Abstract
This multi-page document describes the similarities and differences between the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the Mobile Web Best Practices (MWBP).
Status of This Document
This section describes the status of this document at the time of its publication. Other documents may supersede this document. A list of current W3C publications and the latest revision of this technical report can be found in the W3C technical reports index at http://www.w3.org/TR/.
Incomplete draft: This document is an experimental editor's copy that has no official standing and is incomplete. Particularly, the section WCAG 2.0 and MWBP Together is only an outline; WCAG 1.0 to MWBP is only partly filled out. It is subject to major changes and is therefore not intended for implementation. It is provided for review and feedback only. Please send feedback to public-bpwg-comments@w3.org (archive).
[Content removed from this mock-up for sake of simplicity]
How to Use This Document
Comment: Reviewers please bear in mind that this is a mock-up of a restructuring of the documents. The WCAG 1.0 and “together” pages are missing and much of the content has been removed for the sake of simplicity. The latest editor's draft is still available. The discussions leading to theis restructuring are discussed in a thread on the WAI Education & Outreach Working Group mailing list.
Before continuing with this document further you may wish to read the introductory documents that accompany it:
This overview introduces a multi-page document describing the relationship between WCAG and MWBP. There are five other sections (each a separate page) corresponding to the relationships between MWBP 1.0 and two versions of WCAG. Of the other five, you may prefer to concentrate on only one, either to address both accessibility or mobile-awareness together, or if you currently focus on one, the aspect towards which you are aiming:
- WCAG and MWBP together: If you have not done either WCAG or MWBP, then read WCAG 2.0 and MWBP 1.0 together
- From MWBP towards WCAG: If you have implemented MWBP 1.0 and are considering progressing to:
- From WCAG towards MWBP: If you are considering doing MWBP 1.0 and have already done:
Some apparently common terms (such as “partially”, “possibly”, “everything”, “nothing”) are used with precise meanings in this document, as defined in “Special Meanings of Terms Used in this Document.”
Special Meanings of Terms Used in this Document
Some common words are used in this document with specific meanings. These are defined below.
- everything
- Concerning the effort required to meet a checkpoint or best practice, this means that the other provisions do not cover this aspect at all, and it is necessary to comply with these checkpoints from scratch. As there is no coverage in the MWBPs, no BPs are referenced, or vice versa.
- nothing
-
- Concerning the effort required to meet a checkpoint or best practice, this means that content already complies with this provision so no further effort is necessary.
- no added benefit
- Indicates a provision of a recommendation that has no specific additional benefit for users covered by the other recommendation beyond that experienced by the general user. This does not imply that the other user group will not benefit, but rather that they will not dereive any extra benefit. For example, since users with disabilities use the Web on mobile devices they are expected to benefit from the MWBP like any other user. However some BPs may bring added benefits to users with disabilities beyond the benefit to the general mobile user. If not, the term “no added benefit” is used.
- partially
- In many cases there is no direct correspondence between one provision and another. In some cases the scope may be different, giving partial compliance. For example, the NON-TEXT_ALTERNATIVES best practice covers images, but the scope of the WCAG provisions is much wider. In these cases the word “partially” is used.
- possibly
- In many cases there is no direct correspondence between one provision and another. In some cases, it may be necessary to make an extra effort or to consider a more diverse range of user needs. For example, [COLOR_CONTRAST] is intended to help mobile users with monochrome displays or in poor lighting conditions. By also considering the needs of users with color deficits (color blindness) the same BP makes content accessible to more users and ensures compliance with success criterion 1.4.3 “Contrast (Minimum)”. In these cases, the word “possibly” is used.
- something
- Concerning the effort required to meet a checkpoint or best practice, this means that more effort of some kind is necessary to comply with the provision. What is required depends on the individual checkpointor best practice. For each there is a list of the provisions that provide partial compliance or are in some way related.