This document is a draft of WCAG 1.0 checkpoints mapped to specific WCAG 2.0 success criteria. This mapping used the Checklist of Checkpoints for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 as the starting point. Since Web developers who are currently knowledgeable about WCAG 1.0 are familiar with this tabular form of the checkpoints, this might be a good way to present information on migrating from WCAG 1.0 to 2.0.
The first column indicates where there are differences between the WCAG 1.0 and 2.0 priority levels. The contents of this cell are defined as follows:
Editorial Note: There are several issues and action items outstanding on this mapping. The working group seeks comments on this format as a way to educate people on migrating from WCAG 1.0 to WCAG 2.0.
| Difference | In General (Priority 1) | WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Mixed | 1.1 Provide a text equivalent for every non-text element (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content). This includes: images, graphical representations of text (including symbols), image map regions, animations (e.g., animated GIFs), applets and programmatic objects, ascii art, frames, scripts, images used as list bullets, spacers, graphical buttons, sounds (played with or without user interaction), stand-alone audio files, audio tracks of video, and video. | GL 1.1 Level 1 SC 1. For all non-text content that is used to convey information, text alternatives identify the non-text content and convey the same information. For multimedia, provide a text-alternative that identifies the multimedia. 2. For functional non-text content, text alternatives serve the same purpose as the non-text content. If text alternatives can not serve the same purpose as the functional non-text content, text alternatives identify the purpose of the functional non-text content. 3. For non-text content that is intended to create a specific sensory experience, text alternatives at least identify the non-text content with a descriptive label. 4. Non-text content that is not functional, is not used to convey information, and does not create a specific sensory experience is implemented such that it can be ignored by assistive technology. 5. For live audio-only or live video-only content, text alternatives at least identify the purpose of the content with a descriptive label. For scripts, applets, plug-ins, frames, this is baseline dependent. What about ASCII art? Note 1 |
| 2.1 Ensure that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup. | GL 1.3 Level 1 SC 2. Information that is conveyed by color is also conveyed when color is not available, or can be programmatically determined. |
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| Lower | 4.1 Clearly identify changes in the natural language of a document's text and any text equivalents (e.g., captions). | GL 3.1 Level 2 SC 1. The natural language of each foreign passage or phrase in the content can be programmatically determined. Foreign passages or phrases are passages or phrases in a language that is different from the language of the surrounding text. |
| Baseline dependent | 6.1 Organize documents so they may be read without style sheets. For example, when an HTML document is rendered without associated style sheets, it must still be possible to read the document. |
GL 2.4 Level 3 SC 1. When a page or other delivery unit is navigated sequentially, elements receive focus in an order that follows relationships and sequences in the content. GL 4.2 Level 1 SC 1. For any technologies not in the specified baseline, the following are true:
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| Implied | 6.2 Ensure that equivalents for dynamic content are updated when the dynamic content changes. | Text equivalents are addressed in GL 1.1, 1.2, and 4.2. If providing a text equivalent for content and that content changes, then the text equivalent must also be changed or else you don't conform to GL 1.1, 1.2, and 4.2 anymore. |
| Lower | 7.1 Until user agents allow users to control flickering, avoid causing the screen to flicker. | GL 2.3 Level 2 1. Content does not violate international health and safety standards for general flash or red flash. |
| Not required | 14.1 Use the clearest and simplest language appropriate for a site's content. | GL 3.1 Level 3 contains some SC that aid in making content understandable |
| Difference | And if you use images and image maps (Priority 1) | WCAG 2.0 Success Critera |
| 1.2 Provide redundant text links for each active region of a server-side image map. | GL 2.1 Level 1 SC 1. All of the functionality of the content, where the functionality or its outcome can be described in a sentence, is operable through a keyboard interface. |
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| Baseline dependent? | 9.1 Provide client-side image maps instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape. | Bugzilla issue 1484 |
| Difference | And if you use tables (Priority 1) | WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria |
| 5.1 For data tables, identify row and column headers. | GL 1.3 Level 1 SC 1. Structures within the content can be programmatically determined. |
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| 5.2 For data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers, use markup to associate data cells and header cells. | GL 1.3 Level 1 SC 1. Structures within the content can be programmatically determined. |
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| Difference | And if you use frames (Priority 1) | WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria |
