WAI Technical Activity Statement
The Web Accessibility
Initiative (WAI) Technical Activity addresses barriers to Web
accessibility on several levels. First, it seeks to ensure that the full range
of core technologies of the Web, from HTML to the Semantic Web, is accessible.
Barriers exist when these technologies lack features needed by users with
visual, auditory, physical, cognitive or neurological disabilities; or when the
accessibility potential in the technology is not implemented in Web content or
applications. The WAI Technical Activity coordinates closely with the WAI International Program
Office, which focuses on WAI education and outreach, research and
development, and overall coordination of WAI activities.
The WAI Technical Activity reviews accessibility support across all W3C
specifications, and develops the WAI-ARIA suite of resources for making Rich
Internet Applications accessible through the work of the Protocols and Formats
Working Group (PFWG). The WAI Technical Activity promotes implementation of
accessibility improvements in Web technologies through development of a set of
three WAI guidelines as Recommendations: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
(WCAG), User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG), and Authoring Tool
Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG). These guidelines describe features needed to
achieve different levels of accessibility, and include reference checklists and
implementation techniques. The WAI Technical Activity also develops techniques
to improve tools for evaluation and repair of Web sites through the work of the
Evaluation and Repair Tools Working Group (ERT WG).
Highlights Since the Previous Advisory Committee Meeting
Since the previous W3C Advisory Committee Meeting in November 2012, the WAI Technical Activity accomplished the following through its five Working Groups.
The Protocols and Formats Working
Group (PFWG) (Member PFWG
page):
- Published Role Attribute as a W3C Recommendation.
- Published an updated Working Draft of WAI-ARIA 1.0 Authoring Practices.
- Continued processing public comments on the Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA) 1.0 Candidate Recommendation, Role Attribute 1.0 Candidate Recommendation, Media Accessibility User Requirements First Public Working Draft, WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices Working Draft, and WAI-ARIA 1.0 User Agent Implementation Guide Working Draft.
- Brought WAI-ARIA 1.0 User Agent Implementation Guide to a "code freeze" state in which new features are not added, but issues found during ongoing testing of WAI-ARIA may be addressed prior to its advancement to a second Last Call Working Draft.
- Performed extensive testing of WAI-ARIA 1.0 using several user agents and platforms; interim results are available in the draft test report. Meanwhile continued to develop and correct test cases and test files, according to the test plan.
- Continued review of W3C Last Call Working Drafts, and dialog with other
W3C Working Groups to address accessibility issues in W3C specifications
where needed. Reviewed and in some cases sent comments on
specifications.
- Continued regular review of new Community and Business
Groups to help ensure that accessibility issues are considered from the
beginning. The majority of groups have some accessibility implications, so
PFWG suggests participation to individuals from the wider accessibility
community based on known skills and interest, where needed.
- Participated in the joint HTML 5 Techniques
Task Force with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Working
Group.
- Via the joint HTML Accessibility Task Force (HTML A11y TF) with the HTML Working Group (HTML WG):
- Under Plan 2014 the HTML A11y TF now has a mandate to develop accessibility features where needed, to insure accessibility support in the HTML5 family of specifications, known as the Open Web Platform (OWP). In this manner, W3C continues to insure universal design of W3C specifications.
- Continued to address specific solutions to accessibility issues found in the HTML 5 Candidate Recommendation. Five of the six task force sub-groups (canvas, media, ARIA mapping, AAPI Mapping, and text alternatives) are currently idle but continue to be ready to address issues as needed. The issue management (bug triage) sub-group remains active, managing accessibility related bugs filed on the HTML5 specification.
- The HTML A11y TF is focusing on development of extension specifications for remaining accessibility functionality of HTML5, with some functionality to potentially be reintegrated into the baseline HTML5 specification. The first of these is the HTML Image Description Extension. The HTML A11y TF also published Using WAI-ARIA in HTML.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
Working Group (WCAG WG):
The Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines Working
Group (AUWG):
- AUWG processed comments on the Last Call Working Draft of Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines
(ATAG) 2.0 and Implementing ATAG 2.0.
AUWG has been writing test cases in preparation for Candidate
Recommendation phase, and intends to use the W3C Testing Framework if it is
accessible and meets the phase 2 requirements of the Testing Framework
needed. The experience of writing test cases has initiated further
refinement of the success criteria to improve the ability to test. AUWG
published a working draft of Implementing ATAG 2.0.
