Web Accessibility for Public Entities Legal frameworks and - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Web Accessibility for Public Entities Legal frameworks and technical standards

The Web Accessibility Directive Applicable timeframes � 23/09/18 Deadline for transposing the Directive into national law � 23/12/18 Deadline for Europe an Commission to publish the implementing acts related to the Directive � A model accessibility statement � Technical specifications for the accessibility requirements � A methodology for monitoring for compliance � Arrangements for reporting by Member States to the Commission All websites created after 23 rd September 2018 have to be � 23/09/19 accessible � 23/09/20 All websites have to be accessible � 23/06/21 All mobile applications have to be accessible

The Web Accessibility Directive Exemptions #1 � Office document published before 23 rd September 2018. These are excluded unless they are needed for active administrative processes. � Pre-recorded time-based media published before 23 rd September 2020. Media created later than this date will have to be made accessible (meaning with text alternatives, captions and audio description or better solutions available at the time) � Live time-based media. This refers to video streaming which is not archived. Please note that if such media is re-published later or kept in the website, then it will qualify as pre-recorded time-based media and this should be made accessible after a period of time, usually after 14 days. � Online maps and mapping services intended for navigational use. This is as long as essential information is provided in an accessible digital manner, such as postal address and nearby public transport stops.

The Web Accessibility Directive Exemptions #2 � Third-party content that is neither funded nor developed by nor under the control of, the public sector body concerned. � Reproductions of items in heritage collections that cannot be made fully accessible because of proven technical or preservation issues. � Content of extranets and intranets that are only available for a closed group of people and not to the general public published before 23 rd September 2019, until such websites undergo a substantial revision. � Content of websites and mobile applications qualifying as archives ; ie: neither needed for active administrative processes nor updated or edited after 23rd September 2019.

The Equal Opportunites Act Year 2000 (Chapter 413) � The Equal Opportunities Compliance Unit was enacted in the year 2000. CRPD was charged with setting up a unit within its secretariat, responsible for promoting and implementing the provisions of the Equal Opportunities Act (persons with disability). � CRPD ’ s duty is therefore to investigate acts of discrimination on the basis of disability. � ICT accessibility falls under Goods and Services and outcome is subject to the decision of Test of Reasonableness Board.

Common Assistive Technology and ICT accessibility solutions � Screen Readers � The Non Visual Desktop Application (NVDA) � JAWS screen reader � Narrator � Exclusive keyboard access � Speech recognition � OS accessibility – screen resolution, font size, magnification, colour contrast � Smartphone and tablet accessibility features (Talkback / Voiceover / Siri / Google Assistant / Cortana) � Browser accessibility - use of custom CSS files, magnification, plugins

Common Assistive Technology and ICT accessibility solutions � Reader pens � Digital magnifiers � ORCAM � Apps and custom launchers � Many more …

The WCAG 2 recommendations � Published by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) group of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). � First draft was published in February 1998 and the final document was published in May 1999. � WCAG 2.0 introduced a hierarchical structure. The 14 original Guidelines of WCAG 1.0 were replaced by a new set of 12 Guidelines that were organized under 4 overarching design principles - Perceivable, Operable, Understandable and Robust (POUR). � At the next level beneath the Guidelines, Checkpoints were replaced by testable Success Criteria prioritized into three Levels of Conformance. � WCAG 2.1 – The latest iteration of the guidelines became a W3C recommendation in June 2018

Standard EN301549 � European standard EN 301 549 “ Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services ” is updated to adopt Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 for information and communications technology (ICT) including: web content � electronic documents � non-web software, such as native mobile apps � URL : www.etsi.org/deliver/etsi_en/301500_301599/301549/01.01.02_60/en_301549v010102p.pdf

Standard EN301549 � Requirements under clause 9 apply to web pages � 9.1 – General 9 (outlining the principle and application of success criteria) � 9.2 - Web content requirements – matched to WCAG 2.0 success criteria � 9.3 – WCAG 2.0 conformance requirements

Standard EN301549 Example � 9.2.30 On input Where ICT is a web page, it shall satisfy WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 3.2.2 On Input Source: https://www.w3.org/TR/UNDERSTANDING-WCAG20/consistent-behavior- � unpredictable-change.html The intent of this Success Criterion is to ensure that entering data or selecting a form control has predictable effects. Changing the setting of any user interface component is changing some aspect in the control that will persist when the user is no longer interacting with it. So checking a checkbox, entering text into a text field, or changing the selected option in a list control changes its setting, but activating a link or a button does not. Changes in context can confuse users who do not easily perceive the change or are easily distracted by changes. Changes of context are appropriate only when it is clear that such a change will happen in response to the user's action. � In most instances W3C documentation goes further by explaining context, specific benefits, giving examples and linking to related resources with lists of techniques and failures.

Standard EN301549 Example

Standard EN301549 Requirements under clause 11 apply to software � � platform software; � software that provides a user interface including content that is in the software; � authoring tools; � software that operates as assistive technology. NOTES: User agents are examples of software that provide a user interface. The requirements for Web content, including software that is Web content, can be found in clause 9. The requirements for documents, that may be presented by user agents, can be found in clause 10. Although the accessibility of command line interfaces is not dealt with in the present document, accessibility may be achieved by context specific requirements, some of which may be found in clauses 5 or 11.

The Maltese Implementation The Malta Communications Authority and the Foundation for Information Technology Accessibility � The Malta Communications Authority was appointed as the designated entity to implement the EU Accessibility Directive � FITA continues to provide ICT accessibility services and certification to both commercial and public entities.

The Maltese Implementation The Malta Communications Authority and the Foundation for Information Technology Accessibility

FITA ICT Accessibility Certification The Process Email/Meeting Accounts Assessment Classification Formal Report Project or Resource Description Applicable Invoicing, of work assessment payment involved and criteria, and approval by iterations scheduling client and resource of work tier Availability to meet and review

The Maltese Implementation The Accessibility Statement Statement format � The statement shall be provided in an accessible format in accordance with Article 4 of Directive (EU) 2016/2102, and, where appropriate, in the machine-readable format referred to in Article 2(6) of Directive 2003/98/EC. Preparation of the statement � 1. Member States shall ensure that the declarations made in the statement, as � regards compliance with the requirements set out in Directive (EU) 2016/2102 are accurate and based on one of the following: � (a) an actual evaluation of the website's or mobile application's compliance with the requirements of Directive (EU) 2016/2102, such as: — a self-assessment done by the public sector body, — an assessment carried out by a third party, for example a certification; � (b) any other measures, as deemed appropriate by the Member States, which provide equal assurance that the declarations made in the statement are accurate. 2. The statement shall indicate the method used as referred to in paragraph 1. �

The Maltese Implementation The Accessibility Statement Adaptation of the statement � Member States shall ensure that public sector bodies provide in their respective statements at least the mandatory content requirements set out in Section 1 of the Annex. � Compliance status (level and extent of compliance) � Non-accessible content and reason � Preparation of this accessibility statement (date and person responsible) � Feedback mechanism and contact details of person responsible to process requests � Enforcement procedure