Analysis/Requirements and Changelog for:
"Developing Websites for Older People:
How Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Applies"
Page Contents
Published Version: http://www.w3.org/WAI/older-users/developing
About
In some situations, developers are tasked to create Web sites optimized for older users. Often they are not aware of the relationship between the accessibility needs of older users and the needs of people with disabilities. In fact, they may not even be aware of the existence of standards for Web accessibility at all. This resource would explain to them how they could benefit from implementing existing Web accessibility guidelines, and how to use them to create accessible Web sites for older users.
Scenarios
- Jane DeVeloper has been told to make her website work well for older users. This document should show her how to use WCAG as her guide for doing so.
Jane
has a sister Jessica, also a web developer:
- Jane needs to design her website for older people; she is not aware of accessibility or WCAG
- Jessica knows about accessibility and WCAG; she wants to get information specifically on designing for older users
- The web manager at Acme insurance wants to better meet the needs of older people as one of their key customer groups. This doc should help him integrate the requirements of old people into their ongoing accessibility work.
- Researcher looking to develop guidelines/recommendations for older web users. This document should demonstrate how WCAG 2.0 covers the accessibility requirements.
Purpose, Goals, Objectives
Rationale:
- Many web developers:
- do not appreciate the relevance of the WAI guidelines for older people
- do not know about the accessibility requirements of older users with changing abilities
- do not understand the importance of the WCAG 2.0 advisory techniques
- Some independent 'senior friendly' guidelines have been developed which parallel WAI guidelines, but fragment standardization efforts
Objective:
- Underline the relevance of the WAI guidelines for older users
- Provide web developers with information about the importance of WCAG 2.0 for older users
- Highlight the relevance of advisory techniques from WCAG 2, especially for people who do not use assistive technology
- Contribute to the harmonization of web accessibility rather the development of separate recommendations for older users
- Catch people focusing on older audience and show that WCAG provides what they need (and by the way, make it accessible to everyone while you're at it)
Audience
Primary:
- Web developers (including web application programmers, website designers, information architects, content writers and editors, etc)
- primary group - people developing for older people and unaware of WCAG
- secondary group - accessibility aware, but looking for older people guidance
Secondary:
- Website procurers and commissioners
- Policy makers
- Managers & other decision makers
- Advocates and older peoples' organizations
Scope
Will:
- Highlight aspects of WCAG 2.0 of particular importance to older users with accessibility needs due to ageing
- Provide tips and best-practices for website development, including WCAG 2.0 sufficient & advisory techniques
- Point to further resources about website development, especially those developed through WAI-AGE
Will not:
- Be a step-by-step guide to accessible development
- Repeat material already included in other WAI documents (but will cross reference them, especially WAI-AGE ones, as appropriate)
Approach
Initial outline and ideas:
- Introduction
- stress overlap of requirements for older users and people with disabilities
- consider mentioning:
- many previous studies made recommendations WRT older people that are covered or paralleled by WCAG 2.0
- many of the identified requirements for older web users are met by advisory techniques
- Background
- stress importance of WAI guidelines (refer Lit Review)
- mention the importance of the browser and UAAG for people who don't use assistive technologies
- point to How People with Disabilities Use the Web
- point to Developing a Web Accessibility Business Case for Your Organization: Overview
- stress importance of WAI guidelines (refer Lit Review)
- Requirements / Mapping / @@
- mapping of needs and requirements with WCAG 2.0 drawn from WAI Guidelines and Older Web Users: Findings from a Literature Review (draft) and related documents
- probably simplified - maybe by GL/SC and particular technique of additional importance
- mapping of needs and requirements with WCAG 2.0 drawn from WAI Guidelines and Older Web Users: Findings from a Literature Review (draft) and related documents
