Web Content Accessibility Standards
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines have been formulated by a working group within the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and consequently carry substantial institutional backing: ’The WCAG technical documents are developed by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (WCAG WG), which is part of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI).
- WebAIM (non-profit organication based at the Center for Persons with Disabilities at Utah State University publishes an accessibility checklist based on WCAG guidelines: webaim.org/standards/508/checklist.
National Federation for the Blind Criteria for Nonvisual Accessibility
The National Federation for the Blind Criteria for Nonvisual Accessibility: The NFB, the largest organization of blind and visually impaired individuals in the US, publishes criteria for nonvisual accessibility and, for a fee, assesses and certifies sites for accessibility.
nfb.org/certificationcriteria
- The NFB also maintains a page for reporting inaccessible web sites: nva.nfb.org/public/complaint.aspx
Section 508 Standards for Electronic and Information Technology
The United States Access Board has published accessibility standards for electronic and information technology.
- These standards sometimes refer to “Industry standards.”
- Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act concerns US federal government departments and agencies and requires:
When developing, procuring, maintaining, or using electronic and information technology, each Federal department or agency, including the United States Postal Service, shall ensure, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the department or agency, that the electronic and information technology allows, regardless of the type of medium of the technology
(i) individuals with disabilities who are Federal employees to have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access to and use of the information and data by Federal employees who are not individuals with disabilities; and
(ii) individuals with disabilities who are members of the public seeking information or services from a Federal department or agency to have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access to and use of the information and data by such members of the public who are not individuals with disabilities.
- WebAIM publishes a checklist based on Section 508 Stndards: webaim.org/standards/508/checklist
Other National Standards
Several national governments have enacted accessibility legislation and published accessibility guidelines. A searchable index of these government guidelines can be found at: www.standards-schmandards.com/projects/government-guidelines/.