User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG) 2.0

1.1.1 Configurable Default Rendering:

The user can specify which types of alternative content to render by default. (Level A)

1.1.2 Browse and Render:

When a rendered element has alternative content, the user can render alternatives according to the following: (Level A)

• synchronized alternatives for time-based media (e.g., captions, audio descriptions, sign language) can be rendered at the same time as their associated audio tracks and visual tracks, and
• non-synchronized alternatives (e.g., short text alternatives, long descriptions) can be rendered as replacements for the original rendered content.

1.1.3 Identify Presence of Alternative Content:

The user can specify that alternative content indicators be rendered along with elements that have alternative content (e.g. an icon to indicate an image has a short text alternative). (Level A)

1.1.4 Rendering Alternative (Enhanced)

: The user can specify the fallback order in which to render alternative content. (Level AA)

1.2.1 Repair Missing Alternatives:

The user can specify whether or not the user agent should generate and render repair text (e.g. file name) when it recognizes that author has not provided alternative content. (Level A)

1.2.2 Repair Empty Alternatives:

The user can specify whether or not the user agent should generate and render repair text (e.g. file name) when it recognizes that the author has provided empty alternative content. (Level AA)

1.2.3 Repair Missing Associations:

The user can specify whether or not the user agent should attempt to predict associations from author-specified presentation attributes (i.e. position and appearance). (Level AAA)

1.2.4 Broken Alternative Content:

The user can be notified when user user agent cannot render alternative content (e.g. when captions are broken).

(Level AAA)

1.3.1 Highlighted Items:

The user can specify that the following be highlighted so that each class is uniquely distinguished. It is not the intention that all recognized enabled elements be uniquely distinguished, just that they be distinguished from disabled elements. The user has the option to highlight the following classes of information so that each is uniquely distinguished. (Level A) :

1. selection
2. active keyboard focus (indicated by focus cursors and/or text cursors)
3. active window
4. active viewport
5. recognized enabled elements
6. presence of alternative content
7. recently visited links

1.3.2 Highlighting Options:

When highlighting classes specified by 1.3.1 Highlighted Itemsand 1.3.3 Highlighted Input Controls, The user can specify highlighting options that include at least: (Level A)

• (a) foreground colors,
• (b) background colors, and
• (c) border (configurable color, style, and thickness)

1.3.3 Highlighted Input Controls:

The user can have the following highlighted when they are recognized: (Level AA)

• (a) enabled controls that take input (e.g. push buttons, radio buttons, check boxes, and text input fields, but not groupings or static text and images) regardless of whether they are read-write or read-only, and
• (b) elements with scripted input handlers (e.g. images or text ranges that have onClick or onKeyPress events) regardless of whether the current state allows them to operate.

1.4.1 Configure Text:

The user can globally set the following characteristics of visually rendered text content, overriding any specified by the author or user agent defaults: (Level A)

• (a) text scale (i.e., the general size of text) ,
• (b) font family, and
• (c) text color (i.e., foreground and background).

1.4.2 Preserving Size Distinctions:

The user can specify whether or not distinctions in the size of rendered text are preserved when that text is rescaled (e.g. headers continue to be larger than body text). (Level A)

1.5.1 Global Volume:

The user can independently adjust the volume of all audio tracks, relative to the global volume level set through operating environment mechanisms. However, the user agent may only override a global mute on explicit user request and if the user has been cautioned about the implication. (Level A)

1.6.1 Speech Rate and Volume:

The user can specify the following for synthesized speech: (Level A)

• speech rate and
• speech volume (independently of other sources of audio).

1.6.2 Speech Pitch and Range:

The user can specify the following for synthesized speech: (Level AA) :

• (a) pitch ("pitch" refers to the average frequency of the speaking voice), and
• (b) pitch range ("pitch range" specifies a variation in average frequency),

1.6.3 Advanced Speech Characteristics:

The user can specify all of the speech characteristics offered by the speech synthesizer. (Level AAA)

1.6.4 Synthesized Speech Features:

For synthesized speech, the following features are provided: (Level AA)

• (a) user-defined extensions to the synthesized speech dictionary,
• (b) "spell-out", where text is spelled one character at a time, or according to language-dependent pronunciation rules,
• (c) at least two ways of speaking numerals: one where numerals are spoken as individual digits and punctuation (e.g. "one two zero three point five" for 1203.5 or "one comma two zero three point five" for 1,203.5), and one where full numbers are spoken (e.g. "one thousand, two hundred and three point five").
• (d) at least two ways of speaking punctuation: one where punctuation is spoken literally, and one where punctuation is rendered as natural pauses.

1.7.1 Author Style Sheets:

If one or more author style sheets are defined, the user has the following options: (Level A)

• (a) select and apply one or more author style sheets, or
• (b) turn off author style sheets.

1.7.2 User Style Sheets:

If one or more user style sheets are defined, the user has the following options: (Level A)

• (a) select and apply one or more user style sheets, or
• (b) turn off user style sheets.

1.8.1 Highlight Viewport:

The viewport with the input focus (including nested viewports and their containers) is highlighted, and the user is able to customize attributes of the highlighted mechanism, including, but not limited to, shape, size, stroke width, color, and blink rate (if any). (Level A)

1.8.2 Move Viewport to Selection and Focus:

When a viewport's selection or input focus changes, the viewport's content moves as necessary to ensure that the new selection or input focus location is at least partially in the visible portion of the viewport. (Level A)

1.8.3 Resizable:

The user has the option to make graphical viewports resizable, within the limits of the display, overriding any values specified by the author. (Level A)

1.8.4 Scrollbars:

Graphical viewports include scrollbars if the rendered content (including after user preferences have been applied) extends beyond the viewport dimensions, overriding any values specified by the author. (Level A)

1.8.5 Viewport History:

For user agents that implement a viewport history mechanism (e.g. "back" button), the user can return to any state in the viewport history, restoring the prior point of regard, input focus and selection.(Level A)

1.8.6 Open on Request:

The user can specify whether or not top-level viewports (e.g. windows or tabs) open only with an explicit user request or confirmation. (Level A)

1.8.7 Do Not Take Focus:

If new top-level viewports (e.g. windows or tabs) are configured to open without explicit user request, the user can specify whether or not top-level viewports take the active keyboard focus when they open. (Level AA)

1.8.9 Close Viewport:

The user can close any top-level viewports (e.g. windows or tabs) . (Level AA)

1.8.10 Same UI:

The user can specify that all top-level viewports (e.g. windows or tabs) follow the current user interface configuration. (Level AA)

1.8.11 Indicate Viewport Position:

The user can determine the viewport's position relative to the full extent of the rendered content. (Level AA)

1.9.3 User Interface Focus:

An active input focus is provided. (Level A)

1.9.4 Extensions Focusable:

The keyboard focus can navigate within extensions to the user interface. (Level A)

1.9.6 Retrieve Focus:

At any time, the user agent is able to retrieve input focus from a nested viewport (including nested viewports that are user agents). (Level A)

1.9.7 Return Focus:

An embedded user agent is responsible for notifying the embedding user agent that active input focus should move back to it. (Level A)

1.9.8 Bi-Directional:

The user can move the keyboard focus forward or backward to any enabled element in the viewport. (Level A)

1.9.9 Sequential Navigation:

If the author has not specified a navigation order, the default is sequential navigation, in document order. (Level A)

1.9.10 Only on User Request:

The user can specify that the keyboard focus of a viewport only change on explicit user request. (Level A)

1.9.11 On Focus:

The user can ensure that moving the keyboard focus to or from an enabled element does not cause the user agent to take any further action. (Level A)

1.10.1 Text View:

The user can view all text source that is available to the user agent. (Level AA)

1.10.2Outline View:

An "outline" view of rendered content is provided, composed of labels for important structural elements (e.g. heading text, table titles, form titles, and other labels that are part of the content). (Level AA)

Note: The constitutes the important structural elements by the user (See 1.10.3). What constitutes a label is defined by each markup language specification. For example, in HTML, a heading (H1-H6) is a label for the section that follows it, a CAPTION is a label for a table, and the title attribute is a label for its element.

