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WAI Interest Group Charter
(WAI IG)

This charter is written in accordance with section 4.2.2 of the W3C Process Document.

  1. Mission
  2. Scope
  3. Deliverables
  4. Dependencies
  5. Duration
  6. Success
  7. Communication
  8. Confidentiality
  9. Voting
  10. Participation

Information on how to join the WAI IG is available.


1. Mission

The mission of the Web Accessibility Initiative Interest Group (WAI IG) is to provide a forum for review of deliverables under development by other WAI groups; for exploration of barriers to, and potential solutions for, accessibility of the Web; and for exchanging information about Web-accessibility related activities around the world.

This mission supports the work of other Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) groups within the WAI Technical Activity and the WAI International Program Office. The WAI IG is part of the WAI International Program Office Activity. A previous WAI IG charter is available. The WAI IG is renewing its charter in order to continue its role as a forum for discussions on Web accessibility.

2. Scope

The WAI IG's scope of work includes:

3. Deliverables

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

Review of deliverables: The WAI IG conducts reviews of draft deliverables from WAI groups. These reviews help ensure consideration of the perspectives of members of disability communities, research organizations, industry, government, and others who have an interest in Web accessibility but who may not have time to regularly or directly participate in WAI working groups. Review periods are usually one to two weeks, with advance notice of upcoming reviews where possible so that interested individuals can review background materials and set aside time. Chairs or staff contacts of WAI working groups 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, or send a link to such a summary or list of resolved issues.

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

4. Dependencies

The WAI IG provides review and comment on draft deliverables from the following WAI groups:

  1. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Working Group
  2. Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines Working Group
  3. User Agent Accessibility Guidelines Working Group
  4. Evaluation and Repair Working Group
  5. Education and Outreach Working Group
  6. Research and Development Interest Group

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

5. Duration

The WAI IG is scheduled to last for 24 months, from November 2000 through October 2002, with the intent to re-charter for another 24 months as appropriate.

6. Success

Criteria for WAI IG success include:

7. Communication

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.

7.1 Communication within the group

7.2 Communication with W3C

7.3 Communication with the public

8. Confidentiality

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

9. Voting

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 may 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.

10. Participation

10.1 W3C Member and invited expert participation

The WAI IG welcomes participation from representatives of W3C Member organizations, and also from invited experts from disability organizations, accessibility research projects, government organizations, and others interested in promoting accessibility of the Web.

There are no minimum requirements for participation in this Interest Group; however, WAI IG members are strongly encouraged to take advantage of frequent opportunities to review and comment on draft deliverables under preparation by other WAI groups. The WAI IG mailing list is self-subscribing.

10.1 W3C Team resources

10.3 Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)

The purpose of the WAI IG is to produce public documents available royalty-free to everyone, following W3C standard IPR terms. Therefore, anyone commenting in the WAI IG will be considered to offer these ideas as contributions to W3C/WAI documents. Organizations with IPR in areas related to WAI work under discussion in the WAI IG must disclose IPR as described in the W3C Process regarding IPR and W3C's IPR fact sheet. Invited experts are required to disclose IPR claims in the same manner as individuals from W3C Member organizations.

10.4 How to join

Information about how to join the WAI IG is available.


Last updated by Judy Brewer, 18 June 2001

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