- From: Jason White <jasonw@ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au>
- Date: Wed, 8 Dec 1999 10:33:42 +1100 (EST)
- To: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines <w3c-wai-gl@w3.org>
Broadly stated, what is meant by "impact" in this context is the extent to which failure to implement a checkpoint makes it difficult (or impossible) for identifiable groups of users to access the content. For instance, auditory presentations which are not accompanied by captions will be inaccessible, in respect of their informative content, to a definable class of potential users, hence the priority 1 status of the requirement for captions. The guidelines are concerned with those aspects of the content itself that render it either accessible or inaccessible, and not the more general reasons why a large proportion of the total human population can't access the web, for example the lack of appropriate telecommunications infrastructure in many areas, the often prohibitive cost of network connections and computer hardware for lower income groups (which constitute the bulk of humanity), lack of relevant education even at a primary level, and so on.
Received on Tuesday, 7 December 1999 18:34:32 UTC