1.10.3 Configure Set of Important Elements:

The user can configure the set of important elements for the hierarchical view, including by element type (e.g., headers). (Level AAA)

1.11.1 Extended Link Information:

The following information is provided for each link (Level AAA) :

• link title,
• technology type (of the linked Web resource)
• internal/external: (whether the link is internal to the resource e.g., the link is to a target in the same Web page)

1.11.2 Access Relationships:

The user can access explicitly-defined relationships based on the user's position in content (e.g., show form control's label, show label's form control, show a cell's table headers). (Level A) :

2.1.1 Keyboard Operation

: All functionality can be operated via the keyboard using sequential or direct keyboard commands that do not require specific timings for individual keystrokes, except where the underlying function requires input that depends on the path of the user's movement and not just the endpoints (e.g., free hand drawing). This does not forbid and should not discourage providing mouse input or other input methods in addition to keyboard operation. (Level A)

2.1.2 Keyboard Focus(former 1.9.1):

Every viewport has an active or inactive keyboard focus at all times. At least one keyboard focus is provided for each viewport (including frames), where enabled elements are part of the rendered content. (Level A)

2.1.3 Keyboard Navigability

(former 1.9.2 & 1.9.4):

The user can move the active keyboard focus to any viewport. The user can make the keyboard focus of each viewport the active input focus. (Level A)

2.1.4 Specify preferred keystrokes:(former 2.1.2)

: The user can override any keyboard shortcut including recognized author supplied shortcuts (e.g. accesskeys) and user interface controls, except for conventional bindings for the operating environment (e.g., arrow keys for navigating within menus). (Level A)

2.1.5 No Keyboard Trap(former 2.1.3)

: The user agent prevents keyboard traps as follows (Level A) :

• (a) in the UI: if keyboard focus can be moved to a component using the keyboard, then focus can be moved away from that component using standard sequential keyboard commands (e.g., TAB key)
• (b) in the rendered content: provides a documented direct keyboard command that will always restore keyboard focus to a known location (e.g., the address bar).
• (c) in the rendered content: provides a documented direct keyboard command that will always move keyboard focus to a subsequent focusable element

2.1.6 Separate Selection from Activation:(former 2.1.4)

The user can specify that selection is separate from activation (e.g., navigating through a set of radio buttons without changing which is the active/selected option). (Level A)

2.1.7 Follow Text Keyboard Conventions(former 2.1.5)

: Views that render text support the standard text area conventions for the operating environment, including, but not necessarily limited to: character keys, Backspace/Delete, Insert, arrow key navigation (e.g., caret browsing), Page Up/Page Down, navigate to start/end, navigate by paragraph, shift-to-select mechanism. (Level A)

2.1.8 Make Important Command Functions Efficient(former 2.1.9)

: Important command functions (e.g. related to navigation, display, content, information management) are more efficient than sequential keyboard navigation. (Level AA) [@@Editors' Note: Check for redundancy when Guideline 2.1 is complete @@]

2.1.9 Allow Override of User Interface Keyboard Commands(former 2.1.10):

The user can override any keyboard shortcut binding for the user agent user interface except for conventional bindings for the operating environment (e.g. access to help). The rebinding options must include single-key and key-plus-modifier keys if available in the operating environment. (Level AA)

2.1.12 Specify preferred keystrokes

: The user can override any keyboard shortcut including recognized author supplied shortcuts (e.g. accesskeys) and user interface controls, except for conventional bindings for the operating environment (e.g. access to help). (Level AA)

2.4.1 Find:

The user can perform a search within rendered content (e.g., not hidden with a style), including text alternatives, for any sequence of characters from the document character set set. (Level A)

2.4.2 Find Direction:

The user can search forward or backward from the focused location in content. The user is notified of changes in search direction. The user is notified when the search reaches the upper or lower extent of the content based on the search direction. (Level A)

2.4.3 Match Found:

When there is a match, the user is alerted and the viewport's content moves so that the matched text content is at least partially within it. The user can search for the next instance of the text from the location of the match. (Level A)

2.4.4 Alert on No Match:

The user is notified when there is no match or after the last match in content (i.e., prior to starting the search over from the beginning of content). (Level A)

2.4.5 Advanced Find:

The user agent provides an accessible advanced search facility, with a case-sensitive and case-insensitive search option, and the ability for the user to perform a search within all content (including hidden content and captioning) for text and text alternatives, for any sequence of characters from the document character set. (Level AA)

2.6.1 List event handlers:

The user can, through keyboard input alone, call up a list of input device event handlers explicitly associated with the keyboard focus element. (Level A)

2.6.2 Activate any event handler:

The user can, through keyboard input alone, activate any input device event handlers explicitly associated with the keyboard focus element. (Level A)

2.6.3 Activate all event handlers:

The user can, through keyboard input alone, simultaneously activate all input device event handlers explicitly associated with the content focus element. (Level A)

2.7.1 Change Preference Settings

The user can change settings that impact accessibility. (Level A)

2.7.2 Persistent Accessibility Settings

: User agent accessibility preference settings persist between sessions. (Level A)

2.7.3 Restore all to default:

The user can restore all preference settings to default values. (Level A)

2.7.4 Multiple Sets of Preference Settings:

The user can save and retrieve multiple sets of user agent preference settings. (Level AA)

2.7.5 Restore related preferences to default:

The user can restore groups of related preference settings to default values (e.g. reset keyboard shortcuts, reset colors and sizes of rendered content). (Level AA)

2.7.6 Change preference setting outside the UI:

The user can adjust preference settings from outside the user agent user interface. (Level AA)

2.7.7 Portable Preference Settings:

The user can transfer preference settings across locations onto a compatible system. (Level AAA)

2.7.8 Preferences Wizard:

A wizard helps the user to configure the accessibility-related user agent preferences (at least). (Level AAA)

2.8.1 Configure Position:

When graphical user agent user interfaces have toolbars, panels, inspectors, or similar, the user can add, remove and configure the position of user agent user interface controls from a pre-defined set. (Level AAA)

2.8.2 Restore Default Toolbars:

The user can restore the default toolbar, panel, or inspector configuration. (Level AAA)

2.9.1 Timing Adjustable

: Where time limits for user input are recognized and controllable by the user agent, the user can extend the time limit. (Level A)

2.10.1 Three Flashes or Below Threshold:

In its default configuration, the user agent does not display any user interface components or recognized content that flashes more than three times in any one-second period, unless the flash is below the general flash and red flash thresholds. (Level A)

2.10.2 Three Flashes:

In its default configuration, the user agent does not display any user interface components or recognized content that flashes more than three times in any one-second period (regardless of whether not the flash is below the general flash and red flash thresholds). (Level AAA) [WCAG 2.0]

@@ Editors' Note: Add SC based on this note from IRC of 10 November 2010: We could consider adding to this section a recommendation that messages have a checkbox that lets the user avoid getting the message again. But I'm not sure how we could write it to have an appropriate scope, that is only apply to messages where it's appropriate. AND when you do have those check boxes, it's also useful to have something in the application's settings that allows the user to reset those to their default, thus making all the messages visible again.@@

3.1.2 Option to Ignore:

The user can turn off rendering of non-essential or low priority text messages or updating/changing information in the content based on priority properties defined by the author or the user agent. (e.g., ignoring updating content marked "polite"). (Level AA)

3.2.1 Form Submission:

The user can specify whether or not recognized form submissions must be confirmed. . (Level AA)

3.3.1 Accessible documentation:

The product documentation is available in a format that conforms to WCAG 2.0 Level "A" or greater. (Level A)

