One of the first things that you’ll notice when you start reading WCAG 2.0 is that it is “technology independent.” Well what does that mean? The guidelines and success criteria are not tied to any particular Web technology. They apply to all technologies (HTML, CSS, Images, Flash, JavaScript).
Within the main WCAG 1.0 document, there is practical advice for how to make your Web site accessible. For example, Guideline 5 is “Create tables that transform gracefully.” you’re not going to see practical advice like this at this level of WCAG 2.0.
To get the practical advice that deals with one technology or the other, you have to look one level deeper at the supporting material like Understanding WCAG 2.0 or Techniques and Failures for WCAG 2.0. The main WCAG 2.0 guidelines document acts more as the foundation for the other practical techniques that you’ll find.
I think having WCAG 2.0 be technology independent is pretty smart. It seems like every couple of months some new Web technology is announced. There is some new way for Web content to be authored and experienced.
It would have been hard if practical advice would have been woven into the main WCAG guidelines, like in WCAG 1.0. It would have to be ever evolving and ever changing. Within the main WCAG 2.0 document, the guidance is more abstract and high level so that it can apply to just about everything.
What do you think of WCAG 2.0 being technology independent?
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