(DRAFT) WAI Interest Group Charter

(WAI-IG)

Mission
Scope
Duration
Deliverables
Dependencies of other groups on this group's deliverables
Dependencies of this group on other groups' deliverables
Intended degree of confidentiality
Relation to other groups
Milestones for work items & deliverables
Meeting mechanisms & schedules
Communication mechanisms
Voting mechanisms
Level of involvement of Team
W3C staff contact
Estimate of time commitment a group member would have to make in order to participate
Participants

1. Mission

The Web Accessibility Initiative Interest Group (WAI IG) provides a forum for discussion of issues relating to Web accessibility. In particular, the WAI IG provides a forum for:

exploring barriers & solutions to Web accessibility;
review of deliverables of WAI working groups and interest groups;
exchanging information about Web-accessibility related activities around the world.

2. Scope

2.1 Scope of WAI IG discussion

The scope of issues for WAI IG consideration includes issues within the five areas of work of the Web Accessibility Initiative:

ensuring that the technologies of the Web support accessibility;
developing guidelines for Web accessibility;
developing tools to facilitate Web accessibility;
conducting education and outreach to promote Web accessibility;
tracking research and development which can affect future Web accessibility.

2.2 Criteria for success

Contribute to work of WAI working groups & interest groups, including technical and outreach work, and contribute to promoting overall accessibility of the Web.

3. Duration of work items

The expected duration of the WAI IG is two years, at which point the WAI IG should be rechartered for the duration of WAI work.

4. Deliverables

As an Interest Group, the WAI IG is not primarily focused on production of deliverables. However, it plays a critical role in:

giving input into issues addressed by WAI groups;
reviewing draft deliverables from WAI groups.

Input: The WAI IG's on-going discussion of technical and implementation issues related to Web accessibility helps drive the agendas of WAI working groups. In addition, WAI working groups escalate discussion on key questions to WAI IG for comment as needed.

Reviews: The WAI IG provides a review of draft deliverables from WAI groups by members of the disability community, research organizations, industry, government, and others who have an interest in Web accessibility but who do not participate directly on WAI working groups. Review periods are usually one to two weeks, with advance notice of upcoming reviews so that interested individuals can review background materials and set aside time. WAI Working Group Chairs whose deliverables are reviewed by the WAI IG should send a summary to WAI IG of comments received and changes made as a result of the review.

5. Dependencies of other groups on this group

5.1. Groups which will use deliverables

All WAI working groups and interest groups use input and review from the WAI IG:

5.2 Liaison Methods

The Chair of the WAI IG sits on the WAI Coordination Group (CG) which is made up of chairs of all the WAI groups and two or more at-large representatives of the WAI IG.

6. Dependencies of this group on other groups

6.1 Groups whose work will be used

The WAI IG does not use the deliverables of other WAI groups except to review the draft deliverables; however WAI IG members use the output of WAI groups in their work to promote Web accessibility.

6.2 Required time of delivery.

Comments from WAI IG members on other WAI groups' deliverables are due within a one-to-two week period as specified in the call for review.

7. Intended degree of Confidentiality

The WAI IG home page, proceedings, and charter are all public.

8. Relation to other groups

8.1 Relation to W3C Groups

This group is related to other WAI groups via the dependencies on deliverables described in sections 5 and 6 above.
This group is related to other W3C groups in that the WAI IG has an interest in ensuring that all W3C Recommendations will contribute to Web accessibility, and so will at times provide comment on recommendations going from the WAI Protocols and Formats Working Group to other W3C groups.

8.2 Relation to External Groups

The WAI IG has no formal relations with external groups.

9. Milestones for work items & deliverables

Review comments on draft deliverables from other WAI groups are due within a one-to-two week period as specified in the review announcement.

10. Meeting mechanisms & schedules

The primary forum for WAI IG discussion is the WAI IG mailing list. Because of occasionally heavy traffic and a broad range of topics on WAI IG, sometimes WAI IG discussions are moved onto other WAI mailing lists.

The WAI IG holds face-to-face meetings approximately four times a year in conjunction with other WAI face-to-face meetings or with an event where WAI IG members gather. WAI IG meetings are announced to W3C Member organizations, to WAI IG participants via the WAI IG mailing list, and to the general public via the WAI home page.

11. Communication mechanisms

11.1 Communication within the group

WAI IG mailing list
WAI IG Updates -- weekly to bi-weekly updates on WAI activities
WAI IG group home page
quarterly face-to-face meetings

11.2 Communication with W3C

WAI IG coordinates with other WAI working groups through the WAI Coordination Group;
WAI IG coordinates with W3C through the WAI Domain Leader;
WAI Domain Leader communicates about W3C and WAI activities through postings to WAI IG;
WAI groups report to the WAI IG at quarterly face-to-face meetings.

11.3 Communication with the public

WAI IG communicates with the public through the WAI home page.

12. Voting mechanisms and Escalation

Voting: Since WAI IG deliverables are input and review, there is no specific WAI IG voting mechanism. Review comments are evaluated by WAI groups on their merits, and changes made to deliverables. A preponderance of negative comments from WAI IG members will result in withdrawal of a proposed deliverable until the issues can be addressed.

Escalation: Other WAI groups escalate unresolvable issues to the WAI IG for discussion and debate. If a matter remains unresolved after WAI IG comment, it is escalated to the WAI Domain Leader and finally to the W3C Director as needed.

13. Level of involvement of Team

10% Judy Brewer
5% Daniel Dardailler

14. W3C staff contact

Judy Brewer <jbrewer@w3.org>

15. Estimated time and effort commitments a group member would have to make in order to participate

There is no minimum required time and effort for WAI IG members. In this respect the WAI IG differs from all other WAI groups. Estimated time for a WAI IG member to remain current with mailing list discussions and provide input and review as requested for the WAI IG is three hours per week.

16. Participants

As the Web Accessibility Initiative is a multi-stakeholder/partnership project, it is critical that different stakeholders in Web accessibility are represented on the WAI IG. These include:

representatives of Web-related industry, including Web content developers and Web application developers;
representatives of disability organizations, including cognitive disabilities, hearing disabilities, physical disabilities, and visual disabilities;
representatives of research organizations specializing in accessible design for diverse disabilities and functional requirements;
representatives of government.

Judy Brewer

October 9, 1998

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