W3C Technology and Society Domain

needs to be changed to WAI icon!

Web Accessibility Initiative

Activity statements provide a managerial overview of W3C's work in each area, covering: an introduction to the activity, the goals of W3C work, the accomplishments to date, and future plans. They are designed to be read from beginning to end, to be informative and interesting. The introductory section serves to set the scene and to explain any technical concepts used in subsequent sections. Where necessary the explanation is expanded into a short tutorial. The role of W3C is given, also the benefits to the Web community, accomplishments to date and a summary of what the future holds.

W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative is managed as a separate domain.

Introduction

Before the advent of the graphical user interface (GUI), most human-computer interaction was text-based. A variety of adaptive computing solutions enabled individuals with disabilities access to computing, and for individuals with visual disabilities, the technologies of screen magnification, speech synthesis, or refreshable Braille display enabled efficient access.

The World Wide Web with its powerful GUI tools and wide variety of information sources has made it possible for many people to interact as never before. But Web content combines graphics, audio, and video, hindering efficient communication for people with a wide range of disabilities or functional limitations.

Goals of W3C work on Accessibility

To make the Web truly accessible to people with disabilities or functional limitations. To achieve this by work on ensuring that all W3C formats and protocols are accessible, by developing recommendations for effective use of these features, and the promotion and disemination of these guidelines. The following sections will explain the nature of the problem and how the Web Accessibility Initiative will address it.

Current barriers to accessibility

The Web's current status affects people with many types of disability. For example:

Worldwide there are more than 750 million people with disabilities. People with disabilities represent a substantially unrecognized marketplace for information and for civic, educational, economic and recreational interaction. An accessible Web has the potential to reverse the information and economic isolation which has so often been the outcome of traditional barriers to accessing information for many people with disabilities. 

Everyone benefits from improved accessibility

Ensuring access to the Web for people with disabilities also benefits to non-disabled users:

Role of the World Wide Web Consortium in Web Accessibility

Since its inception the W3C had an activity area devoted to accessibility for individuals with disabilities, thanks to the efforts of Mike Paciello of the Yuri Rubinsky Insight Foundation (YRIF). While the members of the Consortium supported this area, the effort did not receive significant W3C resources. In early 1997, efforts by YRIF and others led to development of the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) to be hosted by the W3C. The proposed activity was described to W3C members in a February, 1997 Briefing Package and supported by members and the Web Accessibility Initiative launched in April, 1997. The activity encompasses five areas of work where the W3C can have a major impact on increasing the accessibility of the Web.

The WAI International Program Office was launched in October, 1997 subsequent to the availability of government and industry funding. Consistent with the WAI Briefing Package, the WAI IPO Director coordinates WAI work on technology, guidelines, and tools, education and outreach, and research and development activities. Also consistent with the WAI Briefing Package, the WAI IPO Director ensures coordination with and participation of representatives of government, research and disability organizations.

In order to coordinate these areas more efficiently, the WAI technology, guidelines and tools work has moved from within the Technology and Society Domain, and is now housed directly within one domain, the Web Accessibility Initiative International Program Office.

The five main areas of work for the Web Accessibility Initiative are:

  1. Technology development
    Ensuring that the Web protocols and data formats, particularly HTML, CSS, DOM, RDF, XML, XSL, HTTP and PICS, support accessibility
  2. Guidelines for use of the technology
    Developing comprehensive guidelines for accessibility of browsers, authoring tools, and content development.
  3. Development of tools
    Developing tools to evaluate accessibility of web sites, and prototypes to facilitate accessible page authoring.
  4. Education and outreach
    Developing events, curriculum and related materials to promote awareness of the need for Web accessibility and educate content developers and other audiences as to solutions for accessibility
  5. Research and advanced development
    Monitoring research and advanced development of innovative user interfaces, and prototyping of development as needed.

Activities and accomplishments to date

WAI activities and accomplishments during the past 6 months included the following:

What the future holds

Planned work in the five major areas includes over the next six months includes:

  1. Technology
  2. Guidelines
  3. Tools
  4. Education and Outreach
  5. The WAI will initiate tracking of research and advanced development efforts which can enhance accessibility of user interfaces.

In addition, the WAI plans the following activities:

Further information

Key W3C references for the Web Accessibility Initiative include the following:

Related activities and information outside of W3C include the following:

Contacts

The primary contacts for the Web Accessibility Initiative are:

Judy Brewer. $Date: $