| Lower | 12.1 Title each frame to facilitate frame identification and navigation. | GL 2.4 Level 2 3. Delivery units have descriptive titles 4. The destination of each programmatic reference to another delivery unit is identified through words or phrases that either occur in text or can be programmatically determined. Note 2 |
| Difference | And if you use applets and scripts (Priority 1) | WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria |
| Baseline dependent | 6.3 Ensure that pages are usable when scripts, applets, or other programmatic objects are turned off or not supported. If this is not possible, provide equivalent information on an alternative accessible page. |
GL 4.2 Level 1 SC 1. For any technologies not in the specified baseline, the following are true:
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| Difference | And if you use multimedia (Priority 1) | WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria |
| 1.3 Until user agents can automatically read aloud the text equivalent of a visual track, provide an auditory description of the important information of the visual track of a multimedia presentation. | GL 1.2 Level 1 SC 2. Audio descriptions of video are provided for prerecorded multimedia |
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| 1.4 For any time-based multimedia presentation (e.g., a movie or animation), synchronize equivalent alternatives (e.g., captions or auditory descriptions of the visual track) with the presentation. | GL 1.2 Level 1 SC 1. Captions are provided for prerecorded multimedia. |
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| Difference | And if all else fails (Priority 1) | WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria |
| Implied? | 11.4 If, after best efforts, you cannot create an accessible page, provide a link to an alternative page that uses W3C technologies, is accessible, has equivalent information (or functionality), and is updated as often as the inaccessible (original) page. | Covered by conformance section? Note 3 |
| Difference | In General (Priority 2) | WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 2.2 Ensure that foreground and background color combinations provide sufficient contrast when viewed by someone having color deficits or when viewed on a black and white screen. [Priority 2 for images, Priority 3 for text]. | GL 1.4 Level 2 SC 1. Text and diagrams that are presented over a background image, color, or text have a contrast greater than X1 where the whiter element is at least Y1 as measured by _____. |
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| Not required | 3.1 When an appropriate markup language exists, use markup rather than images to convey information. | GL 1.3 Advisory |
| 3.2 Create documents that validate to published formal grammars. | GL 4.1 Level 2 SC 1. Except where the author has documented that a specification was violated for user agent compatibility (including compatibility with assistive technology), the content has:
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| Not required | 3.3 Use style sheets to control layout and presentation. | Advisory in HTML and CSS Techniques |
| Not required | 3.4 Use relative rather than absolute units in markup language attribute values and style sheet property values. | None. User agent issue |
| Higher | 3.5 Use header elements to convey document structure and use them according to specification. | GL 1.3 Level 1 SC Structures within the content can be programmatically determined. GL 4.1 Level 2 SC 1. Except where the author has documented that a specification was violated for user agent compatibility (including compatibility with assistive technology), the content has:
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| Higher | 3.6 Mark up lists and list items properly. | GL 1.3 Level 1 SC Structures within the content can be programmatically determined. GL 4.1 Level 2 SC 1. Except where the author has documented that a specification was violated for user agent compatibility (including compatibility with assistive technology), the content has:
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| Higher | 3.7 Mark up quotations. Do not use quotation markup for formatting effects such as indentation. | GL 1.3 Level 1 SC Structures within the content can be programmatically determined. GL 4.1 Level 2 SC 1. Except where the author has documented that a specification was violated for user agent compatibility (including compatibility with assistive technology), the content has:
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| Baseline dependent | 6.5 Ensure that dynamic content is accessible or provide an alternative presentation or page. | Anything allowed by the baseline must meet all the applicable success criteria. If not in the baseline, GL 4.2 Level 1 SC applies 1. For any technologies not in the specified baseline, the following are true:
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| 7.2 Until user agents allow users to control blinking, avoid causing content to blink (i.e., change presentation at a regular rate, such as turning on and off). | GL 2.2 Level 2 SC Content does not blink for more than 3 seconds, or a method is available to stop any blinking content in the delivery unit. |
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| Higher | 7.4 Until user agents provide the ability to stop the refresh, do not create periodically auto-refreshing pages. | GL 2.2 Level 1 SC Content is designed so that time-outs are not an essential part of interaction, or at least one of the following is true for each time-out that is a function of the content:
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| Higher | 7.5 Until user agents provide the ability to stop auto-redirect, do not use markup to redirect pages automatically. Instead, configure the server to perform redirects. | GL 2.2 Level 1 SC Content is designed so that time-outs are not an essential part of interaction, or at least one of the following is true for each time-out that is a function of the content:
