8. Other Accessibility Standards
WCAG Relation to International Web Accessibility Guidelines
The W3C Web Content Accessibility Guideline (WCAG 2.0) has become broadly accepted as the definitive source for web accessibility rules around the world, with many jurisdictions adopting it verbatim, or with minor adjustments, as the basis for accessibility laws that remove discrimination against people with disabilities on the web. The following is a listing of some of the countries that have adopted WCAG 2.0.
Canada
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)
This course has been created in the context of the AODA, which came into effect in 2005 with the goal of making Ontario the most inclusive jurisdiction in the world by 2025. Part of this 20 year rollout involved educating businesses in Ontario, many of which are now obligated by the Act to make their websites accessible, first at Level A between 2012 and 2014, and at Level AA between 2016 and 2021.
The AODA adopts WCAG 2.0 for its web accessibility requirements, with the exception of two guidelines:
- Ontario businesses and organizations are not required to provide captioning for live web-based broadcasts (WCAG 2.0 Guideline 1.2.4, Level A)
- Ontario businesses and organizations are not required to provide audio description for pre-recorded web-based video (WCAG 2.0 Guideline 1.2.5, Level AA)
Otherwise, AODA adopts WCAG 2.0 verbatim.
Canadian Government Standard on Web Accessibility
In 2011, the Government of Canada (GOC) introduced its most recent set of web accessibility standards, made up of four sub-standards that replace the previous Common Look and Feel 2.0 standards. The Standard on Web Accessibility adopts WCAG 2.0 as its web accessibility requirements, with the exception of Guideline 1.4.5 Images of Text (Level AA) in cases where “essential images of text” are used, in cases where “demonstrably justified” exclusions are required, and for any archived web content. The standard applies only to Government of Canada websites.
Accessibility 2024
In 2014 the British Columbia government released Accessibility 2024, a 10-year action plan designed around 12 building blocks intended to make the province the most progressive in Canada for people with disabilities. Accessible Internet is one of those building blocks. The aim is to have all B.C. government websites meet WCAG 2.0 AA requirements by the end of 2016.
United States
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The ADA does not have any specific technical requirements upon which it requires websites to be accessible; however, there have been a number of cases where organizations that are considered to be “places of public accommodation” have been sued due to the inaccessibility of their websites (e.g., Southwest Airlines, AOL), where the defendant organization was required to conform with WCAG 2.0 Level A and Level AA guidelines.
There is a proposed revision to Title III of the ADA (Federal Register Volume 75, Issue 142, July 26, 2010)