3.3.2 Document Accessibility Features:

All user agent features that benefit accessibility are documented. (Level A) @@ Editors' Note: write a definition of "benefit accessibility" - as contributing to conforming to these guidelines or a feature specifically added to improve accessibility @@

3.3.3 Changes Between Versions:

Changes to features that benefit accessibility since the previous user agent release are documented. @@Editors' Note: Link to the definition to benefit accessibility from previous 3.3.2 @@(Level AA)

3.3.4 Centralized View:

There is a dedicated section of the documentation which presents a centralized of all features of the user agent necessary to meet the requirements of User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 2.0. (Level AAA)

3.3.5 Context Sensitive Help:

There is context-sensitive help on all user agent features that benefit accessibility. (Level AAA)

Guideline 3.4 The user agent must behave in a predictable fashion. [Implementing 3.4]

3.4.1 Avoid unpredictable focus [formerly 3.4.2, before that 5.4.2, and 1.9.10, broadened] :

The user can prevent focus changes that are not a result of explicit user request. (Level A)

3.4.2 Avoid Side Effects of Navigation[former 1.9.1, before that 3.11.11, changed]:

The user can move the keyboard focus without causing the user agent to take any further action, other than the presentation of information (e.g. scrolling or pop-ups that do not change the focus or selection). (Level A)

@@ Editors' Note: Missing: Greater ease in interpreting security messaging. Should be cross-referenced with the security working group. @@

5.1.1 Non-Web-Based Accessible (Level A) :

Non-Web-based user agent user interfaces comply with and cite the requirements of standards or operating environment conventions that benefit accessibility. (Level A)

5.2.1 Web-Based Accessible (Level A) :

User agent user interfaces that are rendered using Web standard technologies conform to WCAG Level "A". (Level A)

5.2.2 Web-Based Accessible (Level AA) :

User agent user interfaces that are rendered using Web standard technologies conform to WCAG Level "AA". (Level AA)

5.2.3 Web-Based Accessible (Level AAA) :

User agent user interfaces that are rendered using Web standard technologies conform to WCAG Level "AAA". (Level AAA)

5.3.1 Implement accessibility features of content specs:

Implement and cite in the conformance claim the accessibility features of content and platform technology specifications. Accessibility features are those that are either (Level A) :

• identified as such in the specification or
• allow authors to satisfy a requirement of WCAG.

[@@ Editor's Note: Suzanne proposed additional SC which are holding on action items. @@]]

Guideline 5.4 Render content according to specification. [Implementing 5.4]

Summary: Render content according to the technology specification, including accessibility features (5.4.1), and let users choose how content types are handled, such as opening embedded images, videos, or documents in separate applications or saving them to disk (5.4.2, 5.4.3).

Conformance

This section is normative.

Conformance means that the user agent satisfies the success criteria defined in the guidelines section. This conformance section describes conformance and lists the conformance requirements.

Conformance Requirements

In order for a Web page to conform to UAAG 2.0, one of the following levels of conformance is met in full.

• Level A: For Level A conformance (the minimum level of conformance), the user agent satisfies all the Level A Success Criteria.
• Level AA: For Level AA conformance, the user agent satisfies all the Level A and Level AA Success Criteria.
• Level AAA: For Level AAA conformance, the user agent satisfies all the Level A, Level AA and Level AAA Success Criteria.

Note 1: Although conformance can only be achieved at the stated levels, developers are encouraged to report (in their claim) any progress toward meeting success criteria from all levels beyond the achieved level of conformance.

Conformance Claims (Optional)

If a conformance claim is made, the conformance claim must meet the following conditions and include the following information (user agents can conform to UAAG 2.0 without making a claim):

Conditions on Conformance Claims

• At least one version of the conformance claim must be published on the web as a document meeting level "A" of WCAG 2.0. A suggested metadata description for this document is "UAAG 2.0 Conformance Claim".
• Whenever the claimed conformance level is published (e.g., product information website), the URI for the on-line published version of the conformance claim must be included.
• The existence of a conformance claim does not imply that the W3C has reviewed the claim or assured its validity.
• Claimants may be anyone (e.g., user agent developers, journalists, other third parties).
• Claimants are solely responsible for the accuracy of their claims (including claims that include products for which they are not responsible) and keeping claims up to date.
• Claimants are encouraged to claim conformance to the most recent version of the User Agent Accessibility Guidelines Recommendation.

Required Components of an UAAG 2.0 Conformance Claim

1. Claimant name and affiliation.
2. Date of the claim.
3. Conformance level satisfied.
4. User agent information: The name of the user agent and sufficient additional information to specify the version (e.g., vendor name, version number (or version range), required patches or updates, human language of the user interface or documentation).
   Note: If the user agent is a collection of software components (e.g., a browser and extentions or plugins), then the name and version information must be provided separately for each component, although the conformance claim will treat them as a whole. As stated above, the Claimant has sole responsibility for the conformance claim, not the developer of any of the software components.
5. Included Technologies: A list of the web content technologies (including version numbers) rendered by the user agent that the Claimant is including in the conformance claim. By including a web content technology, the Claimant is claiming that the user agent meets the requirements of UAAG 2.0 during the rendering of web content using that web content technology.
   
   Note 1: Web content technologies may be a combination of constituent web content technologies. For example, an image technology (e.g., PNG) might be listed together with a markup technology (e.g., HTML) since web content in the markup technology is used make web content in the image technology accessible (e.g., a PNG graph is made accessible using an HTML table).
6. Excluded Technologies: A list of any web content technologies produced by the the user agent that the Claimant is excluding from the conformance claim. The user agent is not required to meet the requirements of UAAG 2.0 during the production of the web content technologies on this list.
7. Declarations: For each success criterion: A declaration of whether or not the success criterion has been satisfied; or
   A declaration that the success criterion is not applicable and a rationale for why not.
8. Platform(s): The platform(s) upon which the user agent was evaluated: For user agent platform(s) (used to evaluate web-based user agent user interfaces): provide the name and version information of the user agent(s). For platforms that are not user agents (used to evaluate non-web-based user agent user interfaces) provide: The name and version information of the platform(s) (e.g., operating system, etc.) and the the name and version of the platform accessibility architecture(s) employed.

Optional Components of an UAAG 2.0 Conformance Claim

A description of how the UAAG 2.0 success criteria were met where this may not be obvious.

"Progress Towards Conformance" Statement

Developers of user agents that do not yet conform fully to a particular UAAG 2.0 conformance level are encouraged to publish a statement on progress towards conformance. The progress statement is the same as a conformance claim except an UAAG 2.0 conformance level that is being progressed towards, rather than one already satisfied, and report progress on success criteria not yet met. Authors of "Progress Towards Conformance" Statement are solely responsible for the accuracy of their statements. Developers are encouraged to provide expected timelines for meeting outstanding success criteria within the Statement.

Disclaimer

Neither W3C, WAI, nor UAWG take any responsibility for any aspect or result of any UAAG 2.0 conformance claim that has not been published under the authority of the W3C, WAI, or UAWG.

Appendix A: Glossary

This glossary is normative.

accelerator key

see keyboard command

activate

To carry out the behaviors associated with an enabled element in the rendered content or a component of the user agent user interface.

active input focus

see focus

active selection

see focus

alternative content

Content that can be used in place of default content that may not be universally accessible. Alternative content fulfills the same purpose as the original content. Examples include text alternatives for non-text content, captions for audio, audio descriptions for video, sign language for audio, media alternatives for time-based media. See WCAG for more information.

alternative content stack

A set of alternative content items. The items may be mutually exclusive (e.g., regular contrast graphic vs. high contrast graphic) or non-exclusive (e.g., caption track that can play at the same time as a sound track).

animation

Graphical content rendered to automatically change over time, giving the user a visual perception of movement. Examples include video, animated images, scrolling text, programmatic animation (e.g., moving or replacing rendered objects).