- Implementation (tips and best practices)
- mention the importance of content authors, writers, editors, and others preparing content in addressing requirements of older users
- mention importance of authoring tools (include CMS) in achieving web accessibility - point to Selecting and Using Authoring Tools for Web Accessibility
- Mention possibility of utilising WAI-ARIA (e.g. to make sure the user notices small ajax-created page changes/updates)
- mention importance of site design and information architecture in addressing requirements of older users
- reference BAD as an example of good implementation
- point to Involving Users in Web Projects for Better, Easier Accessibility
- point to Implementation Plan for Web Accessibility
- point to Evaluating Web Sites for Accessibility
- point to Developing Organizational Policies on Web Accessibility
- point to Why Standards Harmonization is Essential to Web Accessibility
Title Options
WCAG for Older Users (technical page):
- Primary ideas
- Developing Websites for Older People
- Developing Websites for Older People:
- Applying the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0
- How Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Applies
- How WCAG 2.0 Improves Websites for Older People
- How WCAG 2.0 Applies to Older People
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 has it Covered
- How WCAG 2 Covers it
- Using WCAG 2 to Meet the Needs
- How WCAG 2 covers what you need to know
- How WCAG 2 Addresses their Needs
- Using WCAG 2 to Address their Needs
- Improving Usability Through Accessibility
- Guidelines for Meeting the Needs of Older Web Users
- Meeting Their Accessibility Needs
- How WCAG 2 Meets Their Accessibility Need
- Optimizing Websites for Older People
- Older People and Web Design
- Older People and Web Design: Applicability of WCAG 2 guidelines
- Meeting the Requirements of Older Web Users
- Other thoughts:
- Developing Websites Suitable for Older People
- Developing Accessible Websites for Older People
- Designing Websites for Older Users, People with Disabilities, and All/Everyone
- best practice design ...
- top tips for ...
- applicability of WAI guidelines for older people
- Applicability of WCAG 2 guidelines to older users
- Designing for Older Users and Web Accessibility
- Older Users Needs Met with Web Accessibility
- Accessibility and older users/people
EOWG Brainstorm (technical page OR landing page)
See also title ideas for Older People land page below
References
WAI-AGE task force and EOWG Discussions:
- EOWG teleconference 24 September 2010
- WAI-AGE TF teleconference 8 September 2010
- EOWG teleconference 3 September 2010
- WAI-AGE TF teleconference 11 August 2010
- EOWG teleconference 6 August 2010
- WAI-AGE TF teleconference 28 July 2010
- EOWG teleconference 23 July 2010
- EOWG teleconference 25 June 2010
- EOWG teleconference 18 June 2010
- WAI-AGE TF teleconference 2 June 2010
- EOWG teleconference 28 May 2010
- EOWG teleconference 21 May 2010
- WAI-AGE TF teleconference 19 May 2010
- WAI-AGE TF teleconference 5 May 2010
Related documents:
- Web Accessibility for Older Users: A Literature Review
- Needs for older users (2008)
- WAI Guidelines and Older Web Users: Findings from a Literature Review (2009)
- Comparative requirements analysis for older web users (2008)
- WCAG 1.0 checkpoints – mapping to ageing recommendations (2008)
- Additional requirements suggested by ageing recommendations (2008)
- Requirements identified from targeted studies (2008)
- BAD-TF: Implementing WAI-AGE Requirements (2009)
Open Issues
- consider later adding a complete list of Techniques applicable - maybe create a separate page and link to to it later on (EOWG 25 June 2010)
- DONE - consider later restructuring the document along the lines of "the types of needs older users have, then show how WCAG SC apply to those under that" [this is closer to the approach in http://www.w3.org/WAI/WAI-AGE/comparative.html]
- tried with 4-Aug-2010 draft (trial at Requirements Grouping trial below)
- adopted and progressed to final draft (Sept 2010)
- DONE - overlap between this document's introductory material and the older peoples landing page
- reconsider combining Pop-ups and Page Refresh (and Text Size with Text presentation)
- adding expand/collapse functionality - add to published version when functionality finalised (final draft has draft functionality)
ChangeLog
Changes 22 September 2010
- addressed EOWG survey responses
- removed expand/collapse functionality for the public release
Changes 9 September 2010
