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What we'll cover
- W3C WAI and you
- Free online resources
- WCAG 2
- WCAG 3
- Free online courses
About W3C WAI
Contribute to accessibility with W3C
WCAG 2.2 Issues
- Managed by WCAG 2 Backlog Task Force
- Cleared 500 issues! 🎉
- Contribute solutions or add to the pile at github.com/w3c/wcag
WCAG 2 in JSON
- JSON versions now available and maintained
- We reserve the right to break it but will do our very best not to
- Includes content from the standard and techniques
Topics to explore
- Recap of new approach
- Latest publication
- Key questions
Recap on approach
- New structure
- User needs led
- Expanded coverage
WCAG 3 Structure
- Guidelines - plain language outcome statements
- Foundational and supplemental requirements
- How-Tos (informative)
- Methods (informative)
- Tests (informative)
- Assertions
Content maturity
- Maturity levels indicate what stage any piece of content is at
- Placeholder
- Exploratory
- Developing
- Refining
- Mature
WCAG 3 Latest publication
- Published on 4 September 2025
- Extensive work since the start of 2025
- Only includes 'developing' content
- Additional exploratory content is available in the editor's draft
- Please read and comment
Some thorny questions
Note that these are just some of the questions the working group is exploring.
- How can WCAG be more user friendly?
- How can WCAG be expanded to cover more cognitive disability and low vision needs?
- How can WCAG be more future ready?
- How do you avoid an all or nothing, 100% pass/fail conformance model?
User friendly standards
- Previous research by the Silver group highlighted:
- Uncomplicated language
- Easier points of access
- Plain language
- Unpack criteria
- Style guide
- Explore supplementary materials
Example guideline
- Guideline 2.1.1 Image alternatives
- Users have equivalent alternatives for images.
- Foundational requirement: Decorative image
- Decorative images are programmatically hidden.
- Supplementary requirement: Image role
- The role and importance of images are programmatically indicated.
- Assertion: Style guide
- Content author(s) follow an organizational style guide for text alternatives.
Expanded cognitive needs coverage
- Difficult to create requirements
- Many opportunities for improvement
- Developed assertions to address more needs
Example assertion
- Assertion: Plain language review
Content author(s) conduct plain language reviews to check against plain language guidance appropriate to the language used. This includes checking that:
- the verb tense used is easiest to understand in context;
- content is organized into short paragraphs; and
- Paragraphs of informative content begin with a sentence stating the aim or purpose of the content.
Ready for the future
- Technology is changing and will continue to do so
- Browser and webpage isn't only way to access content
- Mobile already pushes the boundaries of WCAG
- Voice, AI, agent interfaces add more challenges
Page/view
content that is actively available in a viewport ...
- Allow for interfaces that don't fit the web page/site model
- Web page can still be used as a unit of conformance
Next steps for WCAG 3
- Another draft late 2025/early 2026
- Develop maturity of conformance model
- Publish plan for next few years
- Free, optional certificate
- For technical and non-technical learners
- News: New courses in 2026 🎉
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