 

application programming interface (API), (conventional input/output/device API)

An application programming interface (API) defines how communication may take place between applications.

assistive technology

An assistive technology:

1. relies on services (such as retrieving Web resources and parsing markup) provided by one or more other "host" user agents. Assistive technologies communicate data and messages with host user agents by using and monitoring APIs.
2. provides services beyond those offered by the host user agents to meet the requirements of users with disabilities. Additional services include alternative renderings (e.g., as synthesized speech or magnified content), alternative input methods (e.g., voice), additional navigation or orientation mechanisms, and content transformations (e.g., to make tables more accessible).

Examples of assistive technologies that are important in the context of UAAG 2.0 include the following:

• screen magnifiers, which are used by people with visual disabilities to enlarge and change colors on the screen to improve the visual readability of rendered text and images.
• screen readers, which are used by people who are blind or have reading disabilities to read textual information through synthesized speech or braille displays.
• voice recognition software, which are used by some people who have physical disabilities to simulate the keyboard and mouse.
• alternative keyboards, which are used by some people with physical disabilities to simulate the keyboard and mouse.
• alternative pointing devices, which are used by some people with physical disabilities to simulate mouse pointing and button activations.

Beyond UAAG 2.0, assistive technologies consist of software or hardware that has been specifically designed to assist people with disabilities in carrying out daily activities. These technologies include wheelchairs, reading machines, devices for grasping, text telephones, and vibrating pagers. For example, the following very general definition of "assistive technology device" comes from the (U.S.) Assistive Technology Act of 1998 [AT1998]:

Any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.

audio

The technology of sound reproduction. Audio can be created synthetically (including speech synthesis), streamed from a live source (such as a radio broadcast), or recorded from real world sounds.

 

audio description - (described video, video description or descriptive narration)

An equivalent alternative that takes the form of narration added to the audio to describe important visual details that cannot be understood from the main soundtrack alone. Audio description of video provides information about actions, characters, scene changes, on-screen text, and other visual content. In standard audio description, narration is added during existing pauses in dialogue. In extended audio description, the video is paused so that there is time to add additional description.

authors

The people who have worked either alone or collaboratively to create the content (e.g. content authors, designers, programmers, publishers, testers).

author styles

Style property values that are set by the author as part of the content.

background images

Images that are rendered on the base background.

base background

The background of the content as a whole, such that no content may be layered behind it. In graphics applications, the base background is often referred to as the canvas.).

blinking text

Text whose visual rendering alternates between visible and invisible at any rate of change.

captions (caption)

An equivalent alternative that takes the form of text presented and synchronized with time-based media to provide not only the speech, but also non-speech information conveyed through sound, including meaningful sound effects and identification of speakers. In some countries, the term "subtitle" is used to refer to dialogue only and "captions" is used as the term for dialogue plus sounds and speaker identification. In other countries, "subtitle" (or its translation) is used to refer to both. Open captions are captions that are always rendered with a visual track; they cannot be turned off. Closed captions are captions that may be turned on and off. The captions requirements of UAAG 2.0 assume that the user agent can recognize the captions as such.
Note: Other terms that include the word "caption" may have different meanings in UAAG 2.0. For instance, a "table caption" is a title for the table, often positioned graphically above or below the table. In UAAG 2.0, the intended meaning of "caption" will be clear from context.

collated text transcript

A collated text transcript is a text equivalent of a movie or other animation. It is the combination of the text transcript of the audio track and the text equivalent of the visual track. For example, a collated text transcript typically includes segments of spoken dialogue interspersed with text descriptions of the key visual elements of a presentation (actions, body language, graphics, and scene changes). See also the definitions of text transcript and audio description. Collated text transcripts are essential for people who are deaf-blind.

 

 

content (web content)

Information and sensory experience to be communicated to the user by means of a user agent, including code or markup that defines the content's structure, presentation, and interactions [adapted from WCAG 2.0]

empty content (which may be alternative content) is either a null value or an empty string (e.g., one that is zero characters long). For instance, in HTML, alt="" sets the value of the alt attribute to the empty string. In some markup languages, an element may have empty content (e.g., the HR element in HTML).

cursor

see focus

default

see properties

direct command, direct navigation command, direct activation command, linear navigation command , spacial (directional) command, structural navigation command

direct navigation commands move focus to a specified item regardless of which currently has the focus

direct activation commands activate a specified item regardless of which currently has the focus; they may move the focus to the item before immediately activating it

linear navigation commands (sometimes called logical or sequential navigation commands) move forwards and backwards through a list of items

structural navigation commands move forwards, backwards, up and down a hierarchy

spatial commands (sometimes called directional commands), require the user to be cognizant of the spatial arrangement of items on the screen:

• spatial navigation commands move from one item to another based on direction on the screen
• spatial manipulation commands resize or reposition an item on the screen

document character set

The internal representation of data in the source content by a user agent.

document object, (Document Object Model, DOM)

The Document Object Model is a platform- and language-neutral interface that allows programs and scripts to dynamically access and update the content, structure and style of documents. The document can be further processed and the results of that processing can be incorporated back into the presented page. This is an overview of DOM-related materials here at W3C and around the web: http://www.w3.org/DOM/#what.

document source, (text source)

Text the user agent renders upon user request to view the source of specific viewport content (e.g. selected content, frame, page).

documentation

Any information that supports the use of a user agent. This information may be found, for example, in manuals, installation instructions, the help system, and tutorials. Documentation may be distributed (e.g., as files installed as part of the installation, some parts may be delivered on CD-ROM, others on the Web). See guideline 5.3 for information about documentation.

element, element type

UAAG 2.0 uses the terms "element" and "element type" primarily in the sense employed by the XML 1.0 specification ([XML], section 3): an element type is a syntactic construct of a document type definition (DTD) for its application. This sense is also relevant to structures defined by XML schemas. UAAG 2.0 also uses the term "element" more generally to mean a type of content (such as video or sound) or a logical construct (such as a header or list).

empty content

see content

enabled element, disabled element

An element with associated behaviors that can be activated through the user interface or through an API. The set of elements that a user agent enables is generally derived from, but is not limited to, the set of elements defined by implemented markup languages. A disabled element is a potentially enabled element that is not currently available for activation (e.g., a "grayed out" menu item).

equivalent alternative

Acceptable substitute content that a user may not be able to access. An equivalent alternative fulfills essentially the same function or purpose as the original content upon presentation:

• text alternative: text that is available via the operating environment that is used in place of non-text content (e.g., text equivalents for images, text transcripts for audio tracks, or collated text transcripts for a movie). [from WCAG 2.0]
• full text alternative for synchronized media including any interaction: document including correctly sequenced text descriptions of all visual settings, actions, speakers, and non-speech sounds, and transcript of all dialogue combined with a means of achieving any outcomes that are achieved using interaction (if any) during the synchronized media. [from WCAG 2.0]
• synchronized alternatives: present essential audio information visually (i.e., captions) and essential video information in an auditory manner (i.e., audio descriptions). [from ATAG 2.0]

events and scripting, event handler, event type

User agents often perform a task when an event having a particular "event type" occurs, including a user interface event, a change to content, loading of content, or a request from the operating environment. Some markup languages allow authors to specify that a script, called an event handler, be executed when an event of a given type occurs. An event handler is explicitly associated with an element through scripting, markup or the DOM.

explicit user request

An interaction by the user through the user agent user interface, the focus, or the selection. User requests are made, for example, through user agent user interface controls and keyboard commands. Some examples of explicit user requests include when the user selects "New viewport," responds "yes" to a prompt in the user agent's user interface, configures the user agent to behave in a certain way, or changes the selection or focus with the keyboard or pointing device. Note: Users can make errors when interacting with the user agent. For example, a user may inadvertently respond "yes" to a prompt instead of "no." This type of error is considered an explicit user request.

