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If your content already meets Mobile Web Best Practices (MWBP), this page describes what needs to be done to meet all the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 checkpoints.
This section provides guidance on the “upgrade path” from MWBP to accessibility through WCAG 1.0 compliance. For each of the WCAG 1.0 priorities there are three possible levels of effort required, labelled for simplicity with keywords (nothing, something, everything).
Note on inconsistent links: Links in the “something” and “nothing” sections point to within this page. Links in the “everything” section point to the Recommendation. REVIEW NOTE: Is this too confusing? Suggestions for better ways to do it?
To summarise, if your content already complies with MWBP, to achieve compliance with WCAG 1.0, you need to do the following:
Nothing: Content that already meets MWBPs should already meet these CPs:
Something: More effort of some kind or a check, is necessary to ensure compliance with these checkpoints:
Everything: These CPs are not related to MWBPs:
This section deals with each of the WCAG 1.0 checkpoints which MWBP helps with meeting.
WCAG 1.0: “Provide a text equivalent for every non-text element (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content). This includes: images, graphical representations of text (including symbols), image map regions, animations (e.g., animated GIFs), applets and programmatic objects, ascii art, frames, scripts, images used as list bullets, spacers, graphical buttons, sounds (played with or without user interaction), stand-alone audio files, audio tracks of video, and video.”
NON-TEXT_ALTERNATIVES covers this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Provide redundant text links for each active region of a server-side image map.”
If you haven't used image maps as suggested by IMAGE_MAPS then this checkpoint does not apply. However, if you have used server-side image maps, then provide redundant text links for each active region. Techniques for checkpoint 1.2 provides further information on how to achieve this.
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WCAG 1.0: “Until user agents render text equivalents for client-side image map links, provide redundant text links for each active region of a client-side image map.”
If you haven't used image maps as suggested by IMAGE_MAPS, then this checkpoint does not apply. However, if you have used client-side image maps, then provide redundant text links for each active region of a client-side image map. Techniques for checkpoint 1.5 provides further information on how to achieve this. Finally, NON-TEXT_ALTERNATIVES also partially covers this checkpoint as it suggests adding text equivalents for every non-text element such as image maps.
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WCAG 1.0: “Ensure that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup. ”
USE_OF_COLOR covers this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Ensure that foreground and background color combinations provide sufficient contrast when viewed by someone having color deficits or when viewed on a black and white screen (for images). [Priority 2 for images, Priority 3 for text]”
COLOR_CONTRAST partially covers this checkpoint. However, the main focus of COLOR_CONTRAST is the limitations of mobile devices in displaying contrasting colours. Similarly, BACKGROUND_IMAGE_READABILITY also partially covers this checkpoint as it also focuses on the device limitations. Techniques for checkpoint 2.2 explains how to achieve this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “When an appropriate markup language exists, use markup rather than images to convey information".
GRAPHICS_FOR_SPACING partially covers this checkpoint. However, the scope of this checkpoint is much broader than the scope of GRAPHICS_FOR_SPACING which only refers to images used for spacing. This checkpoint also refers to using appropriate markup for mathematical equations, structure of the document, etc. You can refer to Techniques for checkpoint 3.1 for further information on how to cover this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Create documents that validate to published formal grammars.”
VALID_MARKUP covers this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Use style sheets to control layout and presentation.”
STYLE_SHEETS_USE covers this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Use relative rather than absolute units in markup language attribute values and style sheet property values.”
MEASURES covers this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Use header elements to convey document structure and use them according to specification.”
STRUCTURE covers this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “For data tables, identify row and column headers. For example, in HTML, use TD to identify data cells and TH to identify headers.”
If you haven't used tables as suggested by TABLES_SUPPORT or if you have used alternatives as suggested by TABLES_ALTERNATIVES, then this checkpoint does not apply. However, if you have used tables then identify row and column headers by using the appropriate markup. Techniques for checkpoint 5.1 explains how to cover this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “ (Priority 1) For data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers, use markup to associate data cells and header cells.”
If you haven't used tables as suggested by TABLES_SUPPORT, or haven't used nested tables as suggested by TABLES_NESTED, then this checkpoint does not apply. This checkpoint does not also apply if you have used alternatives to tables as suggested by TABLES_ALTERNATIVES. However, if you have used data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers, use markup to associate data cells and header cells.