- addressed WAI-AGE TF actions from 8/Sept - added 'reasons' to "Navigation and location" and to "Error Prevention" background sentences
Changes 6 September 2010
- addressed actions from EOWG 3 Sepetember 2010
- considered feedback from Shawn (2 & 3 September 2010)
- refined the introductory sections with assistance from Shawn and Shadi
- refined the group headings and explanatory sentences with assistance from Shawn and Shadi
- reduced the numbers of techniques listed to a maximum of 5 or 6 in most groups
- added Expand/Collapse functionality
Changes 13 August 2010
- edited the introduction to the page
- renamed "Applying WCAG 2" to "How WCAG 2.0 Applies to Older People"
- edited the introduction to the section
- reordered some of the requirements topics after discussion in TF
- renamed "About the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0" to "How WCAG 2.0 Applies to Older People"
- removed the section "Understanding the Needs of Older People"
- part incorporated into introduction
- part placed in Web Accessibility and Older People: Meeting the Needs of Ageing Web Users
- part will incorporated into the accessibility-usability document
- all requirements/needs categories in "Applying WCAG 2" completed
Changes 10 August 2010
- refinement of requirements/needs categories
- focusing of what success criteria to list as examples (max 7)
- referred reader to other techniques for the SC listed
- added in links to Lit Review as appropriate
Changes 4 August 2010
- additional editing of introductory sections for clarity
- heading refinement for clarity
- restructured document under POUR by requirements of older people
Changes 21 July 2010
- Removed technology specific techniques were appropriate general techniques exist (retained H2 & H44 as there is no general technique about target size)
- Clarified the Lit Review follow-up reading for researchers and moved to the first section with the link to the Presentation.
- Moved "Additional Resources for Implementing Accessibility" section to the end of the document
- Additional word-smithing with Shawn's help
Changes 29 June 2010
- From EOWG 25/June discussion:
- Changed title from "Developing Websites for Older People: The Applicability of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0" to "Developing Websites for Older People: Applying Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0"
- open - move "additional resources" to end of doc as H2?
- Added another argument (Some older people don't think of their age-related impairments as disabilities, ...) to follow "... variety of reasons" in the section "Understanding the Accessibility Needs of Older People"
- Elaborated the first para in the section "Using WCAG 2.0 to Improve Accessibility for Older People"
- Added overview sentence for each Guideline that didn't have an intro.
Changes 23 June 2010
- From EOWG 18/June actions:
- DONE - added mention of WCAG into a subheading for the page
- DONE - changed H3 from "Resources for Implementing Accessibility" to "Additional Resources for Implementing Accessibility"
- DONE - shortened the opening sentence of section 3
- done - removed in-line links associated with success criteria explanation
- NB retained for now as numeric links to aid internal review - remove after review
- DONE - listed SC with number then short name, e.g. "a.b.c - short name"
- DONE - listed GLs as "Guideline a.b short name"
- edited all SC rationales to be more readable and explanatory (hopefully :)
Changes 16 June 2010
- Changed structure to
- Introduction (no visible heading)
- Understanding the accessibility needs of older users
- Using WCAG 2 to improve accessibility for older people
- Resources for Implementing Accessibility
- Recommended WCAG 2 Techniques
- Edited "understanding" to include a bit more background to help people relate to older people's impairments
- Changed all the SC discussion to give an older people's reason for implementing, and just pointing to selected, highly relevant, techniques
- open:
Changes 1 June 2010
- Changed structure to
- Introduction
- Using WCAG 2
- Additional Resources
- WCAG 2 Requirements Appendix
- Expanded the Introduction to try and better address the requirements
- Tried to further clarify that this is not 'in addition' or 'instead of' WCAG 2.0, but a selection of techniques that will optimise a site that meets WCAG for older peoples' requirements
- Changed (progressively) the tabular layout in the Appendix to a less check-listy bulleted list layout
- Changed the Guidelines to <h4> and the SC to <h5>
Changes 26 May 2010
- changed H2 heading "Older Web Users' Accessibility Requirements" > "Background"
