1. Accessibility Guidelines for the Web & Other Digital Technology
John Rochford
UMass Medical School
World Wide Web Consortium

2. Topics
World Wide Web Consortium & Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
Digital tech usable by everyone.
Why public and private Websites must be usable by people with disabilities.

3. Accessibility-Related Background
I have built accessible Websites since the mid-1990s. Example: DisabilityInfo.org.
I have a passion for cognitive Web accessibility.
I conduct research in artificial- intelligence based Web text simplification on a mass scale.
Accessibility-Related Background

4. W3C Invited Expert I am a member of:
Accessibility Guidelines Working Group
Cognitive Accessibility Task Force
Low Vision Task Force
Silver Community Group
W3C Invited Expert

5. Definition Of Web Accessibility
Everyone can use the Web, including people with disabilities.

6. Importance Of Web Accessibility
provides equal access & opportunity
helps people participate in society
is required by laws and policies
benefits people without disabilities

7. World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
An international community.
Works with industry partners.
Develops open standards.
(HTML, CSS, XML, WCAG, etc.)
Publishes Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

8. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)1 2 3 4
Authoritative & Testable Accessibility Guidance
3 levels: A, AA, AAA
New version 2.1!
Web Accessibility Initiative home page

9. Web Accessibility Testing
Involving People with Disabilities
Easy Checks
Automated Evaluation Tools (30%)
Filterable List

10. Why Must Public Websites Be Usable?
Accessible means usable by everyone.
1 in 7 people worldwide have a disability.
Inaccessible Websites thus:
exclude 1 in 7 customers;
invite litigation; and
cause problems for everyone.

11. Why Must Private Websites Be Usable?
Vast majority of private Websites are:
Thus people with disabilities:
owned by employers;
are inaccessible.
cannot perform essential job functions;
are less likely to become employed.

12. Accessibility Is: needed because 90% of Websites are inaccessible;
essential because we all acquire disabilities as we age;
simple and inexpensive from the beginning;
complicated and expensive if retrofitted; and
the law in many countries.

13. Digital Tech Usable By All: Examples
Global Public Inclusive Infrastructure
Closed Captioning
Wayfinding Technologies
Internet of Things
televisions, phones, steaming media, etc.
Indoor navigation for airports, public transit, etc.

14. Summary W3C sets accessibility standards. Compliance:
is simple and inexpensive from the beginning;
is being applied beyond the Web; and
makes the Web more usable by everyone.

15. Thank You! John Rochford John.Rochford@umassmed.edu
Slides Available at:
bit.ly/UMassA11Y