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WCAG 1.0: “Do not use tables for layout unless the table makes sense when linearized.”
If you haven't used tables for layout as suggested by TABLES_LAYOUT, then this checkpoint does not apply. However, if you have used a table for layout, then make sure that it makes sense when linearised. For further information, see Techniques for Checkpoint 5.3.
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WCAG 1.0: “If a table is used for layout, do not use any structural markup for the purpose of visual formatting.”
If you haven't used tables for layout as suggested by TABLES_LAYOUT, then this checkpoint does not apply. However, if you have used tables for layout, then do not use any structural markup for the purpose of visual formatting. For example, in HTML do not use the TH element to cause the content of a (non-table header) cell to be displayed centered and in bold. For further information, refer to Techniques for checkpoint 5.4
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WCAG 1.0: “Provide summaries for tables. For example, in HTML, use the “summary” attribute of the TABLE element.
If you haven't used tables as suggested by TABLES_SUPPORT or if you have used alternatives as suggested by TABLES_ALTERNATIVES, then this checkpoint does not apply. However, if you have used tables, then make sure that you have added summaries for tables. Techniques for Checkpoint 5.5 explains how to achieve this.
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WCAG 1.0: “Provide abbreviations for header labels.”
If you haven't used tables as suggested by TABLES_SUPPORT or if you have used alternatives as suggested by TABLES_ALTERNATIVES, then this checkpoint does not apply. However, if you have used tables, then make sure that you have used abbreviations for header labels. For further information, see Techniques for checkpoint 5.6.
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WCAG 1.0: “Organize documents so they may be read without style sheets. For example, when an HTML document is rendered without associated style sheets, it must still be possible to read the document.”
STYLE_SHEETS_SUPPORT covers this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Ensure that equivalents for dynamic content are updated when the dynamic content changes.”
If you haven't used embedded objects and scripts as suggested by OBJECTS_OR_SCRIPT, then this checkpoint is partially covered. However, this checkpoint refers to not only embedded objects and scripts, but also to other kinds of elements that can be used to create dynamic content such as frames, applets, etc. For further information on how to meet this checkpoint, refer to Techniques for Checkpoint 6.2.
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WCAG 1.0: “Ensure that pages are usable when scripts, applets, or other programmatic objects are turned off or not supported. If this is not possible, provide equivalent information on an alternative accessible page.”
OBJECTS_OR_SCRIPT covers this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Until user agents provide the ability to stop the refresh, do not create periodically auto-refreshing pages.”
AUTO_REFRESH covers this checkpoint
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WCAG 1.0: “Until user agents provide the ability to stop auto-redirect, do not use markup to redirect pages automatically. Instead, configure the server to perform redirects”
REDIRECTION covers this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Provide client-side image maps instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.”
If image maps are not used as suggested by IMAGE_MAPS, then this checkpoint does not apply. However, if they are used, then try to replace server-side image maps with client-side image maps. Techniques for Checkpoint 9.1 provides further information on how to meet this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Create a logical tab order through links, form controls, and objects”
TAB_ORDER covers this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Provide keyboard shortcuts to important links (including those in client-side image maps), form controls, and groups of form controls”
MINIMIZE_KEYSTROKES covers this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Until user agents allow users to turn off spawned windows, do not cause pop-ups or other windows to appear and do not change the current window without informing the user”
POP_UPS covers this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Until user agents support explicit associations between labels and form controls, for all form controls with implicitly associated labels, ensure that the label is properly positioned. The label must immediately precede its control on the same line (allowing more than one control/label per line) or be in the line preceding the control (with only one label and one control per line)”
CONTROL_POSITION partially covers this checkpoint. However, this checkpoint is more specific about the positioning of the labels. See Techniques for Checkpoint 10.2 for further information about this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Until user agents (including assistive technologies) render side-by-side text correctly, provide a linear text alternative (on the current page or some other) for all tables that lay out text in parallel, word-wrapped columns.”
If you haven't used tables as suggested by TABLES_SUPPORT or if you have used alternatives as suggested by TABLES_ALTERNATIVES, then this checkpoint does not apply. However, if you have used tables then make sure that you provide a linear text alternative for all tables that lay out text in parallel, word-wrapped columns. See Techniques for Checkpoint 10.3.
