- From: Andi Snow-Weaver <andisnow@us.ibm.com>
- Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2005 14:47:18 -0500
- To: w3c-wai-gl@w3.org
This proposal is a followup to Loretta's post on our impact analysis of GL 4.2, where we promised that we would propose some modifications to the conformance section based on our proposed definition of baseline. [1] Also, see my latest modification to the baseline definition incorporating Jason's comments [2]. <proposal> Conformance Requirements WCAG 2.0 defines accessibility guidelines and success criteria as functional outcomes that are technology independent to allow conformance using any Web technology that supports accessibility. WCAG 2.0 therefore does not require or prohibit the use of any specific technology. It is possible to conform to WCAG 2.0 using W3C and non-W3C technologies, provided they are supported by accessible user agents. In choosing technologies to rely upon, developers need to know what technologies they can assume are supported by user agents. This is called the baseline. Baselines may be defined outside the WCAG 2.0 guidelines as part of a more comprehensive accessibility policy. Baseline considerations will be significantly different if the organization defining the baseline can guarantee the user agents used by the users. For example, a company or government agency provides its employees with the information technology tools they need to do their jobs. So for intranet sites used only by employees, it is reasonable for the baseline to include newer technologies that might only be supported in one user agent. For guidance, see "WCAG 2.0 Guide to Choosing Baselines". Technologies that are NOT in the baseline may still be used as long as all Web content and functionality is available, in a conforming way, to users whose user agents do not support the additional technologies. 1. Any conformance with WCAG 2.0 requires that all level 1 success criteria for all guidelines be met assuming user agent support for only the set of baseline technologies. 2. WCAG 2.0 conformance at level A means that all level 1 success criteria for all guidelines are met assuming user agent support for only the set of baseline technologies. 3. WCAG 2.0 conformance at level Double-A means that all level 1 and all level 2 success criteria for all guidelines are met assuming user agent support for only the baseline technologies. 4. WCAG 2.0 conformance at level Triple-A means that all level 1, level 2 and level 3 success criteria for all guidelines are met assuming user agent support for only the baseline technologies. </proposal> <current wording> Conformance Requirements 1. Any conformance with WCAG 2.0 requires that all level 1 success criteria for all guidelines be met. 2. WCAG 2.0 conformance at level A means that all level 1 success criteria for all guidelines are met. 3. WCAG 2.0 conformance at level Double-A means that all level 1 and all level 2 success criteria for all guidelines are met. 4. WCAG 2.0 conformance at level Triple-A means that all level 1, level 2 and level 3 success criteria for all guidelines are met. </current wording> [1] http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-gl/2005AprJun/0015.html [2] http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-gl/2005AprJun/0095.html Andi
Received on Friday, 8 April 2005 19:47:27 UTC