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193 lines
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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
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<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en-US" xml:lang="en-US">
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<head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" />
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<meta content="Web Accessibility Initiative, web accessibility, WAI, W3C, World Wide Web, Web, WWW, Consortium, computer, access, accessibility, disability, disabilities, worldwide, international, W3, standard, technology, free, open source, software" name="Keywords" />
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<title>WCAG Overview</title>
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<link href="../wai-main.css" media="screen" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />
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<style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve">
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<body>
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<div id="controls"><ul>
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<li><a href="#skip" shape="rect"><img src="/Icons/downinpage.png" alt="" /> Skip to Content </a></li>
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<li><a href="/WAI/changedesign.html" shape="rect"> | Change
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text size or colors </a> </li>
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</ul></div>
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<div id="masthead"><p id="logos"><a href="http://www.w3.org/" title="W3C Home" shape="rect"><img alt="W3C logo" src="/Icons/w3c_home" /></a><a href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/" title="WAI Home" shape="rect"><img alt="Web Accessibility initiative" src="/WAI/images/wai-temp" /></a></p></div>
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<div id="tagline"><p>WAI: Strategies, guidelines, resources to make the
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Web accessible to people with disabilities</p></div>
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<div id="nav"><h2>Site Navigation</h2><p id="w3cnav"><a href="http://www.w3.org/">W3C Home</a></p><p id="subhomenav"><a href="/WAI/">Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) Home</a></p><ol id="nav1" type="A"><li><a href="../gettingstarted/Overview.html" shape="rect">Getting Started</a></li><li><a href="../users/Overview.html" shape="rect">Designing for Inclusion</a></li><li class="current-nav "><a href="../guid-tech.html" shape="rect">Guidelines &
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Techniques</a><ol class="anno"><li id="current-node" class="current-nav "><span class="label"><span id="current-icon">»</span>Web Content (WCAG)</span><ul><li class="nav-head">WCAG 2.0 technical
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<ol type="i"><li class="external"><a href="/WAI/WCAG20/quickref/" shape="rect">How to Meet
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(Quick Reference) <img src="/Icons/tr.png" alt="different format" /></a></li><li><a href="/TR/WCAG20/" shape="rect">WCAG 2.0 <img src="/Icons/tr.png" alt="technical report" /></a></li><li class="external"><a href="/TR/WCAG20-TECHS/" shape="rect">Techniques <img src="/Icons/tr.png" alt="technical report" /></a></li><li class="external"><a href="/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/" shape="rect">Understanding <img src="/Icons/tr.png" alt="technical report" /></a></li><li><a href="../WCAG2-Conformance.html" shape="rect">Conformance Logos</a></li><li><a href="../WCAG20/translations.html" shape="rect">Translations</a></li></ol></li><li class="nav-head">WCAG 2.0 educational
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<ol type="i"><li class="external"><a href="/WAI/intro/wcag20" shape="rect">The WCAG Documents <img src="/Icons/tr.png" alt="different format" /></a></li><li><a href="../WCAG20/glance/Overview.html" shape="rect">WCAG at a Glance</a></li><li><a href="../WCAG20/wcag2faq.html" shape="rect">WCAG 2 FAQ</a></li></ol></li><li class="nav-head">Transition to 2.0
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<ol type="i"><li><a href="../WCAG20/from10/diff.php" shape="rect">How 2.0 Differs from 1.0</a></li><li class="external"><a href="/WAI/WCAG20/from10/comparison/" shape="rect">Comparison of 1.0 to 2.0 <img src="/Icons/tr.png" alt="different format" /></a></li><li><a href="../WCAG20/from10/websites.html" shape="rect">Update Your Website</a></li></ol></li><li class="nav-head">Submission forms
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<ol type="i"><li class="external"><a href="/WAI/GL/WCAG20/TECHS-SUBMIT/" shape="rect">Submitting Techniques <img src="/Icons/tr.png" alt="different format" /></a></li><li><a href="../WCAG20/comments/Overview.html" shape="rect">Commenting on WCAG</a></li></ol></li><li><a href="../WCAG20/docslist.html" shape="rect">More WCAG 2.0 docs</a></li><li><a href="wcag10docs.php" shape="rect">WCAG 1.0 documents</a></li></ul></li><li><a href="atag.php" shape="rect">Authoring Tool (ATAG)</a></li><li><a href="uaag.php" shape="rect">User Agent (UAAG)</a></li><li><a href="earl.php" shape="rect">Evaluation Language (EARL)</a></li><li><a href="aria.php" shape="rect">WAI-ARIA (Rich Applications)</a></li><li><a href="../techpapers.html" shape="rect">Technical Papers</a></li><li><a href="linking.html" shape="rect">Referencing & Linking</a></li><li><a href="w3c-process.php" shape="rect">Development Process</a></li></ol></li><li><a href="../managing.html" shape="rect">Planning & Implementing</a></li><li><a href="../eval/Overview.html" shape="rect">Evaluating Accessibility</a></li><li><a href="../train.html" shape="rect">Presentations & Tutorials</a></li><li><a href="../about-links.html" shape="rect">Getting Involved with WAI</a></li></ol><div id="nav-static"><div class="nav-discover">
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<p><a href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/yourWAI" shape="rect"><strong><u>Discover new resources</u></strong> for people with disabilities, policy makers, managers, and you!</a></p>
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</div><p class="translations"><a href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/wai-translations" shape="rect"><img src="http://www.w3.org/WAI/images/translations-med-1" alt="characters from different languages" /> Translations</a></p></div></div>