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WCAG 1.0: “Until user agents handle empty controls correctly, include default, place-holding characters in edit boxes and text areas”
PROVIDE_DEFAULTS covers this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Use W3C technologies when they are available and appropriate for a task and use the latest versions when supported. Refer to the list of references for information about where to find the latest W3C specifications and [WAI-UA-SUPPORT] for information about user agent support for W3C technologies.”
VALID_MARKUP partially covers this checkpoint. Although VALID_MARKUP recommends that documents validate to published formal grammars, this checkpoint also recommends that you use the latest, supported version of those grammars.
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WCAG 1.0: “Avoid deprecated features of W3C technologies”
VALID_MARKUP partially covers this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Title each frame to facilitate frame identification and navigation”
If you haven't used frames as suggested by NO_FRAMES, then this checkpoint does not apply. However, if you have used frames then make sure that you title each frame to facilitate identification and navigation. See Techniques for Checkpoint 12.1.
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WCAG 1.0: “Describe the purpose of frames and how frames relate to each other if it is not obvious by frame titles alone.”
If you haven't used frames as suggested by NO_FRAMES, then this checkpoint does not apply. However, if you have used frames then make sure that you describe the purpose of frames and how frames relate to each other. See Techniques for Checkpoint 12.2
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WCAG 1.0: “Divide large blocks of information into more manageable groups where natural and appropriate. For example, in HTML, use OPTGROUP to group OPTION elements inside a SELECT; group form controls with FIELDSET and LEGEND; use nested lists where appropriate; use headings to structure documents, etc.”
PAGE_SIZE_USABLE partially covers this checkpoint. However, PAGE_SIZE_USABLE focuses on the markup size which is not the main focus of this checkpoint. To cover this checkpoint, you also need to consider grouping elements, better structiring documents, etc. For further information on how to achieve this checkpoint, see Techniques for 12.3.
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WCAG 1.0: “Associate labels explicitly with their controls. For example, in HTML use LABEL and its "for" attribute.”
CONTROL_LABELLING covers this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Clearly identify the target of each link. Link text should be meaningful enough to make sense when read out of context -- either on its own or as part of a sequence of links. Link text should also be terse. For example, in HTML, write "Information about version 4.3" instead of "click here". In addition to clear link text, content developers may further clarify the target of a link with an informative link title (e.g., in HTML, the "title" attribute).”
LINK_TARGET_ID partially covers this checkpoint. To meet this checkpoint you also need to make sure that the link text is meaningful enough to make sense when read out of context. See Techniques for Checkpoint 13.1.
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WCAG 1.0: “Provide metadata to add semantic information to pages and sites. For example, use RDF ([RDF]) to indicate the document's author, the type of content, etc.”
PAGE_TITLE partially covers this checkpoint. Page title is a kind of semantic metadata that can be added to a page,, but the scope of this checkpoint is much broader, for example in HTML you can use META or ADDRESS element to provide semantic metadata about the content. Techniques for Checkpoint 13.2 explains how to add semantic metadata to a document.
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WCAG 1.0: “Use navigation mechanisms in a consistent manner”
NAVIGATION covers this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Provide navigation bars to highlight and give access to the navigation mechanism”
NAVBAR partially covers this checkpoint. Although NAVBAR requires minimum navigation to be added at the top, that is not the main focus of this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Group related links, identify the group (for user agents), and, until user agents do so, provide a way to bypass the group”
NAVBAR and CENTRAL_MEANING partially cover this checkpoint. CENTRAL_MEANING focuses on designing pages such that the user does not need to scroll down a lot to reach the main content of the page. However, this checkpoint is more about augmenting the page content such that the user can bypass certain parts of a page. HTML Techniques: Grouping and bypassing links provides some techniques to cover this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Place distinguishing information at the beginning of headings, paragraphs, lists, etc.”
CLARITY covers this checkpoint.
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WCAG 1.0: “Use the clearest and simplest language appropriate for a site's content.”
CLARITY partially covers this checkpoint. However, the scope of this checkpoint is much broader. Techniques for checkpoint 14.1 explains how to meet this checkpoint.
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