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WAI: Strategies, guidelines, and resources to make the Web accessible to people with disabilities

[Draft] Developing Websites for Older People

Status: Editor's Draft in progress - updated $Date: 2010/07/23 14:40:02 $ [Changelog]
Please send comments to wai-eo-editors@w3.org (a publicly archived list).

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Introduction

Making websites and web applications more usable by older people includes addressing accessibility requirements. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 explains how to make all web content accessible for people with disabilities and older people. WCAG 2.0 also provides a variety of Techniques that can be used to meet these accessibility criteria. To optimize your web design for older people, WAI recommends meeting WCAG 2.0 at Level AA, and using some of the Techniques listed on this page that have shown to be particularly relevant to the needs of older people.

Please read Design for Older Users and Web Accessibility Overlaps (draft), which provides background and additional resources on the benefits of designing for increasingly older web users.

Understand the Needs of Older Users

An extensive literature review identified that WCAG 2.0 addresses the accessibility needs of older users, provided that certain Techniques were used to meet the Success Criteria. These Techniques are included in the How to Meet WCAG 2.0 quick reference, and are also specifically listed in the Appendix on this page for convenience.

Using WCAG 2

WCAG 2.0 includes organizing Principles and Guidelines; Success Criteria at three levels: A, AA, AAA; and Techniques to meet these criteria. To learn about WCAG, see:

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Resources

WAI has some additional resources that developers making sites more usable for older users might find useful:

WCAG 2.0 is a common goal for web accessibility for people with disabilities and older people with age-related impairments, and harmonization of accessibility standards is a critical pursuit. WAI encourages the ongoing development of WCAG 2.0 through the submission of additional techniques for the implementation of the success criteria to meet the ongoing requirements of particular groups or particular situations. WAI also welcomes participation in the development of accessibility guidelines.

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Implementing WCAG 2 for Older People

The sections below list all of the WCAG 2.0 Guidelines, and Success Criteria, and highlight WCAG 2.0 Techniques that are particularly relevant to older web users:

Perceivable

Text Alternatives Guideline 1.1

Non-text Content Success Criteria 1.1.1 (A)

Techniques particularly relevant to older web users:

Time-based Media Guideline 1.2

Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) Success Criteria 1.2.1 (A)

Techniques particularly relevant to older web users:

Captions (Prerecorded audio) Success Criteria 1.2.2 (A)

Techniques particularly relevant to older web users:

Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded video) Success Criteria 1.2.3 (A)

Techniques particularly relevant to older web users:

Captions (Live audio) Success Criteria 1.2.4 (AA)

Techniques particularly relevant to older web users:

Audio Description (Prerecorded video) Success Criteria 1.2.5 (AA)

Techniques particularly relevant to older web users:

Sign Language (Prerecorded audio) Success Criteria 1.2.6 (AAA)

Techniques particularly relevant to older web users:

Extended Audio Description (Prerecorded video) Success Criteria 1.2.7 (AAA)

Techniques particularly relevant to older web users:

Media Alternative (Prerecorded) Success Criteria 1.2.8 (AAA)

Techniques particularly relevant to older web users:

Audio-only (Live) Success Criteria 1.2.9 (AAA)

Techniques particularly relevant to older web users:

Adaptable Guideline 1.3

Success Criteria WCAG 2.0 Techniques particularly relevant to older web users
1.3.1 Info and Relationships (A) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence (A) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
  • G57: Ordering the content in a meaningful sequence for all the content in the Web page
  • Using left-justified text for languages that are written left to right and right-justified text for languages that are written right-to-left (future link) [advisory]
1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics (A) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:

Distinguishable Guideline 1.4

Success Criteria WCAG 2.0 Techniques particularly relevant to older web users
GL 1.4 Distinguishable Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
  • Using readable fonts (future link) [advisory]
  • Making sure any text in images of text is at least 14 points and has good contrast (future link) [advisory]
1.4.1 Use of color (A) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
1.4.2 Audio control (A)
  • no additional techniques required
1.4.3 Contrast (minimum) (AA) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
1.4.4 Resize text (AA) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
1.4.5 Images of text (AA) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
1.4.6 Contrast (enhanced) (AAA) Consider the following techniques if applicable:
1.4.7 Low or No Background Audio (AAA) Consider the following techniques if applicable:
1.4.8 Visual Presentation (AAA) Consider the following techniques if applicable:
1.4.9 Images of Text (No Exception) (AAA) Consider the following techniques if applicable:

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Operable

Keyboard Accessible Guideline 2.1

Success Criteria WCAG 2.0 Techniques particularly relevant to older web users
2.1.1 Keyboard (A)
  • no additional techniques required
2.1.2 No Keyboard trap (A)
  • no additional techniques required
2.1.3 Keyboard (No Exception) (AAA)
  • no additional techniques required

Enough Time Guideline 2.2

Success Criteria Additional techniques relevant to older web users
2.2.1 Timing adjustable (A) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide (A) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
2.2.3 No Timing (AAA) Consider the following technique if applicable:
2.2.4 Interruptions (AAA) Consider the following techniques if applicable:
2.2.5 Re-authenticating (AAA)
  • no additional techniques required

Seizures Guideline 2.3

Success Criteria WCAG 2.0 Techniques particularly relevant to older web users
2.3.1 Three Flashes or Below Threshold (A)
  • no additional techniques required
2.3.2 Three Flashes (AAA)
  • no additional techniques required