- changed H2 heading "WCAG 2.0 Best Practices for Older Users" > "Technical Requirements"
- tables of techniques - changed Techniques column heading from "Best practice WCAG 2.0 techniques relevant to older web users" to "WCAG 2.0 Techniques particularly relevant to older web users" (and removed the "AAA" background)
- Minor editorial changes to paragraphs in first three sections
Changes 25 May 2010
- edited "Introduction" to be clearer that WCAG 2.0 is required
- changed H2 heading "WCAG 2.0 and Older Web Users" > "Older Web Users' Accessibility Requirements"
- edited section to be stronger about "WCAG 2.0 addresses the accessibility requirements of older web users"
- added H2 heading "WCAG 2.0 Best Practices for Older Users"
- added intro paragraph to stress that WCAG still needs to be met, and the listed techniques are to help optimise for odler users
- demoted P/O/U/R headings to H3 level (with linked list for navigation)
- tables of techniques
- changed Techniques column heading from "Additional techniques relevant to older web users" to "Best practice WCAG 2.0 techniques relevant to older web users"
- changed advisory techniques flag to "(future link) [advisory]" or just "[advisory]" if technique is linked
- prefaced "A" and "AA" techniques with "Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:"
- added grey background to AAA SC
- prefaced "AAA" techniques with "Consider the following techniques if applicable:"
- EOWG 21 May Actions:
- DONE - recommend meeting AA, and here are some techniques to help optimize the design (maybe in Intro)
- DONE - consider calling the table RHS column "best practice (techniques)"
- DONE - make it clear that all the techniques listed are from WCAG 2.0 (to counter the assumption that the non-linked ones are not)
- DONE - scenario option? - someone designing own Guidelines/Recommendations for older users, proof that WCAG covers what they would have put down anyway [added to Scenarios]
- DONE - considering wording "optimizing for older users"
- DONE - one purpose is to catch people focusing on older audience that WCAG provides what hey need (and by he way, make it accessible to everyone while you're at it) [added to Objectives]
Changes 20 May 2010
- rationalized material between this document and the "landing page" draft
- restructured document as:
- Introduction
- WCAG 2.0 and Older Web Users
- Perceivable Requirements
- Operable Requirements
- Understandable Requirements
- Robust Requirements
- Additional Resources
- added in pointers to WCAG 2.0 materials
- added in pointers to WAI-IG
- added in WCAG 2.0 levels to SC in tables
- refined techniques listings in tables
Changes 12 May 2010
- structured document as
- Intro
- Background
- Requirements
- Further actions
- drafts for Intro & Background & Further Actions
- draft inclusion of WCAG material in Requirements
Changes 6 May 2010
- Outline drafted with headings and points to include
Background from WAI-AGE Deliverables:
- Rationale:
- This document describes how to use existing Web accessibility guidelines to create Web sites for older users. It highlights the relationship between the accessibility needs of older users and the needs of people with disabilities, and guides the readers to more in-depth resources such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, the WAI-AGE Literature Review documents, or other relevant resources.
- Proposal:
- In some situations, developers are tasked to create Web sites for older users. Often they are not aware of the relationship between the accessibility needs of older users and the needs of people with disabilities. In fact, they may not even be aware of the existence of standards for Web accessibility at all. This resource would explain to them how they could benefit from existing Web accessibility guidelines, and how to use them to create accessible Web sites for older users.
Requirements Groupings option
A second attempt to organise material by the types of needs older users have, then show how WCAG 2.0 meets those needs. Trying the approach and presentation style used in Shared Web Experiences: Barriers Common to Mobile Device Users and People with Disabilities.
Groupings based on WAI Guidelines and Older Web Users: Findings from a Literature Review plus meeting identified impairments. Techniques drawn from early draft of Developing Websites for Older People (June 2010). Need to emphasize that any success criteria not listed still need to be met!
Questions:
- Is this 'requirements' approach working? Is the organisation/categorisation good? (Too many? Too few?)