focus (active input focus, active selection, cursor, focus cursor, focusable element, highlight, inactive input focus, inactive selection, input focus, keyboard focus, pointer, pointing device focus, selection, split focus, text cursor)

Hierarchical Summary of some focus terms

• Input Focus (active/inactive)
  • Keyboard Focus (active/inactive)
    • Cursor (active/inactive)
      • Focus cursor (active/inactive)
      • Text cursor (active/inactive)
  • Pointing device focus (active/inactive)
    • Pointer

active input focus

The input focus location in the active viewport. The active focus is in the active viewport, while the inactive input focus is the inactive viewport. The active input focus is usually visibly indicated. In UAAG 2.0 "active input focus" generally refers to the active keyboard input focus. @@ Editors' Note: this term is not used in the document other than the glossary.@@

active selection

The selection that will currently be affected by a user command, as opposed to selections in other viewports, called inactive selections, which would not currently be affected by a user command. @@ Editors' Note: this term is not used in the document other than the glossary.@@

conform

see support

cursor

Visual indicator showing where keyboard input will occur. There are two types of cursors: focus cursor (e.g. the dotted line around a button) and text cursor (e.g. the flashing vertical bar in a text field, also called a 'caret'). Cursors are active when in the active viewport, and inactive when in an inactive viewport.

focus cursor

Indicator that highlights a user interface element to show that it has keyboard focus, e.g. a dotted line around a button, or brightened title bar on a window. There are two types of cursors: focus cursor (e.g. the dotted line around a button) and text cursor (e.g. the flashing vertical bar in a text field).

focusable element

Any element capable of having input focus, e.g. link, text box, or menu item. In order to be accessible and fully usable, every focusable element should take keyboard focus, and ideally would also take pointer focus.

highlight, highlighted, highlighting

Emphasis indicated through the user interface. For example, user agents highlight content that is selected,focused, or matched by a search operation. Graphical highlight mechanisms include dotted boxes, changed colors or fonts, underlining, magnification, and reverse video. Synthesized speech highlight mechanisms include alterations of voice pitch and volume ("speech prosody"). User interface items may also be highlighted, for example a specific set of foreground and background colors for the title bar of the active window. Content that is highlighted may or may not be a selection.

inactive input focus

An input focus location in an inactive viewport such as a background window or pane. The inactive input focus location will become the active input focus location when input focus returns to that viewport. An inactive input focus may or may not be visibly indicated.

inactive selection

A selection that does not have the input focus and thus does not take input events.

input focus

The place where input will occur if a viewport is active. Examples include keyboard focus and pointing device focus. Input focus can also be active (in the active viewport) or inactive (in an inactive viewport).

keyboard focus

The screen location where keyboard input will occur if a viewport is active. Keyboard focus can be active (in the active viewport) or inactive (in an inactive viewport).

pointer

Visual indicator showing where pointing device input will occur. The indicator can be moved with a pointing device or emulator such as a mouse, pen tablet, keyboard-based mouse emulator, speech-based mouse commands, or 3-D wand. A pointing device click typically moves the input focus to the pointer location. The indicator may change to reflect different states.When touch screens are used, the "pointing device" is a combination of the touch screen and the user's finger or stylus. On most systems there is no pointer (on-screen visual indication) associated with this type of pointing device.

pointing device focus

The screen location where pointer input will occur if a viewport is active. There can be multiple pointing device foci for example when using a screen sharing utility there is typically one for the user's physical mouse and one for the remote mouse. @@ Editors' Note: this term is not used in the document other than the glossary.@@

selection

A user agent mechanism for identifying a (possibly empty) range of content that will be the implicit source or target for subsequent operations. The selection may be used for a variety of purposes, including for cut-and-paste operations, to designate a specific element in a document for the purposes of a query, and as an indication of point of regard (e.g. the matched results of a search may be automatically selected). The selection should be highlighted in a distinctive manner. On the screen, the selection may be highlighted in a variety of ways, including through colors, fonts, graphics, and magnification. When rendered using synthesized speech, the selection may be highlighted through changes in pitch, speed, or prosody.

split focus

A state when the user could be confused because the input focus is separated from something it is usually linked to, such as being at a different place than the selection or similar highlighting, or has been scrolled outside of the visible portion of the viewport. @@ Editors' Note: this term is not used in the document other than the glossary.@@

text cursor

Indicator showing where keyboard input will occur in text (e.g. the flashing vertical bar in a text field, also called a caret).

content focus, user interface focus, current focus @@ Editor's Note: Need to find the hrefs to these definitions and fix them. @@

globally, global configuration

@@ Editors' Note: Needs to be written@@

graphical

Information (e.g. text, colors, graphics, images, and animations) rendered for visual consumption.

highlight, highlighted, highlighting

see focus

image

Pictorial content that is static (i.e. not moving or changing). See also the definition of animation.

implement

see support

important elements

This specification intentionally does not identify which "important elements" must be navigable because this will vary by specification. What constitutes "efficient navigation" may depend on a number of factors as well, including the "shape" of content (e.g., sequential navigation of long lists is not efficient) and desired granularity (e.g., among tables, then among the cells of a given table). Refer to the Implementing document [Implementing UAAG 2.0] for information about identifying and navigating important elements. @@ Editors' Note: Update links

inactive input focus

see focus

inactive selection

see focus

informative (non-normative)

see normative

input configuration

The set of bindings between user agent functionalities and user interface input mechanisms (e.g., menus, buttons, keyboard keys, and voice commands). The default input configuration is the set of bindings the user finds after installation of the software. Input configurations may be affected by author-specified bindings (e.g., through the accesskey attribute of HTML 4 [HTML4]).

input focus

see focus

 

keyboard command (keyboard binding,keyboard shortcuts or accelerator keys)

Commands tied to particular UI controls or application functions, allowing the user to navigate-to or activate them without traversing any intervening controls (e.g., "ctrl"+"S" to save a document). It is sometimes useful to distinguish keyboard commands that are associated with controls that are rendered in the current context (e.g., "alt"+"D" to move focus to the address bar) from those that may be able to activate program functionality that is not associated with any currently rendered controls (e.g., "F1" to open the Help system). Keyboard commands help users accelerate their selections.

keyboard focus

see focus

natural language

Natural language is spoken, written, or signed human language such as French, Japanese, and American Sign Language. On the Web, the natural language of content may be specified by markup or HTTP headers. Some examples include the lang attribute in HTML 4 ([HTML4] section 8.1), the xml:lang attribute in XML 1.0 ([XML], section 2.12), the hreflang attribute for links in HTML 4 ([HTML4], section 12.1.5), the HTTP Content-Language header ([RFC2616], section 14.12) and the Accept-Language request header ([RFC2616], section 14.4). See also the definition of script.

non-text content (non-text element, non-text equivalent)

see text

normative, informative (non-normative) [WCAG 2.0, ATAG 2.0]

What is identified as "normative" is required for conformance (noting that one may conform in a variety of well-defined ways to UAAG 2.0). What is identified as "informative" (or, "non-normative") is never required for conformance.

notify

To make the user aware of events or status changes. Notifications can occur within the user agent user interface (e.g., a status bar) or within the content display. Notifications may be passive and not require user acknowledgment, or they may be presented in the form of a prompt requesting a user response (e.g., a confirmation dialog).

operating environment

The term "operating environment" refers to the environment that governs the user agent's operation, whether it is an operating system or a programming language environment such as Java.

override

In UAAG 2.0, the term "override" means that one configuration or behavior preference prevails over another. Generally, the requirements of UAAG 2.0 involve user preferences prevailing over author preferences and user agent default settings and behaviors. Preferences may be multi-valued in general (e.g., the user prefers blue over red or yellow), and include the special case of two values (e.g., turn on or off blinking text content).

placeholder

A placeholder is content generated by the user agent to replace author-supplied content. A placeholder may be generated as the result of a user preference (e.g., to not render images) or as repair content (e.g., when an image cannot be found). A placeholder can be any type of content, including text, images, and audio cues. A placeholder should identify the technology of the replaced object. Placeholders appear in the alternative content stack.

