| Guideline/ Success criteria |
Short Label | Text of Guideline / SC |
|---|---|---|
| Guideline 1.1 | Text-equivalents | For non-text content, provide text equivalents that serve the same purpose or convey the same information as the non-text content, except when the sole purpose of the non-text content is to create a specific sensory experience (for example, music and visual art) in which case a text label or description is sufficient. |
| Level 1 SC 1 | Text-equivalents | Text-equivalents are explicitly associated with non-text content, except when the non-text content is intended to create a specific sensory experience (for example, music without words and visual art). [I] |
| Level 1 SC 2 | Text label | Non-text content that is designed to create a specific sensory experience (such as music without words or visual art) has a text label or a text description explicitly associated with it. [I] |
| Level 3 SC 1 | Text transcript | A text document (for example, a movie script) is provided that includes all important visual information, dialogue, and other important sounds. [I] |
| Guideline 1.2 | Synchronized media equivalents | Provide synchronized media equivalents for time-dependent presentations. |
| Level 1 SC 1 | Audio description | An audio description of visual events is provided for audio-visual media. [I] |
| Level 1 SC 2 | Captions | Captions are provided for all significant dialogue and sounds in time-dependent material. [I] |
| Level 1 SC 3 | synchronization | Descriptions and captions are synchronized with the events they represent. [I] |
| Level 1 SC 4 | Real-time captions | If the Web content is real-time video with audio, real-time captions are provided. [I] |
| Level 1 SC 5 | Real-time, non-interactive video | If the Web content is real-time, non-interactive video (for example, a Webcam view of surrounding conditions such as weather information), then one of the following is provided: [I] ... list of 2 items |
| Level 1 SC 6 | Interactive audio / video only presentation | If a presentation that contains only audio or only video requires users to respond interactively at specific times during the presentation, then a synchronized equivalent presentation (audio, visual or text) is provided. [I] |
| Level 2 SC 1 | Synchronized captions | Synchronized captions are provided for all real-time broadcasts. [I] |
| Guideline 1.3 | Content and presentation | Separate content from presentation |
| Level 1, Sc 1 | Identifying structure | Identify structure programmatically |
| Level1 SC 2 | Color-coded information through mark-up | Any information presented through color is also available without color (for example, through context or markup or coding that does not depend on color). |
| Level2 SC 1 | Color-coded information through Context | Information presented using color is also available without color and without having to interpret markup (for example through context or text coding). |
| Guideline 1.4 | Visual content: foreground versus background | In visual presentations, make it easy to distinguish foreground words and images from the background. |
| Level 1 SC 1 | Electronic text for re-presentation | Any text that is presented over a background is electronically available so that it could be re-presented in a form that allows the text to be distinguished from the background. [I] |
| Level 2 SC 1 | Adequate contrast | Text that is presented over a background has a contrast greater than ____ between the text and the background as measured by ___ or the resource provides a mechanism to allow the text to meet this criterion. [V] |
| Level 3 SC 1 | Adequate default contrast | Text that is presented over a background has in default presentation mode, a contrast greater than ____ between the text and the background as measured by ___ or the resource provides a mechanism to allow the text to meet this criterion. [V] |
| Level 3 SC 2 | Readable in grayscale | Text is not presented over a background image or pattern, or if a background image or pattern is present, the text is easily readable when the content is viewed in grayscale to determine if the background makes it difficult to identify individual characters. [V] |
| Guideline 1.5 | Auditory content: foreground versus background | In auditory presentations, make it easy to distinguish foreground speech and sounds from background sounds. [level 2 guideline] |
| Level 3 SC 1 | Adequate distinction: foreground and background auditory content | Audio content does not contain background sounds OR the background sounds are at least 20 decibels lower than the foreground audio content with the exception of occasional short sounds. [V] |
| Guideline 2.1 | Keyboard operability | Make all functionality operable via a keyboard or a keyboard interface. |
| Level 1 SC 1 | Keyboard operability- conditional | All of the functionality of the content, where the functionality or its outcome can be described in a sentence, is operable through a keyboard or keyboard interface. [I] |
| Level 2 SC 1 | Abstract event handlers for input device | Wherever a choice between input device event handlers is available and supported, the more abstract event is used. [I] |
| Level 3 SC 1 | Keyboard operability- unconditional | All of the functionality of the content is operable via a keyboard or keyboard interface. |
