Abstract
The World Wide Web, the Web, is technically a family of open standards that defines the protocols and formats needed for the Web to function. These technical standards are the backbone of Web accessibility. They define critical accessibility features of Web technologies, as well as interoperability with assistive technologies. At the same time, these technical standards are rapidly evolving as the Web continues to expand in volume and in functionality, as different industry and technology sectors continue to converge onto the Web, and as our expectations for the Web continue to expand. Recent advances in Web technologies include enhanced support for mobile content and applications, real-time communication, immersive environments, multimedia, and automotive systems. Concurrently, Web-based applications are increasingly making use of advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and Open Data. While such technological advances provide immense opportunities for the inclusion of people with disabilities, they require dedicated efforts to understand the diverse accessibility needs and to develop clear accessibility requirements for designers and developers of digital content, tools, and technologies for desktop and mobile devices. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is the leading standards body for the Web and has a long history of commitment to accessibility. The W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) utilizes a multi-stakeholder consensus approach to pursue the goal of ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities on the Web. This includes designing and implementing particular accessibility features in core Web standards such as HTML and CSS, as well as developing and maintaining a set of Web accessibility guidelines, which are recognized internationally by business and government. This participatory effort involving representation of people with disabilities, industry, research, public bodies, and other experts promises to address evolving trends on the Web to help ensure accessibility for people with disabilities.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Abou-Zahra S et al (2017) Web standards to enable an accessible and inclusive internet of things (IoT). Web4All 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/107831. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Abou-Zahra S et al (2018) Artificial intelligence (AI) for web accessibility: is conformance evaluation a way forward? Web4All 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/116479. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Accessibility Requirements for ICT Products and Services (2018) CEN/CENELEC/ETSI. https://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_en/301500_301599/301549/02.01.02_60/en_301549v020102p.pdf. Accessed 31 October 2018
Accessibility Requirements Suitable for Public Procurement of ICT (2016) Standards Australia. https://infostore.saiglobal.com/en-gb/Standards/AS-EN-301-549-2016-100620_SAIG_AS_AS_211428/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Accessibility Requirements Suitable for Public Procurement of ICT Products and Services in Europe (2014) CEN/CENELEC/ETSI. https://www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_en/301500_301599/301549/01.01.01_60/en_301549v010101p.pdf. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
All Standards and Drafts (2018) W3C. https://w3.org/TR/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Allan J et al (eds) (2015) User agent accessibility guidelines (UAAG) 2.0. W3C. https://w3.org/TR/UAAG20/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
BS 8878 (2010) Web accessibility. Code of practice. BSI. https://shop.bsigroup.com/ProductDetail/?pid=000000000030180388. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Caldwell B et al (eds) (2008) Web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. W3C. https://w3.org/TR/WCAG20/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Chisholm W et al (eds) (1999) Web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG) 1.0. W3C. https://w3.org/TR/WCAG10/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) United Nations (UN). https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities.html. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Guidelines for Indian Government Websites (2009) Department of administrative reforms and public grievances. https://web.guidelines.gov.in/. Accessed 31 October 2018
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Standards and Guidelines (2017) US Federal Register. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/01/18/2017-00395/information-and-communication-technology-ict-standards-and-guidelines. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
ISO/IEC TR 29138-1 (2009) Accessibility considerations for people with disabilities—part 1: user needs summary. ISO. https://www.iso.org/standard/45161.html. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
ISO/IEC 40500 (2012) W3C web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. ISO. https://www.iso.org/standard/58625.html. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
ISO/IEC FDIS 30071-1 (2018) Development of user interface accessibility—part 1: code of practice for creating accessible ICT products and services. ISO. https://www.iso.org/standard/70913.html. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Jacobs I et al (eds) (2002) User agent accessibility guidelines (UAAG) 1.0. W3C. https://w3.org/TR/UAAG10/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
