The document discusses mobile accessibility, focusing on the specific challenges faced by users with disabilities when using mobile devices compared to desktops. It highlights the importance of updating WCAG guidelines for mobile accessibility, including new proposed criteria and real user scenarios to illustrate various accessibility needs. The task force aims to ensure that mobile technology caters to users of all abilities and helps to standardize accessibility requirements.

1. Mobile Accessibility
IS MOBILE REALLY DIFFERENT THAN DESKTOP?
13/2/2017

2. Introductions
Shadi Abou-Zahra, W3C
Kim Patch, Restart Systems
Kathy Wahlbin, Interactive Accessibility
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3. What is Mobile Accessibility?
Primary question asked by the taskforce
Started by looking at the challenges faced by
users with disabilities using mobile devices
Looked at current WCAG 2.0 and evaluated the
applicability to mobile
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4. Question Also Asked by Policy Makers
US Section 508: WCAG 2.0
Europe: EN 301 549 + additional requirements
to be defined (WCAG 2.1?)
Other local developments with risk of standards
fragmentation
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5. Mobile
Landscape
Changed the way people are
consuming information
5
All ages are using mobile
Using one handed
Using touch screens
Situations where we have
busy eyes and hands
Out in bright light
In noisy, public spaces
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6. What is Mobile?
Technology that
• Has touch screens, but increasingly supports
other input methods
• Usually smaller than laptops and desktops
• More portable
• Used in many more situations
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7. Mobile Accessibility Isn’t Just Mobile
Touch screens are on devices other than mobile
including traditional desktop, home
automation, car interfaces etc.
Devices come in all different sizes – small
screens are not limited to only mobile
Technology is used in many different situations
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8. Mobile Accessibility Task Force
Task force of WCAG working group
Determine what is important for mobile space
Drafted WCAG Success Criteria that may be
included in WCAG 2.1
WCAG 2.0 does apply and we are adding language
to the understanding documents and techniques
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9. 2015: How WCAG 2.0 and Other
W3C/WAI Guidelines Apply to Mobile
First Public Working Draft
◦ http://www.w3.org/TR/mobile
-accessibility-mapping/
It doesn't set requirements
It doesn't replace WCAG 2.0
or WCAG 2.1
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10. Key Areas for Mobile Accessibility
1. Touch screens
2. Keyboard use on mobile
3. Device sensors and the impact on how users interact
(e.g. 3-D touch, device orientation etc.)
4. Small Screen Size
5. Impact of using device in many locations (e.g. glare)
6. Capabilities of devices including accessibility
features and assistive technology
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11. Gabi uses a screen reader with touch, and uses
dictation and Siri to more quickly enter content
and perform functions
She prefers to access content on her iPhone
Gets frustrated when the touch and gestures do
not work with screen reader
Understands where things are positioned on the
screen through the touch interface
Faces challenges with inaccessible content similar
to the desktop
Screen Reader: Meet Gabi
11

12. Joe has hand tremors from Parkinsons
Touching small areas of the screen is difficult
He often accidentally activates a control when
controls are close together
12
Touch: Meet Joe

13. Rebecca uses an external keyboard with her
Android tablet and prefers to use the onscreen
keyboard on her Android phone
She will often use touch, speech and keyboard to
access the content
She prefers the standard onscreen keyboard to
update based on the type of data that needs to be
entered
Keyboard: Meet Rebecca
13

14. Mark has light sensitivity and 20/200 vision
His device is set to large fonts, increased
contrast and he uses the zoom function
He has a hard time seeing the screen –
especially outside where there is a lot glare
To see the screen, Mark holds the device close
to his face and also relies the on text-to-speech
14
Reading Content: Meet Mark

15. Shawn uses a wheelchair and a head wand
His iPad is bolted onto the side of his wheelchair in
landscape orientation
He sets his device to remain in landscape
orientation because it would not be possible to
turn the device if the orientation were to change
Orientation: Meet Shawn
15