- Is the level of explanation of each requirement sufficient?
- Might it be appropriate to link to the Lit Review for each requirement?
- How best to include success criteria that don't readily fit into the proposed categories?
- @@
--- start requirements groupings trial ---
Perceivable
definition: Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive. end definition
Text size
Many older people experience declining eyesight that requires larger text within web pages.
WCAG 2.0 requirements:
- 1.4.4 - Resize text (AA)
- 1.4.8 - Visual Presentation (AAA)
Techniques to consider:
- Providing large fonts by default (future link)
- Avoiding scaling font sizes smaller than the user-agent default (future link)
- G178: Providing controls on the Web page that allow users to incrementally change the size of all text on the page up to 200 percent
- C17: Scaling form elements which contain text
- G179: Ensuring that there is no loss of content or functionality when the text resizes and text containers do not resize
- Ensuring that text in raster images is at least 18pt (future link) [@@ different form the following - reported ]
- Making sure any text in images of text is at least 14 points and has good contrast (future link)
Text style and presentation
A number of studies recommended specific preferred text presentation styles for older people; other approaches identified here will make text easy to read.
[@@ a number of studies have identified that overly decorated text can be difficult to read ]
Open items:
- bold and underline - ??
WCAG 2.0 requirements:
- 1.4.8 - Visual Presentation (AAA)
- 1.4.5 - Images of text (AA)
- 1.4.9 - Images of Text (No Exception) (AAA)
- Guideline 3.1 - Make text content readable and understandable
Techniques to consider:
- Using readable fonts (future link)
- Presenting text in sans serif font or providing a mechanism to achieve this (CSS) (future link)
- Using upper and lower case according to the spelling conventions of the text language (future link)
- G172: Providing a mechanism to remove full justification of text OR G169: Aligning text on only one side
- Avoiding centrally aligned text (future link)
- Avoiding text that is fully justified (to both left and right margins) in a way that causes poor spacing between words or characters (future link)
- Using left-justified text for languages that are written left to right and right-justified text for languages that are written right-to-left (future link)
- Avoiding chunks of italic text (future link)
- G188: Providing a button on the page to increase line spaces and paragraph spaces
- Providing sufficient inter-column spacing (future link)
- Limiting text column width (future link)Putting an em-space or two spaces after sentences (future link)
- Avoiding overuse of different styles on individual pages and in sites (future link)
- C22: Using CSS to control visual presentation of text
- C30: Using CSS to replace text with images of text and providing user interface controls to switch
Color and Contrast
Many older people experience changing color perception and sensitivity, and loss of contrast sensitivity.
WCAG 2.0 requirements:
- 1.4.1 - Use of Color (A)
- 1.4.3 - Contrast (Minimum) (AA)
- 1.4.6 - Contrast (Enhanced) (AAA)
- 1.4.8 - Visual Presentation (AAA)
Techniques to consider:
- G14: Ensuring that information conveyed by color differences is also available in text
- G122: Including a text cue whenever color cues are used
- G182: Ensuring that additional visual cues are available when text color differences are used to convey information
- G183: Using a contrast ratio of 3:1 with surrounding text and providing additional visual cues on focus for links or controls where color alone is used to identify them
- Conveying information redundantly using color (future link)
- G18: Ensuring that a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 exists between text (and images of text) and background behind the text
- G148: Not specifying background color, not specifying text color, and not using technology features that change those defaults
- G174: Providing a control with a sufficient contrast ratio that allows users to switch to a presentation that uses sufficient contrast
- Using a light pastel background rather than a white background behind black text to create sufficient but not extreme contrast (future link)
- G111: Using color and pattern
- Using a higher contrast values for lines in diagrams (future link)
- Providing sufficient color contrast in graphs and charts (future link)
- Providing sufficient color contrast for empty text fields (future link)
- G17: Ensuring that a contrast ratio of at least 7:1 exists between text (and images of text) and background behind the text [@@ how to include AAA techniques relative to AA techniques, e.g. G18 above ]
[@@ visible links - include elsewhere? ]
Multimedia
Older people commonly experience declines in vision and hearing and require alternatives such as captions, transcripts, and/or audio description.