| Guideline 2.2 | User control over time limits | Allow users to control time limits on their reading or interaction unless specific real-time events or rules of competition make such control impossible. |
| Level 1 SC 1 | User control over Time limits | Content is designed so that time limits are not an essential part of interaction, or at least one of the following is true for each time limit: [I]... list of 5 items |
| Level 2 SC 1 | User control over blinking-content | The user is allowed to turn off content that blinks for more than 3 seconds. [I] |
| Level 2 SC 2 | User control over moving / time-based content | The user is allowed to pause and/or permanently stop moving or time-based content. [I] |
| Level 3 SC 1 | Compliant time limits | The content has been designed in a way that any time limits in the content would pass level 1, success criteria 1 for this guideline without exceptions. |
| Level 3 SC 2 | User control over intterruptions | Any non-emergency interruptions, such as the availability of updated content, can be postponed and/or suppressed by the user. [V] |
| Guideline 2.3 | photosensitive epileptic trigger | Allow users to avoid content that could cause photosensitive epileptic seizures. |
| Level 1 SC 1 | Marked-up general / red Flash Threshold | Content that violates General Flash Threshold or Red Flash Threshold is marked in way that the user can access prior to its appearance. |
| Level 2 SC 1 | Compliant general / red Flash Threshold | Content does not violate the General Flash Threshold or Red Flash Threshold. [V] |
| Level 3 SC 1 | Compliant spatial Pattern Thresholds | Content does not violate any of the Spatial Pattern Thresholds. [V] |
| Guideline 2.4 | Ability to orient / move within content | Facilitate the ability of users to orient themselves and move within the content. [level 2 guideline] |
| Level 2 SC 1 | Structural elements as indicators | Different structural elements look or sound different from each other and from body text. [V] |
| Level 2 SC 2 | Hierarchical structure / table-of-contents | In documents greater than 50,000 words or sites larger than 50 perceived pages, at least one of the following is provided. [V]... list of 3 items |
| Level 2 SC 3 | Bypassing block of content / links | Large blocks of material that are repeated on multiple pages, such as navigation menus with more than 8 or more links, can be bypassed by people who use screen readers or who navigate via keyboard or keyboard interface. [V] |
| Level 3 SC 1 | Logical reading sequence | Information is provided that would indicate at least one logical sequence in which to read a document. [I] |
| Level 3 SC 2 | Diagrams with accessible structure | Diagrams are constructed so that they have structure that users can access. [I] |
| Level 3 SC 3 | Logical tab order | Logical tab order has been created. [I] |
| Level 3 SC 4 | Explicit assertion for structure-use | There is a statement associated with the content asserting that items from the following list were considered: [V]... list of 5 items |
| Level 3 SC 5 | *structural emphasis | Structural emphasis is evident on at least the following displays:... list of 3 items |
| Guideline 2.5 | Avoiding / correcting mistakes | Help users avoid mistakes and make it easy to correct them. [level 2 guideline] |
| Level 2 SC 1 | Reporting errors in text | If a user error is detected, the error is identified and provided to the user in text |
| Level 2 SC 2 | Suggestions for error-correction | If a user error is detected, and suggestions for correction are known and can be provided without jeopardizing security or purpose (for example, test validity), they are provided (in an accessible form that meets Level 1 success criteria). |
| Level 2 SC 3 | Verification of user action | Where consequences are significant and time-response is not important, one of the following is true:... list of 3 items |
| Level 3 SC 1 | Listing user options / allowing text entry | Where the input options are known, there are less than 75 of them, and they can be provided without jeopardizing security, test validity, etc, users are allowed to select from a list of options as well as to enter text directly. |
| Level 3 SC 2 | Spellcheck with correction ability | Checks for misspelled words are applied and correct spellings are suggested when text entry is required. |
| Guideline 3.1 | Meaning of content | Ensure that the meaning of content can be determined. |
| Level 1 SC 1 | Natural language | The natural language of the document as a whole can be identified by automated tools. [I] |
| Level 1 SC 2 | Abbreviations and acronyms | The meaning of abbreviations and acronyms can be programmatically located. |
| Level 2 SC 1 | Page titles | Page titles are informative. [V] |
| Level 2 SC 2 | Meaning of Words | The meanings and pronunciations of all words in the content can be programmatically located. |
| Level 2 SC 3 | Meanings of Idioms | The meaning of all idioms in the content can be programmatically determined. |
| Level 2 SC 4 | Foreign language | For each foreign language passage or phrase in the body of the content, the language is identified through markup or other means. Foreign passages or phrases are passages or phrases that are in a language other than the primary language of the document. [I] |
| Level 3 SC 1 | Contracted words | The meaning of contracted words can be programmatically determined. |
