W3C and Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) Overview

Internet per tutti

16 December 2002
Venice, Italy

Daniel Dardailler
Director W3C Europe

Overview

1. W3C in brief
2. WAI in brief
3. Current Issues

W3C in Brief

The International Web Standardization Organization, creator of HTML, XML, HTTP, Web Services, Semantic Web technologies, etc.

• Mission: Lead the Web to its full potential
• Goals: Interoperability, Universality, Functionalities
• How: Industry driven + Grants, Neutral/nonforprofit, consensus based, fast process Open participation, open results
• What: Working groups, working drafts, open source reference code
• Who: 450 members, 70 staff, Tim Berners-Lee, MIT/INRIA/Keio

WAI in Brief

• Develops accessibility solutions for the Web
  • addresses functional requirements across different disabilities
  • ensures solutions in core Web technologies
  • develops guidelines, tools, education
• Brings multiple stakeholders together
  • industry, disability, research, government
• Receives sponsorship for activities
  • USA - NIDRR, European Commission - IST, Canada - ADIO
  • Elisa Communications, IBM, Microsoft, SAP, Verizon, Wells Fargo

Multi-Layered Solution

1. Ensure that core Web technologies support accessibility
2. Develop guidelines for accessibility
3. Improve tools to evaluate & facilitate accessibility
4. Develop materials for education and outreach
5. Coordinate with research and development

Activities and Groups

WAI Technical Activity

Protocols and Formats Working Group (PFWG)

horizontal review of Web technologies

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (WCAG WG)

guidelines for making Web sites accessible

Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (AUWG)

guidelines for software used to build Web sites

User Agent Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (UAWG)

guidelines for browsers and multimedia players

Evaluation and Repair Tools Working Group (ERT WG)

tools to facilitate accessibility review

WAI International Program Office

WAI Interest Group (WAI IG)

general discussion on Web accessibility

Education and Outreach Working Group (EOWG)

promotion & implementation of Web accessibility

Research and Development Interest Group (RDIG)

exploring accessibility impact of advanced technologies

WAI Coordination Group (WAI CG)

coordination across all WAI groups

WAI Steering Council

strategic advice across WAI areas

Plans for Future Work

• Protocols and Formats Working Group
  • continue horizontal reviews of W3C specifications
  • further develop XML Accessibility Guidelines (XAG)
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Working Group: 
  • further develop WCAG 2.0 Working Drafts, and Techniques for WCAG 2.0
  • develop testing criteria for WCAG 2.0
• Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines Working Group
  • further develop ATAG 2.0 Working Drafts, and Techniques for ATAG 2.0
  • continue tracking ATAG 1.0 implementations
• User Agent Accessibility Guidelines Working Group: 
  • publish User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 as a W3C Recommendation
  • develop requirements for future work
    

Plans for Future Work, continued

• Evaluation and Repair Tools Working Group
  • complete development of EARL (Evaluation and Report Language)
• WAI Interest Group
  • increase review discussions on WAI deliverables
    
• Education and Outreach Working Group: 
  • complete How People with Disabilities Use the Web
  • complete Business Case for Accessibility Support in Authoring Tools
    
  • complete Business Case for Web Accessibility
  • open the WAI Gallery
  • develop educational materials oriented to users with disabilities

Plans for Future Work, continued

• Research and Development Interest Group
  • convene first several teleconferences, starting with accessible remote collaboration
• WAI Coordination Group
  • [?] expand collaboration with other W3C groups developing guidelines and/or conducting horizontal reviews