W3C, WAI, accessibility clarification

Hi folks,

Thanks again for all the work on ideas for the redesigned WAI home page! I am excited how things are progressing recently! (For those not on the recent TF call, updated draft prototypes should be available soon, and linked from the TF wiki page &/or e-mail list archive.)

I wanted to clarify a few things about the positioning of accessibility work in W3C -- as background for my recent wording tweaks, and to help us all be "on the same page".

W3C is all about developing standards. "The mission of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is to lead the Web to its full potential by creating technical standards and guidelines to ensure that the Web remains open, accessible, and interoperable for everyone around the globe. W3C develops well known specifications such as HTML5, CSS, and the Open Web Platform..." and One Web and Web for All.

WAI is an initiative within W3C, and WAI is also all about developing standards. There are several standards developed directly under WAI (WCAG, ATAG, UAAG, ARIA, EARL, ...), and WAI contributes to other standards at W3C. (Organizational restructuring tweaked internal WG reporting, but that's not important to most audiences.) In addition, WAI develops resources to support understanding and implementing those standards. Many of those resources are developed through EOWG. (fyi, WAI does much more education and outreach than most other areas in W3C, other than Internationalization.)

Let me know if you have any questions, or discussion would be helpful.

Thanks!
~Shawn

Received on Thursday, 2 November 2017 20:29:14 UTC