A challenge to web accessibility metrics and guidelines: putting people and processes first
Open accessAbstract
This paper argues that web accessibility is not an intrinsic characteristic of a digital resource but is determined by complex political, social and other contextual factors, as well as technical aspects which are the focus of WAI standardisation activities. It can therefore be inappropriate to develop legislation or focus on metrics only associated with properties of the resource.
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The outlined overemphasis on standard conformance has become a common complaint by web professionals.
“Although it is not a new demand to focus on the user perspective while working on web accessibility (e.g., Cooper et al., 2012; Henry, 2007; Karreman et al., 2007), the outlined overemphasis on standard conformance has become a common complaint by web professionals.”
From How compliance with web accessibility standards shapes the experiences of users with and without disabilities (2023) · cites this paper as Cooper et al., 2012
The often technical perspective of WCAG 2.0 is criticised as not centred on actual user needs and as difficult to evaluate.
“Further, the often technical perspective of WCAG 2.0 is criticised as not centred on actual user needs (Cooper et al., 2012; Pereira and Archambault, 2018; Rømen and Svanæs, 2011) and as difficult to evaluate (Brajnik et al., 2012, 2011).”
From How compliance with web accessibility standards shapes the experiences of users with and without disabilities (2023) · cites this paper as Cooper et al., 2012
Cooper et al. is cited for the criticism that WCAG 2.0's technical perspective is not centred on user needs; the separate difficulty-of-evaluation point is attributed to Brajnik et al. The available copy shows the unpaginated title, “putting people and processes first,” and bibliographic material, but no passage assessing WCAG 2.0 on that point. Searches for WCAG 2.0, technical perspective, and user needs found no decisive passage. (LLM, conf=0.72)
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- Authors
- Cooper, M., Sloan, D., Kelly, B., & Lewthwaite, S.
- Affiliations
- The Open University (GB)
- University of Dundee (GB)
- UKOLN (GB)
- King's College London (GB)
- Venue
- Proceedings of the International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility
- Publisher
- ACM
- Published
- 2012-04-16
- Pages
- 1-4
- OpenAlex
- W2160631868
- Cited by
- 56
- References
- 9
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 9.80
- Type
- conference paper
- Language
- en
- Open access
- Locations
- International Cross-Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A) (publishedVersion)
- Pure (University of Bath) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- Discovery Research Portal (University of Dundee) (submittedVersion)
- ePrints Soton (University of Southampton) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Human Factors and Ergonomics › Digital Accessibility for Disabilities
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Usability and User Interface Design
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Disability Rights and Representation
- Keywords
- web accessibility, accessibility metrics, accessibility guidelines, W3C, accessibility legislation, contextual factors, electronic resources
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