WCAG 2.0 requirements:
- 1.2.1 - Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) (A)
- 1.2.2 - Captions (Prerecorded) (A)
- 1.2.4 - Captions (Live) (A)
- 1.2.3 - Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded video) (A)
- 1.2.5 - Audio Description (Prerecorded video) (AA)
- 1.2.7 - Extended Audio Description (Prerecorded video) (AAA)
- 1.2.8 - Media Alternative (Prerecorded) (AAA)
- 1.2.9 - Audio-only (Live) (AAA)
- 1.4.7 - Low or No Background Audio (Prerecorded) (AAA)
Techniques to consider:
- [@@ list all the below? order ok? any others? ]
- G158: Providing an alternative for time-based media for audio-only content
- G159: Providing an alternative for time-based media for video-only content
- 166: Providing audio that describes the important video content and describing it as such
- G93: Providing open (always visible) captions
- G87: Providing closed captions
- G69: Providing an alternative for time based media
- G78: Providing a second, user-selectable, audio track that includes audio descriptions
- G173: Providing a version of a movie with audio descriptions
- G8: Providing a movie with extended audio descriptions
- G9: Creating captions for live synchronized media AND G93: Providing open (always visible) captions
- G9: Creating captions for live synchronized media AND G87: Providing closed captions
- G151: Providing a link to a text transcript of a prepared statement or script if the script is followed
- G150: Providing text based alternatives for live audio-only content
- G157: Incorporating a live audio captioning service into a Web page
- G56: Mixing audio files so that non-speech sounds are at least 20 decibels lower than the speech audio content
Speech synthesis
Some older people are using text to speech (speech synthesis) software, which is becoming increasingly available in browsers and operating systems.
WCAG 2.0 requirements:
Techniques to consider:
CAPTCHA - Completely Automated Public Turing tests to tell Computers and Humans Apart
Many studies have identified that CAPTCHA presents a significant barrier for some people.
WCAG 2.0 requirements:
Techniques to consider:
Operable
definition: User interface components and navigation must be operable. end definition
Potential groupings:
- distractions (scrolling text, blinking, animations, refresh)
- clear links
- clickable area - larger fonts?
- navigation and location (site map, menu, 'home page' links, search, breadcrumbs)
- tabbing
XX
@@
WCAG 2.0 requirements:
- @@
Techniques to consider:
- @@
Understandable
definition: Information and the operation of user interface must be understandable. end definition
Potential groupings:
- Readable text
- covered already
- caps
- justification
- scrolling text
- Understandable text
- reading level
- writing style (active voice, short sentences/paragraphs, front loading)
- glossary
- Pop-ups
- Forms
- timing/timouts
- help & instruction
- mistake identification
- error correction
- error avoidance (incl spelling accommodation)
- clickable controls
- focus
- Navigation - covered already
- consistency
- [about us, contact us, branding]
- Scanning
(vs reading everything)
- cover in
Readable/Understanable text
- headings
- lists?
Robust
definition: Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies. end definition
Grouping:
- older equipment ??
--- end requirements groupings trial ---
Presenting the Success Criteria (or Guidelines) within Impairment & Needs Groupings
A first attempt to organise material by the types of needs older users have, then show how WCAG 2.0 meets those needs.
Advantages of this approach:
- better meets requirements of non-WCAG familiar developer or researcher thinking about older people
- good for people new to accessibility - approaching from a design/development perspective
- de-abstracts WCAG 2.0 some to make it more approachable
- more educational
Disadvantages of the approach:
- might reinforce tackling accessibility for just one disability
- doesn't follow existing WCAG 2.0 structure for those familiar with WCAG
(note that we hope to have different slices/presentations integrated in How to Meet Quick Reference at some point)
Groupings might be:
- Vision decline / Visual perception (example below)
- Hearing decline / Auditory requirements
- Motor control & Dexterity issues (link size, keyboard use)
- Cognitive decline (memory, concentration, understanding)
[including understand the organization of a page and site, minimal distractions and unexpected things happening] - Inexperience (does this go with Cognition?)