16. Joyce has repetitive strain injuries in her hands
that limit her keyboard, mouse and
touchscreen use.
She uses the speech button on her smart
phone to dictate texts and email
She uses her smart phone’s intelligent agent to
launch apps and search the web (e.g. “Launch
Editorial”, “Search the web for green apples”)
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Speech: Meet Joyce

17. So, based on this research
we concluded…
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18. WCAG 2.0 Still Applicable
WCAG2ICT provides interpretations for “non-
web documents and software”
WCAG 2.1 to provide improvements
UAAG 2.0 relevant in some situations
“AG 3.0” may address broader context
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19. WCAG 2.1
First Public Working Draft published February 28, 2017
◦ https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/
New success criteria submitted from low vision task force, cognitive
task force and mobile task force
◦ Everything is applicable to mobile
◦ Task force did not propose success criteria that would be addressed by Low
Vision or Cognitive task forces
◦ 10 new proposed success criteria specifically from mobile taskforce
◦ See proposed success criteria that did not make this first editors draft at
https://github.com/w3c/wcag21/issues
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20. 2.1.4 Speech Input
Level A
All functionality of the content does not
obstruct a user’s ability to access the
commands through speech input.
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21. 2.4.11 Single-key Shortcuts
Single-character shortcuts are not the only way
activate a control, unless a mechanism is
available to turn them off or remap them to
shortcuts with two or more characters.
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22. 2.5.1 Target Size
Level A
The size of the target in relation to the visible display at the default viewport
size is at least:
◦ 44 px by 44 px for pointer inputs with coarse pointing accuracy (such as a
touchscreen)
◦ 22 px by 22 px for pointer inputs with fine pointing accuracy (such as a mouse,
trackpad or stylus)
where px is a CSS pixel when the page is using the device ideal viewport.
Except when a link or control:
◦ is not part of the primary purpose or function of the page OR
◦ has an alternative link/control whose target does meet the minimum size
requirements
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23. 2.5.2 Pointer inputs with additional sensors
Level A
All pointer functionality can be operated using
screen coordinate information, without
requiring additional pointer sensor information.
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24. 2.5.3 Touch with Assistive Technology
All functions available by touch are still available
by touch after platform assistive technology
that remaps touch gestures is turned on.
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25. 2.5.4 Pointer Gestures
Level A
Functionality requiring complex or timed
pointer gestures or multi-pointer gestures can
also be operated with simple pointer gestures.
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26. 2.6.1 Device Sensors
Level A
All functionality of the content can be operated
without requiring specific device sensor
information unless the device sensor is essential
for the function and not using it would
invalidate the activity.
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27. 2.6.2 Orientation
Level AA
Content is not locked to a specific orientation,
and functionality of the content is operable in
all orientations, except where orientation is
essential for use of the content.
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28. 3.2.6 Accidental Activation
Level A
For single-pointer activation, at least one of the following is
true:
◦ Activation is on the up event, either explicitly or implicitly as a
platform's generic activation/click event;
◦ A mechanism is available that allows the user to choose the up-
event as an option;
◦ Confirmation is provided, which can dismiss activation;
◦ Activation is reversible;
◦ Timing of activation is essential and waiting for the up-event would
invalidate the activity.
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29. 3.2.8 Change of Content
Level AA
Programmatic notification is provided for each change of
content that indicates an action was taken or that conveys
information, unless one or more of the following is true:
◦ There is an accessibility supported relationship between the new
content and the control that triggers it.
◦ The user has been advised of the behavior before using the
component.
◦ There are more than 5 notifications per minute.
◦ The change of content is not a result of a user action AND not
related to the primary purpose of the page.
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30. How to Comment
File an issue in the W3C WCAG 2.1 Github
repository
◦File as new issues
◦One issue per discrete comment
Send email to public-agwg-comments@w3.org
Deadline: 31 March 2017
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31. Questions?
313/2/2017