ATAG 2.0 References to WCAG

1. References to "WCAG" in ATAG 2.0

The Authoring Tools Accessibility Guidelines v2.0 (ATAG 2.0) includes six checkpoints (designated "Relative Priority Checkpoints") that refer to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) as a benchmark for what constitues accessible Web content. However, in order for ATAG 2.0 to remain up-to-date, even as new versions of WCAG are released, these references do not specify a particular WCAG version number. This means that developers and evaluators will have to decide for themselves which version of WCAG to use (the most recent version is recommended). When making an ATAG 2.0 conformance claim, the version of WCAG used as the benchmark must be included. For example:

"Product X conforms at Level Double-A to ATAG 2.0 with respect to WCAG 2.0.

In order to use a particular version of WCAG as a benchmark for the Relative Priority Checkpoints, the following information is required:

1. Scheme for determing conformance of Relative Priority ATAG 2.0 checkpoints.
2. List of WCAG checkpoints that are appicable to each Relative Priority checkpoints

2. Using Selected WCAG Versions as Benchmarks

WCAG 2.0 (W3C Working Draft as of 14 January 2003)

(1) Determing Relative Priority Level:

In contrast to WCAG 1.0, WCAG 2.0 establishes three "levels of implementation" for each of its checkpoints: Minimum (most important requirements met), Level 2 and Level 3 (least important requirements met). The ATAG 2.0 relative priority level with respect to WCAG 2.0 is determined as follows:

Relative Priority 1:

The Relative Priority checkpoint satisfies all applicable WCAG 2.0 checkpoint requirements to at least the minimum level.

Relative Priority 2:

The Relative Priority checkpoint satisfies all applicable WCAG 2.0 checkpoint requirements to at least level 2.

Relative Priority 3:

The Relative Priority checkpoint satisfies all applicable WCAG 2.0 checkpoint requirements to level 3.

(2) WCAG Checkpoint Applicability:

Relative Priority Checkpoints in ATAG 2.0	WCAG 2.0 Checkpoint Applicability
2.5 Ensure that when the tool automatically generates content it conforms to the WCAG.	All WCAG 2.0 checkpoints apply.
2.6 Ensure that all pre-authored content for the tool conforms to WCAG.	All WCAG 2.0 checkpoints apply.
3.1 Prompt and assist the author to avoid accessibility problems when they add or edit content	All WCAG 2.0 checkpoints apply.
3.2 Check for and inform the author of accessibility problems.	All WCAG 2.0 checkpoints apply.
3.3 Assist authors in correcting accessibility problems.	All WCAG 2.0 checkpoints apply.
3.8 Document the process of using the tool to produce accessible content.	All WCAG 2.0 checkpoints apply.

WCAG 1.0 (W3C Recommendation as of 5 May 1999)

(1) Determing Relative Priority Level:

WCAG 1.0 established three priority levels with each checkpoint assigned to one of these levels. THe priority levels are Priority 1 (most important requirements), Priority 2 and Priority 3 (least important requirements). The ATAG 2.0 relative priority level with respect to WCAG 1.0 is determined as follows:

Relative Priority 1:

The Relative Priority checkpoint satisfies all applicable WCAG 1.0 Priority 1 checkpoints.

Relative Priority 2:

The Relative Priority checkpoint satisfies all applicable WCAG 1.0 Priority 1 and 2 checkpoints.

Relative Priority 3:

The Relative Priority checkpoint satisfies all applicable WCAG 1.0 checkpoints.