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<div id="main"><div id="skipwrapper"><a id="skip" shape="rect">-</a></div>
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<h1>Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Overview</h1>
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<div id="contents">
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<h2>Page Contents</h2>
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<ul>
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<li><a href="#is" shape="rect">Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
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(WCAG)</a></li>
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<li><a href="#for" shape="rect">Who WCAG is for</a></li>
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<li><a href="#whatis2" shape="rect">What is in WCAG 2.0</a></li>
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<li><a href="#version" shape="rect">WCAG Versions: 1.0 and
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2.0</a></li>
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<li><a href="#wg" shape="rect">Who develops WCAG</a></li>
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</ul>
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</div>
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<div class="sidebar">
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<h2>Sidebar</h2>
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<p class="right-align"><a href="components.php" shape="rect"><img class="border1c60" src="content.png" alt="illustration of Web content" /></a></p>
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<!-- end sidebar --></div>
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<p><span class="belownone"><strong>Quick links:</strong> <a href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/quickref/" shape="rect">How to Meet WCAG
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2.0 (Quick Reference)</a>, <a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/" shape="rect">WCAG 2.0 Technical Specification</a></span>, <a href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/glance/" shape="rect">WCAG 2.0 at a
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Glance</a></p>
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<h2><a name="is" id="is" shape="rect">Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)</a></h2>
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<p>The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) documents explain how to
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make Web content more accessible to people with disabilities. Web "content"
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generally refers to the information in a Web page or Web application,
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including text, images, forms, sounds, and such.</p>
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<p>WCAG is part of a series of accessibility guidelines, including the
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Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) and the User Agent
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Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG). <a href="/WAI/intro/components" shape="rect">Essential Components of Web Accessibility</a> explains the relationship between the different
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guidelines.</p>
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<h2><a name="for" id="for" shape="rect">Who WCAG is for</a></h2>
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<p class="no-space-after">WCAG is primarily intended for:</p>
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<ul class="list-space">
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<li>Web content developers (page authors, site designers, etc.)</li>
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<li>Web authoring tool developers</li>
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<li>Web accessibility evaluation tool developers</li>
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<li>Others who want or need a technical standard for Web accessibility</li>
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</ul>
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<p>WCAG and related resources are also intended to meet the needs of many
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different audiences, including people who are new to Web accessibility, policy makers, managers, and others.</p>
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<h2><a name="whatis2" id="whatis2" shape="rect">What is in WCAG 2.0</a></h2>
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<p><strong><a href="/TR/WCAG20" shape="rect">WCAG 2.0</a> </strong>has 12 guidelines that are organized under
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<a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/intro.html#introduction-fourprincs-head" shape="rect">4
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principles: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust</a>. For each
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guideline, there are testable <em>success criteria</em>, which are at <a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/conformance.html#uc-levels-head" shape="rect">three
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levels: A, AA, and AAA</a>.</p>
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<p>For a short summary of the WCAG 2.0 guidelines, see <a href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/glance/" shape="rect"><strong>WCAG 2.0 at a
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Glance</strong></a>.</p>
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<p><span class="belownone">Most people will use the supporting materials when
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developing Web content and Web tools, instead of the actual technical
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standards document.</span> The WCAG 2.0 supporting technical materials
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include:</p>
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<ul class="listwithp">
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<li><a href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/quickref/" shape="rect"><strong>How to Meet WCAG 2.0</strong>: A customizable quick reference to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 requirements (success criteria) and techniques</a> is the <a href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/quickref/" shape="rect">WCAG 2.0 checklist</a></li>
