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[DRAFT] Referencing and Linking to WAI Guidelines and Technical Documents

Status: This document is an old draft. The published version is at www.w3.org/WAI/intro/linking.
Please send any comments to wai-eo-editors@w3.org (a publicly archived list).

This page provides general guidance on references and links, along with WCAG links for policies, tools support, and others. If you have additional questions, you can contact WAI directly at wai@w3.org.

For a complete list of WAI documents, see the WAI Site Map or the WAI Resources annotated list.

Linking to Overview Pages

In many cases, it is best to link to the Overview page instead of the technical specification because the Overview page provides an introduction, links to related documents, and the status of revisions in progress. Overview pages include:

• Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) Overview http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/atag
• Evaluation and Report Language (EARL) Overview http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/earl
• User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG) Overview http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/uaag
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Overview http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/wcag
• WAI-ARIA Overview for Accessible Rich Internet Applications http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/aria

Referencing Guidelines and Other Technical Specifications

WAI's technical specifications (WCAG, WAI-ARIA, and the others listed above) use a "shortname" in the URI (the Web address); for example, "WCAG" and "ATAG" are shortnames. Specific versions are indicated with a number. Without a number, you get the latest version.

Latest completed version

To refer to and link to the latest completed version that is the recommended Web Standard ("W3C Recommendation"), do not include a number, for example:

• Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) http://www.w3.org/TR/ATAG/
• User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG) http://www.w3.org/TR/UAAG/
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG/
• Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA) http://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria/

Note:

• Links: The content at these links will change when new versions are published. New versions will usually change the fragments (also called targets and anchors, e.g., "#focus-area").
• References: When policies do not include a number, they can be interpreted to reference the latest version.
• Before the first version is published, the draft is at the URI without a number, e.g., as is the case with /wai-aria/ through at least mid-2009.

Specific version

We recommend that you reference the latest version without a number as explained above, unless there is a reason to reference a specific version. To link to a specific version of a technical specification, include the version number, for example:

• Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) 1.0 http://www.w3.org/TR/ATAG10/
• User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG) 1.0 http://www.w3.org/TR/UAAG10/
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 1.0 http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10/
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/

Links to the technical specification and the Overview page

Even when referencing the technical specification, it is usually good to include a link to the Overview page as well, for example:

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, WCAG Overview

Linking to Techniques and Other "Notes"

While the technical specifications listed above will not change once they are completed, the supporting material that is advisory may be updated. WAI supporting technical material, called "W3C Working Group Notes", includes:

• Techniques for ATAG http://www.w3.org/TR/ATAG-TECHS/
• Techniques for UAAG http://www.w3.org/TR/UAAG-TECHS/
• Techniques for WCAG http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG-TECHS/ @@ error correction needed: this should go to WCAG 2 Techniques @@
• Understanding WCAG http://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/
• WAI-ARIA Primer http://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-primer/
  WAI-ARIA Best Practices http://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-practices/
  WAI-ARIA Roadmap http://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-roadmap/
  WAI-ARIA User Agent Implementation Guide http://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-implementation/

The content at these URIs will change when the Notes are updated. In most cases, you should not include numbers in these links, so that your links provide the latest information and best practices.

Stable "dated URIs"

In rare cases where you want to link to specific information in a Technique or other Note, not the latest information, use the dated URI that is listed at the top of the main Web page under "This version:". For example:

The <a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/2008/NOTE-WCAG20-TECHS-20081211/">Techniques for WCAG 2.0 published 11 December 2008</a> states that "The WCAG WG encourages submission of such techniques so they can be considered for inclusion in this document...".

Referencing WAI-ARIA versus just ARIA

"WAI-ARIA" is the abbreviation for the Accessible Rich Internet Applications documents. In order to avoid confusion, please use "WAI-ARIA" (instead of just "ARIA"), at least in titles, headings, and on first reference in documentation.

Additional Information

If you have additional questions, you can contact WAI directly at wai@w3.org.

Related information is provided in Version Management in W3C Technical Reports (W3C-member-only link).

Document Information

Content last updated: 10 March 2009 [changelog]
Editor: Shawn Lawton Henry. Developed with the Education and Outreach Working Group (EOWG).

[Contacting WAI] Feedback welcome to wai-eo-editors@w3.org (a publicly archived list).