- Older equipment (??)
- @@ what is missing?
--- start impairments and needs groupings option trial ---
Addressing the Declining Eyesight/Vision of Older People
[[ @@ short introductory blurb about age-related vision decline and requirements of older people ... possibly break into text, images, design, multimedia issues, other ... ]]
[[ @@ none of the rationales have been rewritten to suit this approach as yet ]]
[[ Editor's note: the linked numbers in brackets below that currently link to the Literature Review are provided to assist technical reviewing of this document - they will be removed before publication. ]]
Guideline 1.1 Text Alternatives
Information rendered in electronic text can be presented in whatever form best meets the needs of the user. It can also be easily enlarged, or spoken aloud, so that it is easier for people with reading disabilities to understand.
1.1.1 - Non-text Content (A)
This success criterion includes addressing CAPTCHAs which can pose a readability barrier for many, including older people with declining vision [03]
Guideline 1.2 Time-based Media
Older people commonly experience a decline in vision [03] (as well as a significant decline in hearing [02]). Providing alternatives for video-only and multi-media files through captioning, transcripts, and/or audio description helps older people better understand time-based media.
The following success criteria for Guideline 1.2 will increase the accessibility of multi-media for older people with declining vision:
- 1.2.1 - Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) (A)
- 1.2.3 - Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded video) (A)
- 1.2.5 - Audio Description (Prerecorded video) (AA)
- 1.2.7 - Extended Audio Description (Prerecorded video) (AAA)
- 1.2.8 - Media Alternative (Prerecorded) (AAA)
Guideline 1.3 Adaptable
This guideline ensures that all information is available in a form that can be perceived by all users, for example, spoken aloud, or presented in a different or simpler visual layout.
1.3.1 - Info and Relationships (A)
Older people whose color perception and contrast acuity declines significantly with older age [03] will benefit from the following technique:
1.3.2 - Meaningful Sequence (A)
Older people experiencing a decline in vision [03] who may use the browser zoom feature or operating system text enlargement to adapt the page and make it easier to use may benefit from this success criterion.
1.3.3 - Sensory Characteristics (A)
Older people experiencing sensory declines [05] and may not see (or hear) well will benefit from this criterion.
Guideline 1.4 Distinguishable
This guideline is concerned with making the default presentation as easy to perceive as possible to people with disabilities. The primary focus is on making it easier for users to separate foreground information, be it visual or audio information, from the background.
1.4.4 - Resize text (AA)
This success criterion will increase readability for older people experiencing a decline in vision [03]
1.4.5 - Images of text (AA)
Enabling more flexibility in text enlargement, or color and contrast modification, for older people experiencing a decline in vision [03] is a benefit of this success criterion
1.4.9 - Images of Text (No Exception) (AAA)
This success criterion increases accessibility for older people experiencing a decline in vision [03]
1.4.8 - Visual Presentation (AAA)
Older people can experience declining cognitive abilities [07] and declining vision [03] making many aspects of the visual presentation of text important for readability. Readability can be enhanced through techniques such as:
- G175: Providing a multi color selection tool on the page for foreground and background colors
- G169: Aligning text on only one side
- G188: Providing a button on the page to increase line spaces and paragraph spaces
- G146: Using liquid layout ( AND using measurements that are relative to other measurements in the content)
- Most of the advisory techniques dealing with visual presentation are also important for older people, including those dealing with:
- Hover - to highlight paragraphs, list items, or table cells
- Links - visually distinct links.
- Lists - vertical rather than horizontal; expandable bullets; show/hide bullet points.
- Spacing - line, paragraph and column spacing.
- Text - justification; use of proper case; avoiding italics; default font size.