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| Mixed | 10.1 Until user agents allow users to turn off spawned windows, do not cause pop-ups or other windows to appear and do not change the current window without informing the user. | GL 3.2 Level 2 SC 2. When any component receives focus, it does not cause a change of context. 3. Changing the setting of any input field does not automatically cause a change of context. GL 3.2 Level 3 SC 2. Changes of context are initiated only by user action. |
| Baseline dependent | 11.1 Use W3C technologies when they are available and appropriate for a task and use the latest versions when supported. | |
| 11.2 Avoid deprecated features of W3C technologies. | GL 4.1 Level 2 SC 1. Except where the author has documented that a specification was violated for user agent compatibility (including compatibility with assistive technology), the content has:
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| Not required | 12.3 Divide large blocks of information into more manageable groups where natural and appropriate. | |
| 13.1 Clearly identify the target of each link. | GL 2.4 Level 2 SC 4. The destination of each programmatic reference to another delivery unit is identified through words or phrases that either occur in text or can be programmatically determined. |
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| Not required | 13.2 Provide metadata to add semantic information to pages and sites. | Technique that can be used to achieve some guidelines but not required for conformance. |
| 13.3 Provide information about the general layout of a site (e.g., a site map or table of contents). | GL 2.4 Level 2 SC 1. More than one way is available to locate content within a set of delivery units. |
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| 13.4 Use navigation mechanisms in a consistent manner. | GL 3.2 Level 2 SC 1. Components that are repeated on multiple delivery units within a set of delivery units occur in the same order each time they are repeated. 4. Components that have the same functionality in multiple delivery units within a set of delivery units are labeled consistently. |
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| Difference | And if you use tables (Priority 2) | WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria |
| Lower | 5.3 Do not use tables for layout unless the table makes sense when linearized. Otherwise, if the table does not make sense, provide an alternative equivalent (which may be a linearized version). | GL 1.3 Level 3 SC 1. When content is arranged in a sequence that affects its meaning, that sequence can be determined programmatically. |
| 5.4 If a table is used for layout, do not use any structural markup for the purpose of visual formatting. | GL 4.1 Level 2 SC 1. Except where the author has documented that a specification was violated for user agent compatibility (including compatibility with assistive technology), the content has:
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| Difference | And if you use frames (Priority 2) | WCAG 2.0 Succes Criteria |
| Higher | 12.2 Describe the purpose of frames and how frames relate to each other if it is not obvious by frame titles alone. | GL 1.3 Level 1 SC 1. Structures within the content can be programmatically determined. Note 4 |
| Difference | And if you use forms (Priority 2) | WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria |
| Not required | 10.2 Until user agents support explicit associations between labels and form controls, for all form controls with implicitly associated labels, ensure that the label is properly positioned. | |
| Higher | 12.4 Associate labels explicitly with their controls. | GL 1.3 Level 1 SC 1. Structures within the content can be programmatically determined. |
| Difference | And if you use applets and scripts (Priority 2) | WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria |
| Higher | 6.4 For scripts and applets, ensure that event handlers are input device-independent. | GL 2.1 Level 1 SC 1. All of the functionality of the content, where the functionality or its outcome can be described in a sentence, is operable through a keyboard interface. |
| Lower | 7.3 Until user agents allow users to freeze moving content, avoid movement in pages. | GL 2.2 Level 3 SC 1. Except for real-time events, timing is not an essential part of the event or activity presented by the content. |
| Baseline dependent | 8.1 Make programmatic elements such as scripts and applets directly accessible or compatible with assistive technologies [Priority 1 if functionality is important and not presented elsewhere, otherwise Priority 2.] | Anything allowed by the baseline must meet all the applicable success criteria. If not in the baseline, GL 4.2 Level 1 SC applies 1. For any technologies not in the specified baseline, the following are true:
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| Higher | 9.2 Ensure that any element that has its own interface can be operated in a device-independent manner. | GL 2.1 Level 1 SC 1. All of the functionality of the content, where the functionality or its outcome can be described in a sentence, is operable through a keyboard interface. |
| Higher | 9.3 For scripts, specify logical event handlers rather than device-dependent event handlers. | GL 2.1 Level 1 SC 1. All of the functionality of the content, where the functionality or its outcome can be described in a sentence, is operable through a keyboard interface. |