JIS X 8341-3 (2016) Guidelines for older persons and persons with disabilities-Information and communications equipment, software and services-part 3: web content. JIS. https://webdesk.jsa.or.jp/books/W11M0090/index/?bunsyo_id=JIS%20X%208341-3:2016. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Kirckpatrick A et al (eds) (2018) Web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. W3C. https://w3.org/TR/WCAG21/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Lawton Henry S (ed) (2015) Authoring tool accessibility guidelines (ATAG) overview. W3C. https://w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/atag/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Lawton Henry S (ed) (2015) User agent accessibility guidelines (UAAG) overview. W3C. https://w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/uaag/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Lawton Henry S (ed) (2018) Introduction to web accessibility. W3C. https://w3.org/WAI/fundamentals/accessibility-intro/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Lawton Henry S (ed) (2018) Components of web accessibility. W3C. https://w3.org/WAI/fundamentals/components/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Lawton Henry S (ed) (2018) Web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG) overview. W3C. https://w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Lawton Henry S (2018) Accessible rich internet applications (WAI-ARIA) overview. W3C. https://w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/aria/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Lawton Henry S, Brewer J (eds) (2018) Guidance on applying WCAG 2.0 to non-web information and communication technologies (WCAG2ICT) overview. W3C. https://w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/non-web-ict/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Lawton Henry S, Abou-Zahra S, White K (eds) (2016) Accessibility, usability, and inclusion. W3C. https://w3.org/WAI/fundamentals/accessibility-usability-inclusion/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Mueller et al (eds) (2018) Web accessibility laws & policies. W3C. https://www.w3.org/WAI/policies/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Référentiel Général d’Accessibilité pour les Administrations (RGAA) Version 3 (2017) Secrétariat Général pour la modernisation de l’action publique, Premier ministre, République Française. http://references.modernisation.gouv.fr/referentiel/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Richards J et al (eds) (2015) Authoring tool accessibility guidelines (ATAG) 2.0. W3C. https://w3.org/TR/ATAG20/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Seeman L et al (eds) (2018a) Personalization semantics explainer 1.0 (working draft). W3C. https://www.w3.org/TR/personalization-semantics-1.0/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Seeman L et al (eds) (2018b) Personalization help and support 1.0 (working draft). W3C. https://www.w3.org/TR/personalization-semantics-help-1.0/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Seeman L et al (eds) (2018c) Personalization tools 1.0 (working draft). W3C. https://www.w3.org/TR/personalization-semantics-tools-1.0/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Silver Task Force Wiki: Main Page (2018) W3C. https://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/task-forces/silver/wiki/Main_Page. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Text of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as Amended (29 U.S.C. §794d) (2018) US Access Board. https://www.access-board.gov/the-board/laws/rehabilitation-act-of-1973#508. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Treviranus J et al (eds) (2000) Authoring tool accessibility guidelines (ATAG) 1.0. W3C. https://w3.org/TR/ATAG10/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
UNE 139803 (2012) Requisitos de accesibilidad para contenidos en la Web. UNE. https://www.une.org/encuentra-tu-norma/busca-tu-norma/norma?c=N0049614. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Verordnung zur Schaffung barrierefreier Informationstechnik nach dem Behindertengleichstellungsgesetz (Barrierefreie-Informationstechnik-Verordnung - BITV 2.0) (2011) Bundesministerium des Innern. https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bitv_2_0/BJNR184300011.html. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Vigo M et al (eds) (2012) Research report on web accessibility metrics (working draft). W3C https://www.w3.org/TR/accessibility-metrics-report/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) (2018) W3C. https://w3.org/WAI/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Web Accessibility Metrics Symposium (2011) W3C. https://www.w3.org/WAI/RD/2011/metrics/. Accessed 31 Oct 2018
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Abou-Zahra, S., Brewer, J. (2019). Standards, Guidelines, and Trends. In: Yesilada, Y., Harper, S. (eds) Web Accessibility. Human–Computer Interaction Series. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-7440-0_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-7440-0_13
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-7439-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-7440-0
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)