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<li><a href="/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/" shape="rect"><strong>Understanding
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WCAG 2.0</strong></a> has additional guidance on learning and
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implementing WCAG 2.0 for people who want to understand the guidelines
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and success criteria more thoroughly.</li>
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<li><a href="/TR/WCAG20-TECHS/" shape="rect"><strong>Techniques for WCAG
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2.0</strong></a> gives you specific details on how to develop accessible
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Web content, such as HTML code examples.</li>
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</ul>
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<p>For more details on how these document are related and how they
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are linked, see <a href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/wcag20" shape="rect"><strong>The
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WCAG 2.0 Documents</strong></a>.</p>
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<p>The best place to start working with WCAG 2.0 <a href="/WAI/WCAG20/quickref/" shape="rect">How to Meet WCAG 2.0 (Quick
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Reference)</a>.</p>
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<h3><a name="related" id="related" shape="rect"></a>Additional Support Material</h3>
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<p> Educational material related to WCAG 2.0 is listed in the <a href="#subhomenav" shape="rect">navigation area of this page</a>.</p>
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<p>WAI is planning additional material to help Web developers who
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are not accessibility experts develop accessible Web content that conforms to
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WCAG 2.0. We may develop "Application Notes" (working title) to provide guidance
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for specific topics, such as images, links, or tables. For example, an
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Application Note on forms would start with simple examples and include the
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WCAG 2.0 success criteria, techniques, and strategies for developing
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accessible forms.</p>
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<p>WAI plans to update Understanding WCAG 2.0 documents and Techniques for WCAG 2.0 periodically. We welcome <a href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/comments/" shape="rect">comments</a> and <a href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WCAG20/TECHS-SUBMIT/" shape="rect">submission of new techniques</a>.</p>
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<h3>Technical document format</h3>
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<p>WCAG follows the <acronym title="World Wide Web Consortium">W3C</acronym> format for technical
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specifications, which includes several sections at the beginning: links to
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different versions, editors, copyright, abstract, and status with the link to
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errata and the email address for comments. Most WAI specifications have a
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link at the top to the Table of Contents.</p>
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<h2><a name="version" id="version" shape="rect">WCAG Versions: 1.0 and 2.0</a></h2>
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<p>Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 was published in May 1999. WCAG 2.0 was published on 11 December 2008. WCAG 2.0 applies broadly to more advanced technologies; is easier to use and understand; and is more precisely testable with automated testing and human evaluation.</p>
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<p><strong>W3C WAI recommends using WCAG 2.0</strong>, instead of WCAG 1.0.</p>
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<p class="listafter">Most Web sites that conform to WCAG 1.0 will not require significant
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changes in order to conform to WCAG 2.0, and some may not need any changes. To help you move to WCAG 2.0, WAI is developing:</p>
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<ul class="listwithp">
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<li><a href="../WCAG20/from10/diff.php" shape="rect">How WCAG 2.0 Differs from WCAG 1.0</a></li>
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<li> <a href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/from10/comparison/" shape="rect">Comparison of WCAG 1.0 Checkpoints to WCAG 2.0</a></li>
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<li><a href="../WCAG20/from10/websites.html" shape="rect">How to Update Your Web Site from WCAG 1.0 to WCAG 2.0</a></li>
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<li>Guidance on transitioning Web Accessibility Policies to WCAG 2.0</li>
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</ul>
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<h2><a name="wg" id="wg" shape="rect">Who develops WCAG</a></h2>
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<p>WCAG technical documents are developed by the Web Content Accessibility
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Guidelines Working Group (<a href="/WAI/GL/" shape="rect">WCAG WG</a>), which is part of
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the World Wide Web Consortium (<a href="http://www.w3.org" shape="rect">W3C</a>) Web
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Accessibility Initiative (<a href="/WAI/" shape="rect">WAI</a>). For more information
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about the working group, see the <a href="/WAI/GL/" shape="rect">WCAG WG page</a>.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/w3c-process" shape="rect">How WAI Develops
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Accessibility Guidelines through the W3C Process: Milestones and
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Opportunities to Contribute</a> describes formal periods for public review.