| Difference | In General (Priority 3) | WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 4.2 Specify the expansion of each abbreviation or acronym in a document where it first occurs. | GL 3.1 Level 3 SC A mechanism for finding the expanded form of acronyms and abbreviations is available. |
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| Higher | 4.3 Identify the primary natural language of a document. | GL 3.1 Level 1 SC 1. The primary natural language or languages of the delivery unit can be programmatically determined. |
| 9.4 Create a logical tab order through links, form controls, and objects. | GL 2.4 Level 3 SC 1. When a page or other delivery unit is navigated sequentially, elements receive focus in an order that follows relationships and sequences in the content. |
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| ? | 9.5 Provide keyboard shortcuts to important links (including those in client-side image maps), form controls, and groups of form controls. | GL 2.1 No SC? GL 2.4 No SC? Note 6 |
| Not required | 10.5 Until user agents (including assistive technologies) render adjacent links distinctly, include non-link, printable characters (surrounded by spaces) between adjacent links. | Deprecate |
| Not required | 11.3 Provide information so that users may receive documents according to their preferences (e.g., language, content type, etc.) | Conformance scheme allows for this but it is not a requirement for conformance. |
| Higher? | 13.5 Provide navigation bars to highlight and give access to the navigation mechanism. | Note 7 |
| Higher | 13.6 Group related links, identify the group (for user agents), and, until user agents do so, provide a way to bypass the group. | GL 2.4 Level 2 SC 2. Blocks of content that are repeated on multiple perceivable units are implemented so that they can be bypassed. |
| 13.7 If search functions are provided, enable different types of searches for different skill levels and preferences. | GL 2.5 Level 3 SC 1. Additional context-relevant assistance is available for text input. Note 8 |
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| 13.8 Place distinguishing information at the beginning of headings, paragraphs, lists, etc. | Note 9 | |
| 13.9 Provide information about document collections (i.e., documents comprising multiple pages.) | GL 2.4 Level 3 SC 2. Information about the user's location within a set of delivery units is available. |
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| ? | 13.10 Provide a means to skip over multi-line ASCII art. | Note 10 |
| 14.2 Supplement text with graphic or auditory presentations where they will facilitate comprehension of the page. | GL 3.1 Level 3 SC 5. When text requires reading ability at or above the upper secondary education level, one or more of the following supplements is available:
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| Mixed | 14.3 Create a style of presentation that is consistent across pages. | GL 3.2 Level 2 SC Components that are repeated on multiple delivery units within a set of delivery units occur in the same order each time they are repeated. 4. Components that have the same functionality in multiple delivery units within a set of delivery units are labeled consistently. GL 3.2 Level 3 SC 1. Graphical components that appear on multiple pages, including graphical links, are associated with the same text equivalents wherever they appear. |
| Difference | And if you use images and image maps (Priority 3) | WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria |
| Not required | 1.5 Until user agents render text equivalents for client-side image map links, provide redundant text links for each active region of a client-side image map. | Deprecate |
| Difference | And if you use tables (Priority 3) | WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria |
| Not required | 5.5 Provide summaries for tables. | GL 1.3 advisory? |
| Higher? | 5.6 Provide abbreviations for header labels. | GL 2.4 Level 2 SC Blocks of content that are repeated on multiple perceivable units are implemented so that they can be bypassed. Note 11 |
| Not required | 10.3 Until user agents (including assistive technologies) render side-by-side text correctly, provide a linear text alternative (on the current page or some other) for all tables that lay out text in parallel, word-wrapped columns. | Deprecate |
| Difference | And if you use forms (Priority 3) | WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria |
| Not required | 10.4 Until user agents handle empty controls correctly, include default, place-holding characters in edit boxes and text areas. | Deprecate |
1. Any text that is presented over a background image, color, or text can be programmatically determined.
1. Content that violates international health and safety standards for general flash or red flash is marked in a way that the user can avoid its appearance.
1. Navigational features can be programmatically identified.
1. Any change of context is implemented in a manner that can be programmatically determined.
1. SGML-based delivery units are well-formed.
2. Non-SGML-based delivery units are formatted according to their content type specification.
1. Real-time captions are provided for live multimedia.
1. Information that is conveyed by variations in presentation of text is also conveyed when variations in presentation of text are not available, or can be programmatically determined.
2. Any information that is conveyed through color is visually evident without having to interpret color. For example, the distinction can additionally be determined through context, characters, or symbols that accompany the color presentation, or through pattern differences such as dotted red vs. solid green lines in a graph.