platform accessibility architecture

A programmatic interface that is engineered to enhance communication between mainstream software applications and assistive technologies (e.g., MSAA, UI Automation, and IAccessible2 for Windows applications, AXAPI for MacOSX applications, Gnome Accessibility Toolkit API for Gnome applications, Java Access for Java applications). On some platforms it may be conventional to enhance communication further via implementing a DOM.

plug-in [ATAG 2.0]

A plug-in is a program that runs as part of the user agent and that is not part of content. Users generally choose to include or exclude plug-ins from their user agents.

point of regard

The point of regard is the position in rendered content that the user is presumed to be viewing. The dimensions of the point of regard may vary. For example, it may be a point (e.g., a moment during an audio rendering or a cursor position in a graphical rendering), or a range of text (e.g., focused text), or a two-dimensional area (e.g., content rendered through a two-dimensional graphical viewport). The point of regard is almost always within the viewport, but it may exceed the spatial or temporal dimensions of the viewport (see the definition of rendered content for more information about viewport dimensions). The point of regard may also refer to a particular moment in time for content that changes over time (e.g., an audio-only presentation). User agents may determine the point of regard in a number of ways, including based on viewport position in content, keyboard focus, and selection. The stability of the point of regard is addressed by [@@ Editors' Note: Need reference here@@].

pointer

see focus

pointing device focus

see focus

profile

A profile is a named and persistent representation of user preferences that may be used to configure a user agent. Preferences include input configurations, style preferences, and natural language preferences. In operating environments with distinct user accounts, profiles enable users to reconfigure software quickly when they log on. Users may share their profiles with one another.Platform-independent profiles are useful for those who use the same user agent on different devices.

prompt [ATAG 2.0]

Any user-agent-initiated request for a decision or piece of information from a user.

properties, values, and defaults

A user agent renders a document by applying formatting algorithms and style information to the document's elements. Formatting depends on a number of factors, including where the document is rendered (e.g. on screen, on paper, through loudspeakers, on a braille display, on a mobile device). Style information (e.g., fonts, colors, synthesized speech prosody) may come from the elements themselves (e.g., certain font and phrase elements in HTML), from style sheets, or from user agent settings. For the purposes of these guidelines, each formatting or style option is governed by a property and each property may take one value from a set of legal values. Generally in UAAG 2.0, the term "property" has the meaning defined in CSS 2 ([CSS2], section 3). A reference to "styles" in UAAG 2.0 means a set of style-related properties. The value given to a property by a user agent at installation is the property's default value.

recognize

Authors encode information in many ways, including in markup languages, style sheet languages, scripting languages, and protocols. When the information is encoded in a manner that allows the user agent to process it with certainty, the user agent can "recognize" the information. For instance, HTML allows authors to specify a heading with the H1 element, so a user agent that implements HTML can recognize that content as a heading. If the author creates a heading using a visual effect alone (e.g., just by increasing the font size), then the author has encoded the heading in a manner that does not allow the user agent to recognize it as a heading. Some requirements of UAAG 2.0 depend on content roles, content relationships, timing relationships, and other information supplied by the author. These requirements only apply when the author has encoded that information in a manner that the user agent can recognize. See the section on conformance for more information about applicability. User agents will rely heavily on information that the author has encoded in a markup language or style sheet language. Behaviors, style, meaning encoded in a script, and markup in an unfamiliar XML namespace may not be recognized by the user agent as easily or at all.

rendered content, rendered text

Rendered content is the part of content that the user agent makes available to the user's senses of sight and hearing (and only those senses for the purposes of UAAG 2.0). Any content that causes an effect that may be perceived through these senses constitutes rendered content. This includes text characters, images, style sheets, scripts, and any other content that, once processed, may be perceived through sight and hearing.

The term "rendered text" refers to text content that is rendered in a way that communicates information about the characters themselves, whether visually or as synthesized speech.

In the context of UAAG 2.0, invisible content is content that is not rendered but that may influence the graphical rendering (i.e. layout) of other content. Similarly, silent content is content that is not rendered but that may influence the audio rendering of other content. Neither invisible nor silent content is considered rendered content.

repair content, repair text

Content generated by the user agent to correct an error condition. "Repair text" refers to the text portion of repair content. Error conditions that may lead to the generation of repair content include:

• Erroneous or incomplete content (e.g., ill-formed markup, invalid markup, or missing alternative content that is required by format specification);
• Missing resources for handling or rendering content (e.g., the user agent lacks a font family to display some characters, or the user agent does not implement a particular scripting language).

UAAG 2.0 does not require user agents to include repair content in the document object. Repair content inserted in the document object should conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 [WCAG10]. For more information about repair techniques for Web content and software, refer to "Techniques for Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 1.0" [ATAG10-TECHS].

script

In UAAG 2.0, the term "script" almost always refers to a scripting (programming) language used to create dynamic Web content. However, in guidelines referring to the written (natural) language of content, the term "script" is used as in Unicode [UNICODE] to mean "A collection of symbols used to represent textual information in one or more writing systems."

Information encoded in (programming) scripts may be difficult for a user agent to recognize. For instance, a user agent is not expected to recognize that, when executed, a script will calculate a factorial. The user agent will be able to recognize some information in a script by virtue of implementing the scripting language or a known program library (e.g., the user agent is expected to recognize when a script will open a viewport or retrieve a resource from the Web).

selection, current selection

see focus

serial access, sequential navigation

One-dimensional access to rendered content. Some examples of serial access include listening to an audio stream or watching a video (both of which involve one temporal dimension), or reading a series of lines of braille one line at a time (one spatial dimension). Many users with blindness have serial access to content rendered as audio, synthesized speech, or lines of braille.

The expression "sequential navigation" refers to navigation through an ordered set of items (e.g., the enabled elements in a document, a sequence of lines or pages, or a sequence of menu options). Sequential navigation implies that the user cannot skip directly from one member of the set to another, in contrast to direct or structured navigation. Users with blindness or some users with a physical disability may navigate content sequentially (e.g., by navigating through links, one by one, in a graphical viewport with or without the aid of an assistive technology). Sequential navigation is important to users who cannot scan rendered content visually for context and also benefits users unfamiliar with content. The increments of sequential navigation may be determined by a number of factors, including element type (e.g., links only), content structure (e.g., navigation from heading to heading), and the current navigation context (e.g., having navigated to a table, allow navigation among the table cells).

Users with serial access to content or who navigate sequentially may require more time to access content than users who use direct or structured navigation.

support, implement, conform

Support, implement, and conform all refer to what a developer has designed a user agent to do, but they represent different degrees of specificity. A user agent "supports" general classes of objects, such as "images" or "Japanese." A user agent "implements" a specification (e.g., the PNG and SVG image format specifications or a particular scripting language), or an API (e.g., the DOM API) when it has been programmed to follow all or part of a specification. A user agent "conforms to" a specification when it implements the specification and satisfies its conformance criteria.

synchronize

The act of time-coordinating two or more presentation components (e.g., a visual track with captions, or several tracks in a multimedia presentation). For Web content developers, the requirement to synchronize means to provide the data that will permit sensible time-coordinated rendering by a user agent. For example, Web content developers can ensure that the segments of caption text are neither too long nor too short, and that they map to segments of the visual track that are appropriate in length. For user agent developers, the requirement to synchronize means to present the content in a sensible time-coordinated fashion under a wide range of circumstances including technology constraints (e.g., small text-only displays), user limitations (e.g. slow reading speeds, large font sizes, high need for review or repeat functions), and content that is sub-optimal in terms of accessibility.

technology (web content technology) [WCAG 2.0, ATAG 2.0]

A mechanism for encoding instructions to be rendered, played or executed by user agents. Web Content technologies may include markup languages, data formats, or programming languages that authors may use alone or in combination to create end-user experiences that range from static Web pages to multimedia presentations to dynamic Web applications. Some common examples of Web content technologies include HTML, CSS, SVG, PNG, PDF, Flash, and JavaScript.

text (text content, non-text content, text element, non-text element, text equivalent, non-text equivalent )

Text used by itself refers to a sequence of characters from a markup language's document character set. Refer to the "Character Model for the World Wide Web" [CHARMOD] for more information about text and characters. Note: UAAG 2.0 makes use of other terms that include the word "text" that have highly specialized meanings: collated text transcript, non-text content, text content, non-text element, text element, text equivalent, and text transcript.

