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Overview of "An International Perspective on Phase I of Standards Mandate 376"

Development of W3C Standards
Implementation Testing for WCAG 2.0 Candidate Recommendation
Harmonisation: Why and How
Development of Authorized Translations
The Leveraging Role of Accessibility in Procurement
Contributing Techniques and Test Files
Developing an Effective Evaluation Methodology
Participation and Resources

Development of W3C Standards -- Multiple Stages

W3C develops international Web standards
Multiple stages of development
- Working Drafts
- Last Call Working Draft
- Candidate Recommendation
- Proposed Recommendation
- W3C Recommendation (completed Web standard)

Development of W3C Standards -- Participation

Open standards development process
- Multi-stakeholder process
- Industry, disability, research, government
- Multiple opportunities to comment
- All comments are addressed
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0

Implementation Testing of WCAG 2.0

Opportunities to test
- Diverse
  - Web technologies
  - Web content
  - natural languages
- Multiple verified implementations
  - evaluator teams
  - additional public feedback from implementations

Standards Harmonisation

Why?
- Provides unified market for development of authoring tools
- Supports consistent evaluation methodology
- Addresses cross-disability user requirements
- Increasingly addressing needs of older Web users
  - through new EC IST-supported Project, WAI-AGE
How?
- Adopt or directly reference W3C/WAI guidelines
- Without dropping provisions or changing meanings

Development of Authorized Translations

Need a standard in your own language?
Policy for Authorized W3C Translations
"Lead Translating Organization"
Candidate Authorized Translation
Involvement of language community

The Leveraging Role of Accessible Procurement Policies

An incentive for development of software supporting accessibility
Consistent set of standards across markets makes it easier for developers
Authoring tool support for production of accessible content
- Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines
Availability of accessible tools for government also benefits private sector and NGOs

Contributing Techniques and Test Files

Techniques, as with guidelines, are built collaboratively
Test files likewise built collaboratively
Test samples Task Force conduit for contributing test files

Developing an Effective Evaluation Methodology

Built on well-vetted implementation techniques
Using carefully developed test procedures
Candidate Recommendation process
- initial development of evaluation methodology

Many Opportunities for Involvement

Providing review comments on working drafts
Testing WCAG 2.0 through implementations
Joining Working Groups and Task Forces
Promoting harmonisation by direct adoption or referencing of W3C/WAI standards
Resources and participation: http://www.w3.org/WAI/

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