2. Text that is presented over a background pattern of lines which are within 500% +/- of the stem width of the characters or their serifs must have a contrast between the characters and the lines that is greater than X2, where the whiter element is at least Y2.
3. A mechanism is available to turn off background audio that plays automatically.
2. Moving or time-based content can be paused by the user.
1. If an input error is detected, the error is identified and provided to the user in text.
2. If an input error is detected and suggestions for correction are known and can be provided without jeopardizing the security or purpose of the content, the error is identified and the suggestions are provided to the user.
3. For forms that cause legal or financial transactions to occur, that modify or delete data in remote data storage systems, or that submit test responses, at least one of the following is true:
1. For prerecorded multimedia content, a combined transcript of captions and audio descriptions of video is available.
1. Sign language interpretation is provided for multimedia
2. Extended audio descriptions of video are provided for prerecorded multimedia.
3. Audio descriptions of video are provided for live multimedia.
1. When content is arranged in a sequence that affects its meaning, that sequence can be determined programmatically.
1. Text is not presented over any background (image, text, color or pattern), or if any background is present, the contrast between the text and the background is greater than X2.
2. 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 sound effects.
1. All functionality of the content is designed to be operated through a keyboard interface.
2. Non-emergency interruptions, such as the availability of updated content, can be postponed or suppressed by the user.
3. When an authenticated session has an inactivity timeout, the user can continue the activity without loss of data after re-authenticating.
1. Content does not violate international health and safety standards for spatial pattern thresholds or red flash.
1. Additional context-relevant assistance is available for text input.
1. The primary natural language or languages of the delivery unit can be programmatically determined.
2. A mechanism is available for identifying specific definitions of words used in an unusual or restricted way, including idioms and jargon.
4. Section titles are descriptive.
Note 1: ACTION: Wendy to open Bugzilla issue on definition and techniques for ASCII art. See 6 Jan, 2005 teleconference meeting minutes.
Note 2: We would like title to be a required attribute on frames so this would be covered by GL 4.2 Level 2. There are no plans to update HTML 4.x or XHTML 1.x. XHTML 2 uses xframes. We requested that title be required on xframes but this was rejected by the HTML working group.
Note 3: ACTION: Per discussion at the 6 Jan, 2005, teleconference, Andi took an action item to review the conformance section to insure that conforming by providing an accessible alternative page is covered. In this scenario, a conformance claim would not be made for the delivery unit of the inaccessible version but would be made for the delivery unit of the accessible alternative version. But where is the requirement that the alternative version be equivalent?
Note 4: In the HTML Techniques, the use of longdesc on frames to describe the purpose and relationships is deprecated. If you can't use longdesc on frames to achieve this, then how can the relationship be programmatically determined as required by GL 1.3?
Note 6: Keyboard shortcuts are still open per discussion at 17 Feb, 2005, teleconference.
Note 7: At the 17 Feb, 2005, teleconference, it was suggested that this maps to GL 2.4 Level 2 SC 1. But this SC is talking about more than one way to locate content. Nav bars are one way to locate content. So it sounds like, in WCAG 1.0, we required a single navigation bar for triple-A conformance but in WCAG 2.0, we require multiple navigation mechanisms for double-A conformance!
Note 8: At the 17 Feb, 2005, teleconference, it was suggested that this also maps to GL 2.4 Level 2 SC 2. I disagree that GL 2.4 implies any requirements on the search "features". It just suggests that a search "function" is one method of providing multiple ways to locate site content.
Note 9: ACTION: Add a strategy under GL 3.1 Level 3 SC 3 for placing distinguishing information at the beginning of headings, paragraphs, lists, etc. But we have removed the "strategies" from 3.1 Level 3 so does this become "Note required"?
Note 10: At the 17 Feb, 2005, teleconference, it was suggested that the requirement for skipping ASCII art maps to both GL 1.1 Level 1 SC 4 and GL 2.4 Level 2 SC 3. But ASCII art can convey information so GL 1.1 Level 1 SC 4 would not apply in that case. And it does not always contain repetitive information so GL 2.4 Level 2 SC 3 would not apply in that case. At a minimum, there should be a way to skip over it. And if it conveys information, there should be a text alternative but you can't explicitly associate a text alternative with it so that wouldn't meet GL 1.1 Level 1 SC 5.
Note 11: Table header information is only repetitive to screen reader users and the technique to abbreviate table headers is only useful when table headers are very verbose. I think this should be advisory in certain cases but not required for conformance at any level.