Overview of WCAG 2.0 Documents

Page Contents

Introduction
The WCAG 2.0 Draft Documents
Navigating WCAG 2.0 Documents
How WCAG 2.0 Working Draft Differs from WCAG 1.0
Transitioning from WCAG 1.0 to WCAG 2.0

Quick links: WCAG 2.0 Quick Reference, WCAG 2.0, WCAG 2 FAQ

Recent updates:

Introduction

This page gives you an overview of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Working Draft documents, and highlights how WCAG 2.0 working drafts differ from WCAG 1.0. If you want to know what Web content means, who WCAG is for, and who develops WCAG, see the high-level WCAG Overview. See also:

WCAG 1.0 was approved in May 1999 and is the stable and referenceable version. WCAG 2.0 documents are being developed to apply to more advanced Web technologies, be easier to use and understand, and be more precisely testable, as documented in Requirements for WCAG 2.0.

The WCAG 2.0 Draft Documents

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 Last Call Working Draft (WCAG 2.0) is the formal Web standard draft, which is planned to become a W3C Recommendation. WCAG 2.0 itself is designed as a technical standard. Most people will use the supporting materials when developing Web content and Web tools, instead of the actual technical standards document.

The WCAG 2.0 supporting materials include:

WCAG 2.0 Quick Reference Working Draft is a customizable list of the WCAG 2.0 requirements and techniques to meet them.
Techniques for WCAG 2.0 Working Draft gives you specific details on how to develop accessible Web content, such as HTML code examples.
Understanding WCAG 2.0 Working Draft has additional guidance on learning and implementing WCAG 2.0 for people who want to understand the guidelines more thoroughly.

The best place to start working with WCAG 2.0 is currently the WCAG 2.0 Quick Reference. The Quick Reference includes the WCAG 2.0 guidelines and success criteria. The success criteria are the testable statements that define how Web content meets (conforms to) WCAG 2.0. Under each success criteria are a list of sufficient techniques; that is, if you implement those techniques you meet the success criteria. It also lists common failures, things that do not meet the guidelines.

You can customize the WCAG 2.0 Quick Reference based on whether you are using CSS, JavaScript, or other Web technologies. You can also select to show Level A, AA, or AAA success criteria.

Within the Quick Reference are [Understanding Guideline x] and [Understanding Success Criterion x.x.x] links that take you to the relevant page of Understanding WCAG 2.0 that explains the intent of the guideline or success criterion; provides examples and techniques; and describes how it helps people with different disabilities.

Planned Additions

WAI has been focusing on developing the technical aspects of WCAG 2.0. We are also planning material to help Web developers who are not accessibility experts develop accessible Web content that conforms to WCAG 2.0, such as:

"Application Notes" (working title) would provide guidance for a specific topic, such as images, links, or tables. For example, an Application Note on forms would start with simple examples and include the WCAG 2.0 success criteria, techniques, and strategies for developing accessible forms.
"Quick Tips to Make Accessible Web Sites" would summarize the key concepts of accessible Web design.

Navigating WCAG 2.0 Documents

In previous drafts, Techniques for WCAG 2.0 and Understanding WCAG 2.0 were long documents in a single Web page. With the December 2007 publications, each topic is now in a separate small Web page.

You can still get the Techniques for WCAG 2.0 and Understanding WCAG 2.0 with all the information in a single file from the "single HTML file" link in the footer.

How WCAG 2.0 Drafts Differ from WCAG 1.0

WCAG 2.0 applies more broadly to different Web technologies and is designed to apply as technologies develop in the future. The WCAG 2.0 requirements are more testable.

In WCAG 1.0, brief descriptions are included in the main WCAG 1.0 document under each guideline. With WCAG 2.0, extensive guidance is provided for each guideline and success criteria in Understanding WCAG 2.0. The WCAG 2.0 techniques are also more comprehensive and include tests.

WCAG 1.0 Priority Checkpoints versus WCAG 2.0 Level Success Criteria

WCAG 1.0 is organized around guidelines that have checkpoints, which are priority 1, 2, or 3. The basis for determining conformance to the WCAG 1.0 are the checkpoints.

WCAG 2.0 is organized around four design principles of Web accessibility. Each principle has guidelines, and each guideline has success criteria at level A, AA, or AAA . The basis for determining conformance to the WCAG 2.0 Working Draft are the success criteria.

In WCAG 2.0, a single issue can be covered by more than one success criteria at difference levels. For example, color contrast is covered by two success criteria:

Level AA: Text and images of text have a contrast ratio of at least 5:1...
Level AAA: Text and images of text have a contrast ratio of at least 7:1...

Transitioning from WCAG 1.0 to WCAG 2.0

Most Web sites that conform to WCAG 1.0 should not require significant changes in order to conform to WCAG 2.0, and some may not need any changes. Although WCAG 2.0 is not finalized and some details in it may change before it is approved, some organizations have chosen to start using WCAG 2.0 Drafts in their current Web development projects.

To help you transition to WCAG 2.0, WAI is developing:

Comparison of WCAG 1.0 Checkpoints to WCAG 2.0 - This will be an update of the previous comparison document.
How to Transition Your Web Site from WCAG 1.0 to WCAG 2.0
Transitioning Web Accessibility Policies to WCAG 2.0

The WCAG 2 FAQ answers "When should I start using WCAG 2.0?".

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