AUWG has been drafting CR exit criteria, assembling a preliminary
implementation report based on current market products, and promoting
implementations of ATAG 2.0 in preparation for Candidate Recommendation.
AUWG evaluated ATAG 2.0 for applicability to mobile devices and contributed
information to WAI EO documentation on mobile accessibility.
The User Agent Accessibility Guidelines Working Group
(UAWG):
- UAWG has completed writing Implementing UAAG 2.0
and continues to improve User Agent
Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG) 2.0. UAWG has not published a formal
working draft in 9 months as they intended the next draft to be a Last
Call, but keep discovering issues that need clarification before finalizing
Last Call. Most recently, the group voted down a Last Call publication in
January citing concerns with the distribution of success criteria. UAWG
continues to resolve outstanding issues and close action items, and plans
to publish a heartbeat draft. Since their last formal publication, the
group has published 19 dated Editors' Drafts, met weekly, and sent over 325
messages to the group email list. UAWG wrote a report on the applicability
of UAAG 2.0 to mobile devices and browsers.
The Evaluation and Repair Tools Working Group (ERT
WG):
The Independent User Interface
Working Group (Indie UI WG)
Upcoming Activity Highlights
Protocols and Formats Working Group:
- Publish WAI-ARIA User Agent Implementation Guide second Last Call Working Draft.
- Bring WAI-ARIA testing to near completion and begin major testing of the WAI-ARIA User Agent Implementation Guide.
- Continue to process high-priority accessibility issues that were not
addressed in the HTML 5 Last Call or introduced since then.
- Continue review and dialog on accessibility issues in W3C Working
Drafts.
- Continue to monitor Community Groups and other relevant activity that
impacts accessibility.
- Charter the group to operate another three years past the June 2013 expiry of the current charter.
- HTML A11y TF
- The HTML Image Description Extension is anticipated to progress to Last Call in June of 2013.
- Testing of accessibility features in HTML5, in coordination with a testing process already established by the HTML WG, is expected to begin soon.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Working Group:
- Continue to document additional techniques for WCAG 2.0, primarily focused on HTML 5 and WAI-ARIA.
- Continue to maintain and improve Understanding WCAG 2.0.
- Respond to public comments on WCAG 2.0 and support materials.
- Publish a public review draft of Understanding WCAG 2.0 and WCAG 2.0 Techniques reflecting the above work.
- Publish updated Working Group Notes of Understanding WCAG 2.0 and WCAG
2.0 Techniques.
- Coordinate with other groups to support understanding and implementation
of WCAG 2.0.
- Publish updated version of Guidance on Applying WCAG 2.0 to Non-Web Information and Communications Technologies.
- Improve the effectiveness of How to Meet WCAG 2.0, also known as the
Quick Reference.
- Charter the group to operate another three years past the June 2013 expiry of the current charter.
Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines Working Group:
- AUWG will develop a test suite and plans to use the new framework being
developed by the Testing IG. The working group will continue to test and
develop a implementation report to determine gaps in implementations.
Outreach to authoring tool vendors will continue to raise awareness and
promote implementation. AUWG will respond to any comments on the 10 April
Last Call Working Draft and intends to progress to Candidate Recommendation
phase.
User Agent Accessibility Guidelines Working Group:
- UAWG plans to return to a heartbeat schedule of publishing and publish a
Last Call working draft when the documents are complete. UAWG is planning a
face to face meeting in June to: resolve outstanding issues, review success
criteria levels and prioritize any remaining tasks to be completed before
Last Call. UAWG will continue to promote UAAG 2.0 and look for
implementations for Candidate Recommendation. The working group will begin
developing a test suite for UAAG 2.0 and plans to use the test framework
being developed by the Testing IG.
Evaluation and Repair Tools Working Group:
Independent User Interface Working Group:
- Publish a First Public Working Draft of Indie UI: User Context 1.0.
- Publish updated Working Draft of IndieUI: Events 1.0.
- Refine requirements for IndieUI.
- Begin preparation of test cases for Indie UI.
- If needed, recharter the group to remove the dependency on the Web Events Working Group and align charter durations with the other WAI groups.
Summary of Activity Structure
This Activity Statement was prepared for AC 2013 per section 5
of the W3C Process Document.
Generated
from group data.
Judy Brewer, WAI Technical
Activity Lead
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