Guideline 3.1 Readable
Making websites that are readable and usable by older people with vision impairments [03] (or declining cognitive abilities [07] ) can be enhanced by incorporating many of the advisory techniques about text presentation covering issues such as:
- Writing - using the simplest language appropriate for the content, examples, illustrations
- Text - justification, line length, italics, case
- Links - visually distinct, in-page links
- Presentation - pale (non-white) background
Guideline 3.2 Predictable
This guideline helps users with disabilities by presenting content in a predictable order from Web page to Web page and by making the behavior of functional and interactive components predictable. It is difficult for some users to form an overview of the Web page. Users with vision or cognitive limitations, including older users, may become confused if components appear in different places on different pages.
3.2.5 - Change on Request (AAA)
Older people experiencing vision [03] (and cognitive [07]) declines, and especially "change blindness" [06], will benefit from this success criterion.
--- end impairments and needs groupings option trial ---
Alternative Success Criteria Rationale Expressions
Examples of different ways of expressing the SC rationale - 'meeting this criterion will ...' vs. putting the impairment and implications first.
Option 1: Meeting this SC will ...
Sensory Characteristics - Success Criterion 1.3.3 (A)
- Meeting this criterion will benefit older people experiencing sensory declines who may not see or hear well.
Timing adjustable - Success Criterion 2.2.1 (A)
- Meeting this success criterion will improve usability for older people whose vision decline makes reading difficult, or whose cognitive decline affects their concentration or short-term memory.
On Focus - Success Criterion 3.2.1 (A)
- Meeting this criterion will increase accessibility for older people experiencing declining cognitive abilities or experiencing difficulty with forms.
- The advisory techniques will benefit those older people observed to experience difficulties with new browser windows, for example:
- Giving users advanced warning when opening a new window. (future link) [advisory]
Option 2: Older people experience X with Y implication, so do Z
Sensory Characteristics - Success Criterion 1.3.3 (A)
- Older people experiencing sensory declines who may not see or hear well will benefit from this criterion.
Timing adjustable - Success Criterion 2.2.1 (A)
- Many older people experience vision decline that can make reading difficult, and might also experience various cognitive declines affecting their concentration or short-term memory. These impairments can mean that some older people might need longer to read, understand and complete online tasks than others.
On Focus - Success Criterion 3.2.1 (A)
- Older people can experience declining cognitive abilities and have been observed to sometimes experience difficulty with forms so using "activate" rather than "focus" as a trigger for changes of context and not causing persistent changes of state or value when a component receives focus can be helpful.
- Older people have been observed to experience difficulties with new browser windows, so providing advanced warning and only using these when when best from an accessibility perspective is good practice.
--- end Alternative Success Criteria Rationale Expressions ---
Landing Page for Older Users
Published: http://www.w3.org/WAI/older-users
Purpose:
- to act as an introductory page to the overlap between design for older users and web accessibility
- to link to WAI resources that specifically address issues with designing for older users
Audience:
- everyone interested in developing websites that meet the needs of older users
References:
Title considerations (landing page):
- Design for Older Users and Web Accessibility Overlaps
- Web Accessibility and Older Users
- Designing for Older Users and Web Accessibility Overlaps
- Overlaps in Designing for Older Users and Web Accessibility
- Web Accessibility and Older People
- Web Accessibility and Older People: Existing Guidelines for People with Disabilities Meet the Needs of Older Users
- Web Accessibility and Older People: Broadening Access to Older Web Users
- Web Accessibility and Older People: Providing Access to Older Web Users
- Web Accessibility and Older People: Ensuring Access for Older Web Users
- Web Accessibility and Older People: Guidelines and Access for Older Web Users
- Web Accessibility and Older People: Meeting the Requirements of Older Web Users
- Web Accessibility and Older People: Meeting the Needs of Older Web Users
- Web Accessibility and Older People: Guidelines for meeting the Needs of Older Web Users
- Web Accessibility and Older People: Resources for meeting the Needs of Ageing Web Users
- Web Accessibility and Older People: Best Practices for meeting the Needs of Older Web Users