WCAG 2.0 Guidelines in Web development and Web design

With the numerous web development and web companies available, choosing the best one is difficult. Clients have different criteria that they look for in a  web development and web design company. However, among these criteria, client must make sure that the company they will choose can develop and design a website that complies to WCAG 2.

Innovations in web development and web design now incorporate accessibility not only for a regular individual but also accessibility for those with disabilities and difficulties. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 or WCAG 2 encompass principles and standard where a website is labeled as efficient and accessible even if different technologies were used in making the site. WCAG 2 is important in web development and web design because it gives guidelines for developers and designers on how they could make their site user friendly.

Following and using WCAG 2 in web development and web design is not that difficult because it also provide examples and sample commands on how to make the web user-friendly and accessible. The primary goal set by WCAG 2 in web development and web design is to “provide a shared standard for web content accessibility that meets the needs of individuals, organizations, and governments internationally” (Caldwell et.al., 2008). Using WCAG 2  in web development and web design is guided by four principles. These are “(1) Content must be perceivable,(2) Interface elements must be operable, (3) Content and controls must be understandable, and (4) Content must be robust enough to work with current and future web technologies” (Caldwell et.al., 2008). Each of this four principles have 12 guidelines and 61 criteria that should be met before the site could be labeled as accessible even for individuals with different disabilities. The principles in WCAG 2 are general in nature and are applicable in business and personal type of websites.

Changes in technology and gadgets are for everyone. Even the less privilege and handicapped individual has the right to enjoy and use these gadgets and technology.  WCAG 2 in web development and web design aims to make sure that this right is being practiced to the fullest. Having a site that has passed the standards set in WCAG 2 is also an added boost for the site since there is a greater chance that users will visit the site again if they had enjoyed their stay and experience.

The software and tools will not matter as long as they can provide an acceptable, accessible and user-friendly site even for the less privilege users. In Tambayanspot Web Solution, they are familiar with the principles of WCAG 2 and they can comply.

Reference:

Caldwell Ben, Michael Cooper, Loretta Guarino, and Greg Vanderheiden. (December 2008)

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. W3C Recommendation. Retrieved 11 Jun 2011 from http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/