Atext element adds text characters to either content or the user interface. Both in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 [WCAG20] and in UAAG 2.0, text elements are presumed to produce text that can be understood when rendered visually, as synthesized speech, or as Braille. Such text elements benefit at least these three groups of users:

1. visually-displayed text benefits users who are deaf and adept in reading visually-displayed text;
2. synthesized speech benefits users who are blind and adept in use of synthesized speech;
3. braille benefits users who are blind, and possibly deaf-blind, and adept at reading braille.

A text element may consist of both text and non-text data. For instance, a text element may contain markup for style (e.g., font size or color), structure (e.g., heading levels), and other semantics. The essential function of the text element should be retained even if style information happens to be lost in rendering. A user agent may have to process a text element in order to have access to the text characters. For instance, a text element may consist of markup, it may be encrypted or compressed, or it may include embedded text in a binary format (e.g., JPEG).

Text content is content that is composed of one or more text elements. A text equivalent (whether in content or the user interface) is an equivalent composed of one or more text elements. Authors generally provide text equivalents for content by using the alternative content mechanisms of a specification.

A non-text element is an element (in content or the user interface) that does not have the qualities of a text element. Non-text content is composed of one or more non-text elements. A non-text equivalent (whether in content or the user interface) is an equivalent composed of one or more non-text elements.

text decoration

Any stylistic effect that the user agent may apply to visually rendered text that does not affect the layout of the document (i.e., does not require reformatting when applied or removed). Text decoration mechanisms include underline, overline, and strike-through.

text format

Any media object given an Internet media type of "text" (e.g., "text/plain", "text/html", or "text/*") as defined in RFC 2046 [RFC2046], section 4.1, or any media object identified by Internet media type to be an XML document (as defined in [XML], section 2) or SGML application. Refer, for example, to Internet media types defined in "XML Media Types" [RFC3023].

text transcript

A text equivalent of audio information (e.g., an audio-only presentation or the audio track of a movie or other animation). A texr transcript provides text for both spoken words and non-spoken sounds such as sound effects. Text transcripts make audio information accessible to people who have hearing disabilities and to people who cannot play the audio. Text transcripts are usually created by hand but may be generated on the fly (e.g., by voice-to-text converters). See also the definitions of captions and collated text transcripts.

track (audio track or visual track)

Content rendered as sound through an audio viewport. The audio track may be all or part of the audio portion presentation (e.g., each instrument may have a track, or each stereo channel may have a track). Also see definition of visual track

user agent

A user agent is any software that retrieves, renders and facilitates end user interaction with Web content.

user agent default styles

User agent default styles are style property values applied in the absence of any author or user styles. Some markup languages specify a default rendering for content in that markup language; others do not. For example, XML 1.0 [XML] does not specify default styles for XML documents. HTML 4 [HTML4] does not specify default styles for HTML documents, but the CSS 2 [CSS2] specification suggests a sample default style sheet for HTML 4 based on current practice.

user interface, user interface control

For the purposes of UAAG 2.0, user interface includes both:

1. the user agent user interface, i.e., the controls (e.g., menus, buttons, prompts, and other components for input and output) and mechanisms (e.g., selection and focus) provided by the user agent ("out of the box") that are not created by content.
2. the "content user interface," i.e., the enabled elements that are part of content, such as form controls, links, and applets.

The document distinguishes them only where required for clarity. For more information, see the section on requirements for content, for user agent features, or both @@.

The term "user interface control" refers to a component of the user agent user interface or the content user interface, distinguished where necessary.

user styles

User styles are style property values that come from user interface settings, user style sheets, or other user interactions.

values

see properties

view, viewport

The user agent renders content through one or more viewports. Viewports include windows, frames, pieces of paper, loudspeakers, and virtual magnifying glasses. A viewport may contain another viewport (e.g., nested frames). User agent user interface controls such as prompts, menus, and alerts are not viewports.

Graphical and tactile viewports have two spatial dimensions. A viewport may also have temporal dimensions, for instance when audio, speech, animations, and movies are rendered. When the dimensions (spatial or temporal) of rendered content exceed the dimensions of the viewport, the user agent provides mechanisms such as scroll bars and advance and rewind controls so that the user can access the rendered content "outside" the viewport. Examples include: when the user can only view a portion of a large document through a small graphical viewport, or when audio content has already been played.

When several viewports coexist, only one has the current focus at a given moment. This viewport is highlighted to make it stand out.

User agents may render the same content in a variety of ways; each rendering is called a view. For instance, a user agent may allow users to view an entire document or just a list of the document's headers. These are two different views of the document.

top-level viewports are viewports that are not contained within other user agent viewports.

visual-only presentation

A visual-only presentation is content consisting exclusively of one or more visual tracks presented concurrently or in series. A silent movie is an example of a visual-only presentation.

visual track

A visual object is content rendered through a graphical viewport. Visual objects include graphics, text, and visual portions of movies and other animations. A visual track is a visual object that is intended as a whole or partial presentation. A visual track does not necessarily correspond to a single physical object or software object.

voice browser

From "Introduction and Overview of W3C Speech Interface Framework" [VOICEBROWSER]: "A voice browser is a device (hardware and software) that interprets voice markup languages to generate voice output, interpret voice input, and possibly accept and produce other modalities of input and output."

web resource

Anything that can be identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI).

---

Appendix C: References

This section is informative.

For the latest version of any W3C specification please consult the list of W3C Technical Reports at http://www.w3.org/TR/. Some documents listed below may have been superseded since the publication of UAAG 2.0.

Note: In UAAG 2.0, bracketed labels such as "[WCAG20]" link to the corresponding entries in this section. These labels are also identified as references through markup.

[CSS1]

"Cascading Style Sheets (CSS1) Level 1 Specification," B. Bos, H. Wium Lie, eds., 17 December 1996, revised 11 January 1999. This W3C Recommendation is http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/REC-CSS1-19990111.

[CSS2]

"Cascading Style Sheets, level 2 (CSS2) Specification," B. Bos, H. Wium Lie, C. Lilley, and I. Jacobs, eds., 12 May 1998. This W3C Recommendation is http://www.w3.org/TR/1998/REC-CSS2-19980512/.

[DOM2CORE]

"Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 Core Specification," A. Le Hors, P. Le Hégaret, L. Wood, G. Nicol, J. Robie, M. Champion, S. Byrne, eds., 13 November 2000. This W3C Recommendation is http://www.w3.org/TR/2000/REC-DOM-Level-2-Core-20001113/.

[DOM2STYLE]

"Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 Style Specification," V. Apparao, P. Le Hégaret, C. Wilson, eds., 13 November 2000. This W3C Recommendation is http://www.w3.org/TR/2000/REC-DOM-Level-2-Style-20001113/.

[INFOSET]

"XML Information Set," J. Cowan and R. Tobin, eds., 24 October 2001. This W3C Recommendation is http://www.w3.org/TR/2001/REC-xml-infoset-20011024/.

[RFC2046]

"Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) Part Two: Media Types," N. Freed, N. Borenstein, November 1996.

[WCAG10]

"Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0," W. Chisholm, G. Vanderheiden, and I. Jacobs, eds., 5 May 1999. This W3C Recommendation is http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/WAI-WEBCONTENT-19990505/.

