Translating WAI Documents
Page Contents
Translation Assistance Welcome
We welcome your assistance translating documents developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). This page includes information on the W3C translation policy, how to coordinate with W3C and WAI when translating documents, and priorities for translations of WAI documents.
Existing Translations
A list of all WAI document translations is available from the W3C translations database.
To get a list of WAI documents already translated in a specific language, use the advanced search and "Choose a language", and under "Web Accessibility Documents" select -- Any WAI Documents --.
W3C Translation Policy
Please read Translations at W3C for the overall policy, procedures, and support on translating W3C documents.
More detailed information is available in W3C's intellectual rights FAQ, particularly under the question can I translate one of your specifications into another language? There is also useful information in the section on W3C Documents in the FAQ, including the "can I change it?" question; the "is it official?" question, and the "can I annotate it?" question. It is also important to read the information on W3C document use.
Authorized W3C Translations
Most translations are informative and unofficial. In cases where standards translations are meant for official purposes, they may be developed as Authorized W3C Translations according to the Policy for Authorized W3C Translations. Generally only completed W3C Recommendations and Working Group Notes are candidates for Authorized W3C Translations, including the WAI guidelines, techniques, and other documents listed under "WAI Technical Activity" on the W3C Technical Reports and Publications page. The authorized translations policy is designed to ensure transparency and community accountability in the development of authorized translations under the oversight of W3C.
Coordinating with W3C and WAI
If you are translating a WAI document, please follow the instructions in the W3C Translations page on how to help translate a W3C document, and be sure to notify the w3c-translators@w3.org mailing list when you first plan to translate a document, and then again when you have finished a translation. You can also subscribe to the translations list and ask questions about translation on that list. If you have additional questions specifically related to WAI documents, you can contact us at wai@w3.org.
Priorities for Translating WAI Documents
People frequently ask us which WAI documents they should translate. Four lists are below:
- Top priority WCAG 2.0 materials
- High priority introductory and short materials
- Secondary priority introductory and short materials
- Secondary priority technical materials
These lists are suggested priorities only. They are not meant to prevent people from translating documents for which they have a specific need. If you are interested in translating WAI documents that are not listed on this page or on the W3C Technical Reports page, please inquire first by contacting us at wai@w3.org.
See the status information for each document. Some documents are available now, but will be updated soon. You might choose to provide a translation now, or wait until the document is updated.
Top priority WCAG 2.0 materials
WCAG 2.0 Web Standard / W3C Recommendation
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0
- status: completed, stable document
- www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20
- note: this document may be developed as an Authorized W3C Translation
WCAG 2.0 short materials
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Overview
- status: completed (updated December 2008), may have additional minor edits in January 2009
- www.w3.org/WAI/intro/wcag.html
- WCAG 2.0 at a Glance
- status: stable
- www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/glance/
- The WCAG 2.0 Documents
- status: stable (updated December 2008)
- www.w3.org/WAI/intro/wcag20.php
WCAG 2.0 longer technical materials
- Understanding WCAG 2.0
- status: completed, maybe be updated in late 2009
- www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/
- Techniques for WCAG 2.0
- status: completed, maybe be updated in late 2009
- www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20-TECH
High priority introductory and short materials
WCAG 2.0 materials listed above.
