The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has published an updated draft of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 3.0, which is currently in development and subject to change.
This new version aims to provide clearer guidelines for creating accessible digital content.
Key Changes in WCAG 3.0:
– A new conformance model, which includes Foundational Requirements, Supplemental Requirements, and Assertions
– A focus on user-centred outcomes and requirements
– Improved guidelines for image alternatives, keyboard focus appearance, and clear meaning
The updated draft also introduces the concept of “accessibility-supported” ways of using technologies, which aims to ensure that authors can rely on techniques that work with various user-agents and assistive technologies.
The W3C welcomes feedback on the updated draft, particularly on the conformance model and the guidelines for image alternatives, keyboard focus appearance, and clear meaning.
You can provide input by opening an issue in the WCAG 3 GitHub repository or by emailing public-agwg-comments@w3.org.
The development of WCAG 3.0 has been ongoing, with previous updates and drafts released in January 2021 and May 2024.
We at Centre for Accessibility Australia have been following these updates closely, providing insights and analysis on the evolving guidelines. This latest draft builds upon the previous versions, incorporating feedback and refining the guidelines to provide clearer guidance for creating accessible digital content.
Read these updates in our previous articles, W3C WAI WCAG 3.0 First Public Draft Released for Comment and New WCAG 3 Draft Unveiled.