ISSUE-6 (Techniques Intro): Suggested edits for this version of the techniques document

ISSUE-6 (Techniques Intro): Suggested edits for this version of the techniques document

http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/track/issues/6

Raised by: David MacDonald
On product: 

Below is the proposed new text for the intro to the techniques document for the June 2010 release. Additions and subtractions are in <brackets></brackets>


Sufficient and Advisory Techniques

Rather than having technology specific techniques in WCAG 2.0, the guidelines and success criteria themselves have been written in a technology neutral fashion. In order to provide guidance and examples for meeting the guidelines using specific technologies (for example HTML) the working group has identified sufficient techniques for each Success Criterion that are sufficient to meet that Success Criterion. <add>In some cases it's only when a combination of techniques are used that it is considered sufficient. In these cases, the sufficient combination of techniques are listed together on one numbered line in the “how to meet” and “understanding” documents. Each numbered line is sufficient to meet the Success Criteria it addresses, but the individual Techniques on that line are not sufficient by themselves unless they are on a numbered line by themselves. </add>

The list of techniques is maintained in the "Understanding WCAG 2.0" (and mirrored in How to Meet WCAG 2.0). <remove>In this way</remove><add>By separating the WCAG 2 normative guidelines document from the techniques used to meet the Success Criteria in those guidelines</add> it is possible to update the list as new techniques are discovered, and as Web Technologies and Assistive Technologies progress.

Note that all techniques are informative. The "sufficient techniques" are considered sufficient by the WCAG Working Group to meet the success criteria. However, it is not necessary to use these particular techniques. If techniques are used other than those listed by the Working Group, then some other method for establishing the technique's ability to meet the success criteria would be needed<add period>. </add period>

<add text>There are sometimes code examples in the sufficient techniques that are intended to demonstrate the principle discussed in the description of the technique. The code is not intended to demonstrate other aspects of accessibility, usability or best coding practises not related to the technique.</add text>

Most success criteria have multiple sufficient techniques listed. Any of the listed sufficient techniques can be used to meet the Success Criterion. There may be other techniques which are not documented by the working group that could also meet the Success Criterion. As new sufficient techniques are identified they will be added to the listing. 

In addition to the sufficient techniques, there are a number of advisory techniques that can enhance accessibility, but did not qualify as sufficient techniques because are not sufficient to meet the full requirements of the success criteria, they are not testable, and/or are good and effective techniques in some circumstances but not effective or helpful in others. These are listed as advisory techniques and are right below the sufficient techniques. Authors are encouraged to use these techniques wherever appropriate to increase accessibility of their Web pages.

Received on Monday, 21 June 2010 15:35:31 UTC