- Introduction to Web Accessibility
- status: Version 2.0 stable
- www.w3.org/WAI/intro/accessibility.php
- translations of Introduction to WAI Accessibility
- Essential Components of Web Accessibility
- status: Version 1.3 complete, might update in 2009
- www.w3.org/WAI/intro/components.php
- translations of Essential Components of Accessibility
- Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA) Suite Overview
- status: complete, may be updated with future release of WAI-ARIA drafts in 2009
- www.w3.org/WAI/intro/aria.php
- Overview of the Web Accessibility Initiative
- status: updated annually
- all slide content in a single file: www.w3.org/Talks/WAI-Intro/all.htm
- related document: Overview of the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) Slides
- Why Standards Harmonization is Essential to Web Accessibility
- status: stable
- www.w3.org/WAI/Policy/harmon
- How WAI Develops Accessibility Guidelines through the W3C Process: Milestones and Opportunities to Contribute
- status: stable
- www.w3.org/WAI/intro/w3c-process
To be completed in 2009 (not yet ready for translation):
- Benefits of WCAG 2.0 presentation
- status: mostly complete, a few updates planned for January 2009
- draft: www.w3.org/WAI/presentations/WCAG20_benefits/WCAG20_benefits-presentation-format.ppt(.ppt, 500KB), www.w3.org/WAI/presentations/WCAG20_benefits/WCAG20_benefits.html
- How People with Disabilities Use the Web
- status: mostly complete, a few changes planned for 2009
- draft: www.w3.org/WAI/EO/Drafts/PWD-Use-Web/20040302.html
Secondary priority Introductory and short materials
Handouts:
- WAI Web Accessibility Resources
- status: stable, last updated date listed in WAI Handouts page
- www.w3.org/WAI/flyer/handout2007a
- About Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0
- status: will be updated in January 2009
- www.w3.org/WAI/flyer/handout2007b
WCAG 2.0 short materials (secondary priority):
- WCAG 2 FAQ
- status: mostly stable; minor updates planned for January 2009
- www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/wcag2faq
- How WCAG 2.0 Differs from WCAG 1.0
- status: stable, might have minor updates in January 2009
- www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/from10/diff
- "About WCAG 2.0" Presentation
- status: will be be updated in early 2009
- www.w3.org/WAI/presentations/WCAG20_about/
- www.w3.org/WAI/presentations/WCAG20_about/About_WCAG20-presentation-format.ppt
- www.w3.org/WAI/presentations/WCAG20_about/all
- How to Update Your Web Site from WCAG 1.0 to WCAG 2.0
- status: draft to be completed in January 2009
- www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/from10/websites
Other guidelines overview documents:
- User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG) Overview
- status: stable
- www.w3.org/WAI/intro/uaag.html
- Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) Overview
- status: stable
- www.w3.org/WAI/intro/atag.html
Business case and Mobile Web overlap:
- Developing a Web Accessibility Business Case for Your
Organization
- status: Version 1.0 stable, minor updates planned for early 2009
- www.w3.org/WAI/bcase/
- Web Content Accessibility and Mobile Web
- status: stable
- www.w3.org/WAI/mobile/
- Shared Web Experiences: Barriers Common to Mobile Device Users and People with Disabilities
- status: stable
- www.w3.org/WAI/mobile/experiences
Managing and evaluating accessibility:
- Implementation Plan for Web Accessibility
- status: stable
- www.w3.org/WAI/impl/
- translations of Implementation Planning for Web Accessibility
- Note that the link above is to the "expanded" version of the document. A translation of this expanded document need not include "[outline]" under the <h1>, nor "To return to the outline version of this page, select "outline" here or above" in the Introduction section.
- Improving the Accessibility of Your Web Site
- status: stable
- www.w3.org/WAI/impl/improving.html
- Developing Organizational Policies for Web
Accessibility
- status: stable, updates planned for early 2009
- www.w3.org/WAI/impl/pol
- Selecting and Using Authoring Tools for Web
Accessibility
- status: stable
- www.w3.org/WAI/impl/software
- Selecting Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools
- status: stable
- www.w3.org/WAI/eval/selectingtools.html
- Involving Users in Web Accessibility Evaluation
- status: stable, minor updates planned for 2009
- www.w3.org/WAI/eval/users.html
- Including People with Disabilities in Design Projects handout
- status: stable, last updated date listed in WAI Handouts page, minor updates planned in early 2009
- www.w3.org/WAI/flyer/handout2007c
- Evaluation Resource Suite
- status: most material outdated, although some still useful
- www.w3.org/WAI/eval/
Secondary priority technical materials
- Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (ATAG 1.0)
- status: stable. will be superseded by ATAG 2.0, which may be completed in 2009
- www.w3.org/TR/ATAG10/
- translations of ATAG 1.0
- User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (UAAG 1.0)
- status: stable. will be superseded by UAAG 2.0, which may be completed in 2009 or 2010
- www.w3.org/TR/UAAG10
Out-dated, superceded, or soon-to-be superceded documents
The following documents are not recommended for translation:
- WAI Quick Tips
- status: outdated. See WCAG 2.0 at a Glance
- Checklist of Checkpoints for Web Content Accessibility
Guidelines 1.0
- status: will be superseded by WCAG 2.0
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 1.0
- status: will be superseded by WCAG 2.0
- Techniques for WCAG 1.0
- status: will be superseded by Techniques for WCAG 2.0
The complete list of WAI documents is available on the WAI Site Map.