[XML]

"Extensible Markup Language (XML) 1.0 (Second Edition)," T. Bray, J. Paoli, C.M. Sperberg-McQueen, eds., 6 October 2000. This W3C Recommendation is http://www.w3.org/TR/2000/REC-xml-20001006.

[AT1998]

The Assistive Technology Act of 1998.

[ATAG10]

"Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 1.0," J. Treviranus, C. McCathieNevile, I. Jacobs, and J. Richards, eds., 3 February 2000. This W3C Recommendation is http://www.w3.org/TR/2000/REC-ATAG10-20000203/.

[ATAG10-TECHS]

"Techniques for Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 1.0," J. Treviranus, C. McCathieNevile, J. Richards, eds., 29 Oct 2002. This W3C Note is http://www.w3.org/TR/2002/NOTE-ATAG10-TECHS-20021029/.

[CHARMOD]

"Character Model for the World Wide Web," M. Dürst and F. Yergeau, eds., 30 April 2002. This W3C Working Draft is http://www.w3.org/TR/2002/WD-charmod-20020430/. The latest version is available at http://www.w3.org/TR/charmod/.

[DOM2HTML]

"Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 HTML Specification," J. Stenback, P. Le Hégaret, A. Le Hors, eds., 8 November 2002. This W3C Proposed Recommendation is http://www.w3.org/TR/2002/PR-DOM-Level-2-HTML-20021108/. The latest version is available at http://www.w3.org/TR/DOM-Level-2-HTML/.

[HTML4]

"HTML 4.01 Recommendation," D. Raggett, A. Le Hors, and I. Jacobs, eds., 24 December 1999. This W3C Recommendation is http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/REC-html401-19991224/.

[RFC2616]

"Hypertext Transfer Protocol — HTTP/1.1," J. Gettys, J. Mogul, H. Frystyk, L. Masinter, P. Leach, T. Berners-Lee, June 1999.

[RFC3023]

"XML Media Types," M. Murata, S. St. Laurent, D. Kohn, January 2001.

[SMIL]

"Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL) 1.0 Specification," P. Hoschka, ed., 15 June 1998. This W3C Recommendation is http://www.w3.org/TR/1998/REC-smil-19980615/.

[SMIL20]

"Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL 2.0) Specification," J. Ayars, et al., eds., 7 August 2001. This W3C Recommendation is http://www.w3.org/TR/2001/REC-smil20-20010807/.

[SVG]

"Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) 1.0 Specification," J. Ferraiolo, ed., 4 September 2001. This W3C Recommendation is http://www.w3.org/TR/2001/REC-SVG-20010904/.

[UAAG10]

"User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 1.0," I. Jacobs, J. Gunderson, E. Hansen, eds.17 December 2002. This W3C Recommendation is available at http://www.w3.org/TR/2002/REC-UAAG10-20021217/.

[UAAG10-CHECKLIST]

An appendix to UAAG 2.0 lists all of the checkpoints, sorted by priority. The checklist is available in either tabular form or list form.

[UAAG10-ICONS]

Information about UAAG 1.0 conformance icons and their usage is available at http://www.w3.org/WAI/UAAG10-Conformance.

[UAAG10-SUMMARY]

An appendix to UAAG 2.0 provides a summary of the goals and structure of User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 1.0.

[UAAG10-TECHS]

"Techniques for User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 1.0," I. Jacobs, J. Gunderson, E. Hansen, eds. The latest draft of the techniques document is available at http://www.w3.org/TR/UAAG10-TECHS/.

[UNICODE]

"The Unicode Standard, Version 3.2." This technical report of the Unicode Consortium is available at http://www.unicode.org/reports/tr28/. This is a revision of "The Unicode Standard, Version 3.0," The Unicode Consortium, Addison-Wesley Developers Press, 2000. ISBN 0-201-61633-5. Refer also to http://www.unicode.org/standard/versions/. For information about character encodings, refer to Unicode Technical Report #17 "Character Encoding Model".

[VOICEBROWSER]

"Introduction and Overview of W3C Speech Interface Framework," J. Larson, 4 December 2000. This W3C Working Draft is http://www.w3.org/TR/2000/WD-voice-intro-20001204/. The latest version is available at http://www.w3.org/TR/voice-intro/. UAAG 2.0 includes references to additional W3C specifications about voice browser technology.

[W3CPROCESS]

"World Wide Web Consortium Process Document," I. Jacobs ed. The 19 July 2001 version of the Process Document is http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Process-20010719/. The latest version is available at http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Process/.

[WCAG20]

"Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0" B. Caldwell, M. Cooper, L. Guarino Reid, G. Vanderheiden, eds., 8 December 2008. This W3C Recommendation is http://www.w3.org/TR/2008/REC-WCAG20-20081211/. The latest version is available at http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/. Additional format-specific techniques documents are available from this Recommendation.

[WCAG20-TECHS]

"Techniques for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0," B. Caldwell, M. Cooper, L. Guarino Reid, G. Vanderheiden, eds., 8 December 2008. This W3C Note is http://www.w3.org/TR/2010/NOTE-WCAG20-TECHS-20101014/. The latest version is available at http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20-TECHS/. Additional format-specific techniques documents are available from this Note.

[WEBCHAR]

"Web Characterization Terminology and Definitions Sheet," B. Lavoie, H. F. Nielsen, eds., 24 May 1999. This is a W3C Working Draft that defines some terms to establish a common understanding about key Web concepts. This W3C Working Draft is http://www.w3.org/1999/05/WCA-terms/01.

[XAG10]

"XML Accessibility Guidelines 1.0," D. Dardailler, S. Palmer, C. McCathieNevile, eds., 3 October 2001. This W3C Working Draft is http://www.w3.org/TR/2002/WD-xag-20021003. The latest version is available at http://www.w3.org/TR/xag.

[XHTML10]

"XHTML[tm] 1.0: The Extensible HyperText Markup Language," S. Pemberton, et al., 26 January 2000. This W3C Recommendation is http://www.w3.org/TR/2000/REC-xhtml1-20000126/.

[XMLDSIG]

"XML-Signature Syntax and Processing," D. Eastlake, J. Reagle, D. Solo, eds., 12 February 2002. This W3C Recommendation is http://www.w3.org/TR/2002/REC-xmldsig-core-20020212/.

[XMLENC]

"XML Encryption Syntax and Processing," D. Eastlake, J. Reagle, eds., 10 December 2002. This W3C Recommendation is http://www.w3.org/TR/2002/REC-xmlenc-core-20021210/.

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Appendix D: Acknowledgments

Participants active in the UAWG prior publication:

• Jim Allan (Co-Chair, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired)
• Alan Cantor (Invited Expert)
• Bim Egan (Royal National Institute of Blind People)
• Kelly Ford (Co-Chair, Microsoft)
• Mark Hakkinen (Invited Expert)
• Simon Harper (University of Manchester)
• Patrick Lauke (Opera Software)
• Greg Lowney (Invited Expert)
• Kimberly Patch (Invited Expert)
• Jan Richards (Adaptive Technology Resource Centre, University of Toronto)
• Jeanne Spellman (W3C Staff Contact)

Other previously active UAWG participants and other contributors to UAAG 2.0:

• Judy Brewer (W3C)
• Sean Hayes (Microsoft)
• Dean Hudson (Apple)
• Cathy Laws (IBM)
• Peter Parente (IBM)
• David Poehlman (Invited Expert)
• Simon Pieters (Opera Software)
• Henny Swan (Opera Software)
• Gregory Rosmaita (Invited Expert)
• David Tseng (Apple)

UAAG 2.0 would not have been possible without the work of those who contributed to UAAG 1.0.

This publication has been funded in part with Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) under contract number ED-OSE-10-C-0067. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

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Appendix E: Checklist

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Appendix F: Comparison of UAAG 1.0 guidelines to UAAG 2.0

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