Re: Your comments on WCAG 2.0 Last Call Working Draft of December, 2007

Dear Loretta and WCAG Working Group,

thanks for your answer!
Please see our response at the bottom of this e-mail:


Loretta Guarino Reid wrote:
>>  Comment 1: Minimum contrast needed for default layout in case
>>  1.4.3 is met via a contrast control
>>  Source:
>>
>> http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-comments-wcag20/2008Jan/0056.html
>>  (Issue ID: 2434)
>>  Status: VERIFIED / PARTIAL/OTHER
>>
>>
>>  You seem to have somewhat misunderstood our proposal: we are not
>>  suggesting that 1.4.3 should be moved to level A.
>>
>>  But we do think that the success criterion should be slightly
>>  stricter and require the default layout to have a contrast ratio
>>  of at least 3:1, even if a contrast control is provided.
>>
>>  This would be in line with note 4 in the glossary item on alternate
>> versions: "Each version should be as conformant as possible."
>>
>> http://www.w3.org/TR/2007/WD-WCAG20-20071211/#conforming-alternate-versiondef
>>     
> ---------------------------------------------
> Response from Working Group:
> ---------------------------------------------
> We think there must be some misunderstanding, since a 3:1 contrast
> ratio would be less, rather than more, strict that the current 5:1
> contrast ratio.
>
> A Web page that is as conformant as possible would meet SC 1.4.6 and
> would have a 7:1 contrast ratio. However, at Level AA this is only
> advisory, and a 5:1 ratio would conform.
>
>
> Thanks again for the interest that you have taken in these guidelines.
> Could we ask you to let us know whether or not you are satisfied with
> this response by Wed, April 9?
>
> Loretta Guarino Reid, WCAG WG Co-Chair
> Gregg Vanderheiden, WCAG WG Co-Chair
> Michael Cooper, WCAG WG Staff Contact
>
> On behalf of the WCAG Working Group

Okay, I'll try to clarify this - we mean the following:


As it is a website can conform with 1.4.3 in two ways:

1. The default layout has a contrast ratio of 5:1 (no contrast control 
needed to conform).

2. The default layout does not have a contrast ratio of 5:1, but offers 
a contrast control, so users can switch to a higher contrast layout.

We feel that in case 2 (and case 2 only!) it should not be possible to 
conform just by adding a contrast control, regardless of how bad the 
contrast ratio of the default layout ist. Even if there is a contrast 
control the default layout should at least have minimum contrast ratio 
of some kind.


Which is why we propose that a website may conform with 1.4.3 in the 
following two ways:

1. The default layout has a contrast ratio of 5:1 (no contrast control 
needed to conform).

2. The default layout does not have a contrast ratio of 5:1, but offers 
a contrast control, so users can switch to a higher contrast layout. In 
this case the default layout needs to have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1.


Is this clearer?

Thanks for your patience,
Michael Zapp