Navigable Guideline 2.4

Success Criteria WCAG 2.0 Techniques particularly relevant to older web users
GL 2.4 Navigable (A) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
  • Limiting the number of links per page (future link) [advisory]
  • Making links visually distinct (future link) [advisory]
2.4.1 Bypass Blocks (A) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
2.4.2 Page Titled (A)
  • no additional techniques required
2.4.3 Focus Order (A)
  • no additional techniques required
2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (A) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
2.4.5 Multiple Ways (AA) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
2.4.6 Headings and Labels (AA) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
2.4.7 Focus Visible (AA) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
2.4.8 Location (AAA) Consider the following techniques if applicable:
2.4.9 Link Purpose (Link Only) (AAA) Consider the following techniques if applicable:
2.4.10 Section Headings (AAA) Consider the following techniques if applicable:

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Understandable

Readable Guideline 3.1

Success Criteria WCAG 2.0 Techniques particularly relevant to older web users
GL 3.1 Readable Meet all the sufficient techniques for Guideline 3.1 and pay attention to the following:
  • Using the clearest and simplest language appropriate for the content (future link) [advisory]
  • Avoiding centrally aligned text (future link) [advisory]
  • Avoiding text that is fully justified (to both left and right margins) in a way that causes poor spacing between words or characters (future link) [advisory]
  • Using left-justified text for languages that are written left to right and right-justified text for languages that are written right-to-left (future link) [advisory]
  • Limiting text column width (future link) [advisory]
  • Avoiding chunks of italic text (future link) [advisory]
  • Avoiding overuse of different styles on individual pages and in sites (future link) [advisory]
  • Making links visually distinct (future link) [advisory]
  • Using a light pastel background rather than a white background behind black text (future link) [advisory]
  • Avoiding the use of unique interface controls unnecessarily (future link) [advisory]
  • Using upper and lower case according to the spelling rules of the text language (future link) [advisory]
3.1.1 - Language of Page (A)
  • no additional techniques required
3.2.1 Language of Parts (AA)
  • no additional techniques required
3.1.3 - Unusual Words (AAA) Consider the following techniques if applicable:
3.1.4 - Abbreviations (AAA) Consider the following techniques if applicable:
3.1.5 - Reading Level (AAA) Consider the following techniques if applicable:
3.1.6 - Pronunciation (AAA)
  • no additional techniques required

Predictable Guideline 3.2

Success Criteria WCAG 2.0 Techniques particularly relevant to older web users
GL 3.2 Predictable Meet all the sufficient techniques for Guideline 3.2 and pay attention to the following:
  • Positioning labels to maximize predictability of relationships (future link) [advisory]
3.2.1 - On Focus (A) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
  • G107: Using "activate" rather than "focus" as a trigger for changes of context
  • Not causing persistent changes of state or value when a component receives focus, or providing an alternate means to reset any changes (future link) [advisory]
  • Opening new windows only when best from an accessibility perspective (future link) [advisory]
  • Giving users advanced warning when opening a new window (future link) [advisory]
3.2.2 - On Input (A) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
3.2.3 - Consistent Navigation (AA) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
3.2.4 - Consistent Identification (AA) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
3.2.5 - Change on Request (AAA) Consider the following techniques if applicable:

Input Assistance Guideline 3.3

Success Criteria WCAG 2.0 Techniques particularly relevant to older web users
3.3.1 - Error Identification (A) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
3.3.2 - Labels or Instructions (A) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
3.3.3 - Error Suggestion (AA) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
  • G83: Providing text descriptions to identify required fields that were not completed
  • G85: Providing a text description when user input falls outside the required format or values
  • G177: Providing suggested correction text
  • SCR18: Providing client-side validation and alert
  • SCR32: Providing client-side validation and adding error text via the DOM
  • G139: Creating a mechanism that allows users to jump to errors [advisory]
  • Making error messages easy to understand and distinguishable from other text in the Web page (future link) [advisory]
  • Validating form submissions on the server (future link) [advisory]
  • When mandatory information has not been provided, including descriptions or examples of correct information in addition to identifying the field as mandatory (future link) [advisory]
  • Repeating and emphasizing suggestions for correcting each input error in the context of its form field (future link) [advisory]
  • Providing a way for the user to skip from each item in a list of suggestions to its corresponding form (future link) [advisory]
  • Providing additional contextual help for the form field requiring change (future link) [advisory]
  • Accepting input data in a variety of formats (future link) [advisory]
  • G199: Providing success feedback when data is submitted successfully [advisory]
  • Providing a text description that contains information about the number of input errors, suggestions for corrections to each item, and instructions on how to proceed (future link) [advisory]
  • Providing a text description that contains suggestions for correction as the first item (or one of the first items) of content, or emphasizing this information in the content (future link) [advisory]
  • Displaying errors and suggestions in the context of the original form (for example, re-displaying a form where input errors and suggestions for correction are highlighted and displayed in the context of the original form) (future link) [advisory]
  • Providing "correct examples" for data and data formats as initial text in mandatory form fields (future link) [advisory]
  • Providing links to suggested correction text "close to" form fields, or providing the suggested correction text itself directly on the Web page "next to" form fields (future link) [advisory]
  • Providing client-side validation and adding error text via the DOM (future link) [advisory]
  • Calling a function from the submit action of a form to perform client side validation (future link) [advisory]
3.3.4 - Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data) (AA) Meet all the sufficient techniques for this SC paying particular attention to the following:
3.3.5 - Help (AAA) Consider the following techniques if applicable:
3.3.6 - Error Prevention (All) (AAA)
  • no additional techniques required

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Robust

Compatible Guideline 4.1

Success Criteria WCAG 2.0 Techniques particularly relevant to older web users
4.1.1 - Parsing (A)
  • no additional techniques required
4.1.2 - Name, Role, Value (A)
  • no additional techniques required

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