| Level 3 SC 2 | Word with multiple meanings | Where a word has multiple meanings and the intended meaning is not the first in the associated dictionary(s), then additional markup or another mechanism is provided for determining the correct meaning. [I] |
| Level 3 SC 3 | Section headings and link text | Section headings and link text are understandable when read by themselves as a group (for example, in a screen reader's list of links or a table of contents). |
| Level 3 SC 4 | Complexity reduction | There is a statement associated with the content asserting that the Strategies for reducing the Complexity of Content (the following list) were considered. |
| Guideline 3.2 | Content organization | Organize content consistently from "page to page" and make interactive components behave in predictable ways. |
| Level 1 SC 1 | Extreme change of context | Any extreme change of context is implemented in a manner that can be programmatically identified. [I] |
| Level 2 SC 1 | Consistency of repetitive components | Components that are repeated on multiple "pages" within a resource or a section of a resource occur in the same sequence each time they are repeated, for at least one presentation format. [V] |
| Level 2 SC 2 | Focus- user interface components | All user interface components should be able to receive focus without causing activation. [I] |
| Level 2 SC 3 | Form (or User) input and context change | Changing the setting of any input field should not automatically cause an extreme change in context such as leaving the "page." [V] |
| Level 2 SC 4 | Repetitive interactive components- consistent functionality | Interactive elements that appear on multiple "pages," including graphical elements, are associated with the same functionality wherever they appear. |
| Level 2 SC 5 | Notification for extreme context change | Explicit notice is given in advance of any extreme change of context. |
| Level 3 SC 1 | Clear link targets | The target of each link is clearly identified. [V] |
| Level 3 SC 2 | Consistent text equivalents | Graphical components that appear on multiple pages, including graphical links, are associated with the same text equivalents wherever they appear. [V] |
| Level 3 SC 3 | Consistent visual presentation | Components that appear visually on multiple pages, such as navigation bars, search forms, and sections within the main content, are displayed in the same location relative to other content on every page or screen where they appear. [V] |
| Level 3 SC 4 | Selectable presentation order for menus / forms | When components such as navigation menus and search forms appear on multiple pages, users can choose to have those elements presented in a different visual position or reading-order. [V] |
| Level 3 SC 5 | Extreme context changes | There are no extreme changes of context. |
| Guideline 4.1 | Use of technology | Use technologies according to specification. |
| Level 1 SC 1 | Validation against specifications | Except where the site has documented that a specification was violated for backward ompatibility or compatibility with assistive technology, the technology has: [I]... list of 2 items |
| Level 3 SC 1 | Strict conformance | Technologies are used according to specification without exception. [V] |
| Guideline 4.2 | Accessible user interfaces | Ensure that user interfaces are accessible or provide an accessible alternative(s) |
| Level 1 SC 1 | Accessible plug-in | At least one plug-in required to access the content conforms to at least the default set of conformance requirements of the User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG) 1.0 at Level A plus the sets of requirements (a) through (j) (below) that apply. If required plug-ins are not accessible, an alternative solution is provided that conforms to WCAG 2.0. If inaccessible plug-ins are available, then a method for obtaining an accessible plug-in is provided from the content. [V] |
| Level 1 SC 2 | Accessible programmatic user interface | Any programmatic user interface components of the content conform to at least the default set of conformance requirements of the UAAG 1.0 at Level A plus the sets of requirements (a) through (j) (below) that apply. If the custom user interfaces cannot be made accessible, an alternative solution is provided that meets WCAG 2.0 (including this provision) to the level claimed. [V] |
| Level 2 SC 1 | Adherence to accessibility conventions | Accessibility conventions of the markup or programming language (API's or specific markup) are used. [I] |
| Level 3 SC 1 | Required technologies listed | The Web resource includes a list of the technologies user agents must support in order for its content to work as intended. The list is documented in metadata if such metadata is supported by the format, otherwise it is documented in a policy statement associated with the content. [V] |
| Level 3 SC 2 | Support for unspecified technologies | Users who do not have one or more of these technologies can still access and use the resource, though the experience may be degraded. [V] |
| Level 3 SC 3 | Public specifications for required technologies | Technologies and features on the required list are open standards or have a public specification. [V] |
This document was last updated 17 May 2004 by Sailesh Panchang, Senior Accessibility Engineer, Deque Systems