It would be very helpful to gather contacts and support within the
BBC, and backstage in particular.
I have already contacted Jonathan Hassell and Andrea Callender
please read the attached final draft and confirm your support.
we have a strong list of supporters, including Mencap, The Rix
Centre, GAWDS plus many smaller groups Skillnet, Ubisan, Better
days.... A few other big names: FPwLD, DRC, Inclusion
International... yet to reply, ... Even the BSI are independently
sending in a comment.
regards
Jonathan Chetwynd
The text of the formal objection is as follows:
WCAG 2.0 claims to define and address the requirements for making Web
content accessible to those with learning difficulties, cognitive
limitations and others. We object to that claim.
Specifically, the success criteria requirements for making content
understandable ignore the needs of people with learning difficulties
and cognitive limitations.
Please note that there are guidelines published by other groups that
will make content much more accessible to these users. However, with
the WCAG claim to address learning difficulties and cognitive
limitations, people will not know that they need to look further.
We would like to see continued work in this field and a statement in
the WCAG 2.0 abstract and introduction modifying the claim that they
currently
address accessibility for learning disabilities. Specifically, we
recommend removing learning difficulties and cognitive limitations
from the list of supported disabilities. A sentence may be added
later in the abstract that “these guidelines may also provide some
benefits for people with learning difficulties and cognitive
limitations”. We would then like to see a statement of intent such
as: "the working group intends to build additional success criteria
to address accessibility for learning disabilities and cognitive
limitations."
--
The aim of the objection is that:
a, The working group understands that WCAG 2.0 dose not provide all
the requirements for access for cognitive limitations, and
b, they continue work on an extension guideline that will address
these needs.
The good news is that this effort is already being taken seriously by
the WCAG co-chairs. It is not being seen or understood as campaigning
but as a constructive criticism aimed to making a better and fairer
set of guidelines. The more signatures we get now, the better the
case will be made.
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