(2) WCAG Checkpoint Applicability:

Relative Priority Checkpoints in ATAG 1.0	WCAG 1.0 Checkpoint Applicability
2.5 Ensure that when the tool automatically generates content it conforms to the WCAG.	All WCAG 1.0 checkpoints except for: WCAG 11.4 (P1) Keep alternative pages synchronized with original pages.
2.6 Ensure that all pre-authored content for the tool conforms to WCAG.	All WCAG 1.0 checkpoints except for: WCAG 11.4 (P1) Keep alternative pages synchronized with original pages.
3.1 Prompt the author to provide equivalent alternative information (e.g., captions, auditory descriptions, and collated text transcripts for video).	1.1 (P1) Provide text equivalent for non-text elements. 1.2 (P1) Provide redundant text links for server-side image map areas. 1.3 (P1) Provide auditory descriptions for multimedia. 1.5 (P3) Provide redundant text links for client-side image map areas. 5.3 (P2) Avoid layout tables or provide an alternative equivalent. 5.5 (P3) Provide summaries for tables. 6.2 (P1) Keep equivalents for dynamic content up to date. 6.3 (P1) Ensure pages usable without scripts, applets, programmatic objects. Else, provide equivalent information. 6.5 (P2) Ensure dynamic content is accessible or provide an alternative presentation. 10.4 (P3) Include place-holding text in edit boxes and text areas. 12.1 (P1) Title each generated frame. 12.2 (P2) Describe the purpose and relation of frames. 13.1(P2) Clearly identify the target of each link. 13.2 (P2) Provide metadata to pages and sites. 13.3 (P2) Provide information about the general layout of a site. 13.9 (P3) Provide information about document collections (i.e., documents comprising multiple pages.). 14.2 (P3) Supplement text with graphic or auditory presentations.
3.2 Help the author create structured content and separate information from its presentation.	2.1(P1) Ensure information provided with color is also available without color. 2.2 (Images: P2, Text: P3) Use sufficient foreground/background contrast. 3.1 (P2) Use markup rather than images to convey information. 3.2 (P2) Validate to published formal grammars. 3.3 (P2) Use style sheets. 3.4 (P2) Use relative units. 3.5 (P2) Use header elements. 3.6 (P2) Use lists and list items properly. 3.7 (P2) Use quotations properly. 4.1 (P1) Identify natural language changes. 4.2 (P3) Specify abbreviation or acronym expansions. 4.3 (P3) Identify the primary natural language of documents. 5.1 (P1) Identify data table row and column headers. 5.2 (P1) Associate data cells and header cells in complex data tables. 5.3 (P2) Avoid layout tables or provide an alternative equivalent. 5.4 (P2) Avoid structural markup in layout tables. 5.6 (P3) Provide abbreviations for table header labels. 6.1 (P1) Organize documents to be read without style sheets. 6.3 (P1) Ensure pages usable without scripts, applets, programmatic objects. Else, provide equivalent information. 6.4 (P2) Ensure script and applet event handlers are input device-independent. 6.5 (P2) Ensure dynamic content is accessible or provide an alternative presentation. 7.1 (P1) Avoid causing screen to flicker. 7.2 (P2) Avoid causing content to blink. 7.3 (P2) Avoid causing movement on the screen. 7.4 (P2) Avoid periodically auto-refreshing pages. 7.5 (P2) Avoid redirecting pages automatically. Use server redirects. 9.1 (P1) Use client-side image maps instead of server-side image maps. 9.2 (P2) Ensure element with own interface are input device-independent. 9.3 (P2) Specify logical (device independent) event handlers for scripts. 9.4(P3) Create a logical tab order. 9.5 (P3) Provide keyboard shortcuts to important elements. 10.1 (P2) Avoid spawned windows. 10.3 (P3) Provide a linear text alternative to tables with text in parallel, word-wrapped columns. 11.2 (P2) Avoid deprecated features of W3C technologies. 11.3 (P3) Include metadata information (e.g., language, content type, etc.) 12.2 (P2) Describe the purpose and relation of frames. 12.3 (P2) Divide large blocks of information into manageable groups. 12.4 (P2) Associate labels explicitly with their controls. 13.2 (P2) Provide metadata to pages and sites. 13.6 (P3) Group, identify, and provide a way to bypass related links. 14.1 (P1) Use clearest and simplest language appropriate.
3.5 Check for and inform the author of accessibility problems.	All WCAG 1.0 checkpoints.
3.6 Assist authors in correcting accessibility problems.	All WCAG 1.0 checkpoints.
3.9 Document the process of using the tool to produce accessible content.	All WCAG 1.0 checkpoints.