WAI Technical Activity Statement

The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) Technical Activity addresses barriers to Web accessibility on several levels. First, it seeks to ensure that the full range of core technologies of the Web, from HTML to the Semantic Web, is accessible. Barriers exist when these technologies lack features needed by users with visual, auditory, physical, cognitive or neurological disabilities; or when the accessibility potential in the technology is not implemented in Web content or applications. The WAI Technical Activity coordinates closely with the WAI International Program Office, which focuses on WAI education and outreach, research and development, and overall coordination of WAI activities.

The WAI Technical Activity reviews accessibility support across all W3C specifications, and develops the WAI-ARIA suite of resources for making Rich Internet Applications accessible, through the work of the Protocols and Formats Working Group (PFWG). The WAI Technical Activity also promotes implementation of accessibility improvements in Web technologies through development of a set of three WAI guidelines as Recommendations: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG), and Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG). These guidelines describe accessibility features needed to achieve different levels of accessibility, and include reference checklists and implementation techniques. The WAI Technical Activity also develops techniques to improve tools for evaluation and repair of Web sites, through the work of the Evaluation and Repair Tools Working Group (ERT WG).

Highlights Since the Previous Advisory Committee Meeting

Since the previous W3C Advisory Committee Meeting in May 2008, the WAI Technical Activity accomplished the following through its five Working Groups.

The Protocols and Formats Working Group (PFWG) (Member PFWG page):

Published updated Working Drafts of the WAI-ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) Suite
- WAI-ARIA 1.0
Continued review of W3C Last Call Working Drafts and dialog with other W3C Working Groups to address accessibility issues in W3C specifications

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (WCAG WG):

Collected implementations of WCAG 2.0.
Conducted evaluations of received implementations to ensure the Candidate Recommendation exit requirements are met.
Worked on additional support materials needed to meet the Candidate Recommendation exit requirements.
Responded to over 150 public comments on the WCAG 2.0 Candidate Recommendation.
Continued participation with the Evaluation and Repair Tools Working Group in a joint test samples development task force.

The Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (AUWG):

Continued working on an updated Working Draft of Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 2.0

The User Agent Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (UAWG):

Continued working on an updated Working Draft of User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 2.0

The Evaluation and Repair Tools Working Group (ERT WG):

Published HTTP Vocabulary in RDF as a Working Draft
Published Representing Content in RDF as a Working Draft
Prepared for an updated Working Draft of the Evaluation and Report Language (EARL) 1.0 Schema
Continued preparing draft for Pointer Methods in RDF
Continued the development of tests for WCAG 2.0

Upcoming Activity Highlights

Protocols and Formats Working Group:

Publish Last Call Working Draft of WAI-ARIA
Publish updated Working Draft of the WAI-ARIA Best Practices, WAI-ARIA Primer, and WAI-ARIA Roadmap
Publish a First Public Working Draft of WAI-ARIA User Agent Implementation Guide
Continue review and dialog on accessibility issues in W3C Last Call Working Drafts

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Working Group:

Publish WCAG 2.0 implementation report
Publish WCAG 2.0 Proposed Recommendation
Publish updated Working Drafts of WCAG 2.0 Quick Reference, Understanding Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0, and Techniques for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0
Publish WCAG 2.0 Recommendation
Publish Understanding Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 and Techniques for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 as Working Group Notes
Continue development of WCAG 2.0 testing materials with Test Samples Development Task Force

Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines Working Group:

Publish a second Last Call Working Draft of Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 2.0
Publish an updated Working Draft of Implementation Techniques for ATAG 2.0

User Agent Accessibility Guidelines Working Group:

Publish an updated Public Working Draft of UAAG 2.0

Evaluation and Repair Tools Working Group:

Publish the Evaluation and Report Language (EARL) 1.0 Schema as a Last Call Working Draft
Publish the Evaluation and Report Language (EARL) 1.0 Guide as a Last Call Working Draft
Publish HTTP Vocabulary in RDF as a Working Group Note
Publish Representing Content in RDF as a Working Group Note
Publish Pointer Methods in RDF as a Working Draft
Continue the development of tests for WCAG 2.0

Summary of Activity Structure

Group	Chair	Team Contact	Charter
Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (participants)	Jutta Treviranus	Jeanne Spellman	Chartered until 31 December 2008
Evaluation and Repair Tools Working Group (participants)	Shadi Abou-Zahra, Michael Squillace	Shadi Abou-Zahra	Chartered until 31 December 2008
Protocols and Formats Working Group (participants)	Alfred S. Gilman, Janina Sajka	Michael Cooper	Chartered until 31 December 2008
User Agent Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (participants)	Jim Allan	Jeanne Spellman	Chartered until 31 December 2008
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (participants)	Loretta Guarino Reid, Gregg Vanderheiden	Michael Cooper	Chartered until 31 December 2008

This Activity Statement was prepared for the October 2008 W3C Advisory Committee Meeting (Members only) per section 5 of the W3C Process Document. Generated from group data.

Judy Brewer, WAI Technical Activity Lead

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