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Opportunities for review and comment of WAI documents in progress are announced on the <a href="/WAI/" shape="rect">WAI home page</a> and <a href="/WAI/IG/#mailinglist" shape="rect">WAI Interest Group mailing list</a>. There is a <a href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/comments/" shape="rect">form for comments</a> on existing WCAG 2.0 documents, and a form for <a href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WCAG20/TECHS-SUBMIT/" shape="rect">submission of new techniques</a>.
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<!-- [@@ later: link to
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simple overview of process!] ... @@ link to #team when new version posted-->
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</p>
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<p>Opportunities for contributing to WCAG and other WAI work are introduced
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in <a href="/WAI/participation" shape="rect">Participating in WAI</a>.</p>
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<!-- end main --></div>
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<div id="footer">
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<h2>Document Information</h2>
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<p><strong>Status: </strong>Updated 10 June 2011 <a href="/WAI/EO/changelogs/cl-wcag" shape="rect">[changelog</a>]<br clear="none" />
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Editor: Shawn Lawton Henry. Developed with the Education and Outreach Working Group (<a href="/WAI/EO/" shape="rect">EOWG</a>) and the Web Content Accessibility Working Group (<a href="/WAI/GL/" shape="rect">WCAG WG</a>).</p>
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<div class="footer-nav"><p>[<a href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/sitemap.html" shape="rect">WAI Site Map</a>] [<a href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/sitehelp.html" shape="rect">Help with WAI Website</a>] [<a href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/search.php" shape="rect">Search</a>] [<a href="/WAI/contacts" shape="rect">Contacting WAI</a>]<br clear="none" />
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<strong>Feedback welcome to <a href="mailto:wai-eo-editors@w3.org" shape="rect">wai-eo-editors@w3.org</a></strong> (a publicly archived list) or <a href="mailto:wai@w3.org" shape="rect">wai@w3.org</a> (a WAI staff-only list).</p></div><div class="copyright"><p><a rel="Copyright" href="/Consortium/Legal/ipr-notice#Copyright" shape="rect">Copyright</a> © 1994-2011 <a href="/" shape="rect"><acronym title="World Wide Web Consortium">W3C</acronym></a><sup>®</sup> (<a href="http://www.csail.mit.edu/" shape="rect"><acronym title="Massachusetts Institute of Technology">MIT</acronym></a>, <a href="http://www.ercim.org/" shape="rect"><acronym title="European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics">ERCIM</acronym></a>, <a href="http://www.keio.ac.jp/" shape="rect">Keio</a>), All Rights Reserved. W3C <a href="/Consortium/Legal/ipr-notice#Legal_Disclaimer" shape="rect">liability</a>, <a href="/Consortium/Legal/ipr-notice#W3C_Trademarks" shape="rect">trademark</a>, <a rel="Copyright" href="/Consortium/Legal/copyright-documents" shape="rect">document use</a> and <a rel="Copyright" href="/Consortium/Legal/copyright-software" shape="rect">software
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licensing</a> rules apply. Your interactions with this site are in
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accordance with our <a href="/Consortium/Legal/privacy-statement#Public" shape="rect">public</a> and <a href="/Consortium/Legal/privacy-statement#Members" shape="rect">Member</a> privacy
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statements.</p></div>
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