Formal Objection to WCAG 2.0

WCAG 2.0 claims to define and address the requirements for making Web content accessible to those with learning difficulties, cognitive limitations and others. We object to that claim.

Specifically, the success criteria requirements for making content understandable largly ignore the needs of people with learning difficulties and cognitive limitations.  Please note that there are guidelines published by other groups that  will make content much more accessible to these users. However, with the WCAG claim to address learning difficulties and cognitive limitations, people will not know that they need to look further.

We would like to see continued work in this field and a statement in the WCAG 2.0 abstract and introduction modifying the claim that they currently address accessibility for  learning disabilities. Specifically, we recommend removing learning difficulties and cognitive limitations  from the list of supported disabilities. A sentence may be added later in the abstract that  "these guidelines may also provide some benefits for  people with learning difficulties and cognitive limitations".  We would then like to see a statement of intent such as: "the working group intends to build additional success criteria to address accessibility for learning disabilities and cognitive limitations." 


All the best,

Lisa Seeman, www.ubaccess.com 
Jonathan Chetwynd,  Accessible Solutions
Andy Heath, Axelrod Research and Computing
Gez Lemon, www.juicystudio.com
Roberto Scano
Gian Sampson-Wild 
Dr. Andy Judson
Yvette Hoitink
Marc Walraven
Fred Heddell MBE, Inclusion International
Mrs. Zoe Apostolopoulou e-ISOTIS
Andrew Arch Vision Australia
Sofia Celic  Vision Australia
Keith Smith, BILD (British Institute of Learning Disabilities)
Peter Rainger 
Erlend ?verby
William Loughborough
Geert Freyhoff  Inclusion Europe
Better Days advocacy group
Mencap Accessibility Unit
The Rix Centre (for Innovation and  Learning disability)
Antonia Hyde, United Response
Diane Lightfoot, United Response
Jo Kidd, The Skillnet Group 
Dan Edney The Skillnet Group
United Response (UR)
Liddy Nevile, La Trobe University
Andy Minnion, The Rix Centre
Simon Evans, The Rix Centre
Jim Byrne,   GAWDS
Mel Pedley
 Pamela E Berman
Caroline Lambie,  Mencap Web  Communications Manager. 
 Andrew Holman,  Inspired Services
Robert Hubbert, Ubisan
John Nissen, Cloudworld Ltd
Paul Williams
Roger Hudson
Janine Ness 
Zoe Porter, Valuing People
Sue Carmichael, Valuing People
Geoff Stead
David Sloan, Digital Media Access Group
Simon Cramp
Ann Fergusson
Dr. Robin Boast
Matthew Smith
Neel Shearer, CALL (Communication Aids for Language and Learning) Centre
Paul Brown, The Scottish Disability Team
Jim Ley
Sally Cooper
TechDis
Katarina M?hlenbock,  Dart  
Emmanuelle Guti?rrez y Restrepo, Sidar
Mats Lund?lv  Dart
Sari Follansbee
Sarah Riley
Sally Paveley,  Advisory Unit