements </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Link text </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Page titles </li></ul></ul>

49.
Link text (1 of 2) <ul><li>SC 2.4.4 (A) </li></ul><ul><li>Link purpose can be understood from the link and context </li></ul><ul><li>Techniques for 2.4.4 Understanding 2.4.4 </li></ul>

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Link text (2 of 2) <ul><li>SC 2.4.9 (AAA) </li></ul><ul><li>Link purpose can be understood from the link text alone </li></ul><ul><li>Techniques for 2.4.9 Understanding 2.4.9 </li></ul>

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Potential impact of web writers <ul><ul><li>Document file types </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Writing style </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Structure and formatting </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Design elements </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Link text </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Page titles </li></ul></ul>

56.
Page titles <ul><li>SC 2.4.2 (A) </li></ul><ul><li>Page title describes the content or purpose </li></ul><ul><li>Techniques for 2.4.2 Understanding 2.4.2 </li></ul>

58.
Some final thoughts on WCAG 2.0 <ul><li>Some techniques better than others </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Need to use good judgement </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Some guidelines lower the standards </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Readability (was level A, now level AAA) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Clear link text (was level A, now level AAA) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Headings (was level AA, now level AAA) </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Note that AAA is now ‘optional’! </li></ul></ul>