WCAG 3.0: Everything You Need to Know

The web at its full potential! That has been the goal of the W3C for many years. Through the development of the WCAG 3.0 working draft by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), the W3C is one step closer to realizing that dream.

On January 21, 2021, the W3C announced the first public working draft of the W3C Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 3.0. As part of the new changes to the WCAG, the W3C is dropping the “Web Content” part of the WCAG name. It will now be known as the W3C Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 3.0, signaling a broader focus that goes beyond web content to encompass various digital products and technologies.

First, the headlines…

Here’s a rundown of some of the significant changes from the WCAG 2.x series:

• Core principles will change to design principles.
• Transition from the levels A, AA, and AAA to Bronze, Silver, and Gold conformance levels.
• Success criteria will be replaced with outcomes.
• The guidelines will shift from a content-based orientation to a more inclusive and flexible structure.
• Techniques will now be referred to as methods.

The Big Surprise

One of the most notable updates in WCAG 3.0 is that it’s not backward compatible with previous versions (WCAG 2.x). While it will encompass most of the WCAG 2.x success criteria, it will introduce new concepts, focusing on a broader range of disabilities and emerging technologies.

This means that even the anticipated WCAG 2.2 is not fully compatible with WCAG 3.0 requirements. However, the guidelines maintain adherence to international accessibility laws and policies, so compliance with the new guidelines will ensure adherence to regulations such as the ADA, EN 301 549, AODA, and others.

Expanding Accessibility for a Digital World

Unlike previous versions, WCAG 3.0 takes accessibility a step further. It isn’t just about web content; it encompasses digital products across the board. This shift is especially critical in the context of the ever-expanding digital landscape, which includes not only websites but mobile apps, PDFs, ePub formats, and other emerging digital formats. With new technologies constantly evolving, WCAG 3.0 aims to stay relevant and adaptable by incorporating testing methods for technologies that weren’t as prevalent when WCAG 2.x was developed.

For example, technologies like virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and voice-controlled interfaces are now common. WCAG 3.0 includes provisions to ensure these technologies are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.

The goal is to enable developers with varying skill levels to easily create accessible digital products that meet these guidelines. This shift emphasizes usability in a wider array of scenarios, including technologies that weren’t covered previously.

Scope of the WCAG 3.0

The WCAG 3.0 hopes to be more flexible and inclusive by addressing the following points:

• Awareness of Diverse Disability Needs: It aims to improve its conformance structure to include guidance for a broader range of disabilities. This includes better accommodation for people with low vision and cognitive disabilities, groups that have been historically underrepresented in accessibility guidelines.
• Incorporating Emerging Technologies: WCAG 3.0 is designed to keep up with emerging technologies, like augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and voice assistants, ensuring that these technologies can be used by everyone, including people with disabilities.
• Supporting Accessibility Technology: The guidelines provide recommendations for various levels of accessibility technologies, which include:
  • Digital content,
  • Authoring tools (e.g., content management systems),
  • Operating systems,
  • User agents (browsers, plugins, etc.),
  • Software and web apps, and
  • Assistive technologies like screen readers, braille displays, and voice input devices.

Flexibility in Design Principles

The shift from Core Principles to Design Principles represents WCAG’s move toward inclusivity. The change allows the guidelines to be more adaptable in addressing a wider array of disabilities. The Accessibility Guidelines should:

• Support the specific needs of people with disabilities, regardless of whether those needs fall within traditional categories.
• Be flexible enough to accommodate emerging technologies.
• Be written in plain language, making them easier for developers to implement and for users to understand.
• Enhance the ability to support automated testing and repeatable manual testing.

This approach will empower developers to build more usable and accessible products while reducing the complexity often associated with accessibility compliance.

Expanded Conformance Levels

WCAG 3.0 introduces new conformance levels—Bronze, Silver, and Gold—to replace the A, AA, and AAA levels. Although these levels are still being refined, it’s expected that Bronze will represent basic accessibility compliance, while Silver and Gold will go beyond the minimum requirements, offering higher levels of accessibility.

The shift is significant as it allows for more granular compliance, enabling developers and organizations to work progressively toward higher levels of accessibility. This approach is more forgiving in allowing developers to meet certain criteria while continuing to improve on others, a departure from the strict pass/fail approach of WCAG 2.x.

Updated Testing Approaches

One of the key innovations in WCAG 3.0 is its focus on outcome-based testing. This will allow for more flexible and user-centered testing approaches. For example, automated testing tools can handle certain tasks like color contrast checks, but user testing will remain crucial for subjective areas like ensuring cognitive accessibility or interpreting images.

Atomic testing—a process that examines individual components or elements of a website—will play a greater role, enabling more precise testing. Developers will be able to assess and improve accessibility on an element-by-element basis, rather than having to overhaul entire sections of their websites.

Addressing Broader Disability Needs

WCAG 3.0 broadens the scope of disabilities it addresses. Historically, guidelines have primarily focused on visual, auditory, and motor impairments. WCAG 3.0 includes improved accommodations for cognitive and learning disabilities, as well as low vision users. For example, it will provide specific methods for ensuring that text simplification, easy navigation, and adjustable content presentation are built into digital products, making them easier to use for individuals with cognitive challenges.

Comparison between WCAG 2.x and WCAG 3.0

The following table shows concepts from WCAG 2.x and their equivalents in this first draft of WCAG 3.0.

Adoption and Feedback of WCAG 3.0

Though the development of WCAG 3.0 has progressed significantly, it remains a work in progress. The final version is not expected until at least 2025. Until then, W3C will continue releasing drafts and gathering feedback to refine the guidelines further.

Developers, accessibility advocates, and organizations can contribute to the ongoing development of WCAG 3.0 by submitting feedback to the W3C. This can be done by sending an email to [email protected] or filing an issue in the W3C silver GitHub repository. Participating in this process allows stakeholders to help shape the future of accessibility standards.

Final Thoughts

The WCAG 3.0 guidelines represent a major leap forward in the world of accessibility, with a broader focus on digital products beyond web content. By embracing new technologies, outcome-based testing, and flexible conformance levels, WCAG 3.0 aims to be future-proof and relevant in an increasingly complex digital landscape.

Organizations should start preparing now by familiarizing themselves with the draft guidelines, ensuring their digital products will comply with these new standards once WCAG 3.0 is officially released. Accessibility is not just a technical requirement—it’s an essential responsibility for building a more inclusive digital future.