Accessibility - version of WCAG

[Hayles, Steven]

At the University of Leicester, we are auditing our many web services for WCAG 2.1 AA compliance. We currently have 3 DSpace instances. Two are running version 6.3 and the other one will be shortly. (Currently running 1.8.3 but not exposed to the internet.)

 

I’ve seen that Tim discussed the approach to compliance on this group in March 2018: https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer#!searchin/dspace-community/WCAG|sort:date/dspace-community/gfnqfrww5Do/W3Ty9dyQAAAJ

He referenced the code contribution guidelines, item 5

‘User interface patches must be XHTML-compliant and have a W3C WCAG Conformance Level of "Double-A"’. The link here is to WCAG version 1.0.

 

WCAG 2.0 compliance was raised in October 2018: https://wiki.lyrasis.org/display/cmtygp/DCAT+Meeting+October+2018

 

Would/should WCAG 2.1 AA failures in DSpace 6 or 7 now be considered bugs?

 

Thanks

 

Steven Hayles
Systems Analyst

 

IT Services, University of Leicester,

Prospect House, 94 Regent Rd, Leicester, LE1 7DA, UK

 

e:  sh...@le.ac.uk
w: le.ac.uk

Follow us on Twitter or visit our Facebook page

 

[Tim Donohue]

Hi Steven,

Yes, you are welcome to report WCAG compliance issues (v1 or v2) as bugs.  Obviously, keep in mind though that DSpace is unable to guarantee WCAG compliance for *content added into DSpace* (as that is based entirely on your local usage of DSpace).  As a simple example, I know WCAG v2.1 A compliance requires captions for prerecorded videos. As DSpace has no video captioning capabilities (and likely never will), it is up to the institution using DSpace to pre-caption any videos they plan to store in their DSpace if they want full WCAG compliance for their DSpace.

So, in general, for DSpace, the goal is to try to align with WCAG latest guidelines.  But, obviously some guidelines require your own local policies or workflows to ensure content added into DSpace is also WCAG compliant, that your local theme is WCAG compliant (as even tiny changes like color scheme can affect compliance), etc.

As noted in previous messages on this topic, we'd welcome the community to report issues as bugs.  Keep in mind, as DSpace is community built/maintained software, we are reliant on willing volunteers (or service providers) to help us resolve such issues before the next release.  So, if you find & issue and know how to fix it, please also report the fix, as that can help ensure it is resolved more rapidly.

Thanks!

Tim

---

From: dspace-c...@googlegroups.com <dspace-c...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Hayles, Steven <sh...@leicester.ac.uk>
Sent: Tuesday, May 12, 2020 11:25 AM
To: dspace-c...@googlegroups.com <dspace-c...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [dspace-community] Accessibility - version of WCAG

 

--
All messages to this mailing list should adhere to the DuraSpace Code of Conduct: https://duraspace.org/about/policies/code-of-conduct/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "DSpace Community" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to dspace-communi...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/dspace-community/DB7PR06MB4695FB971BDFED125B817CA88ABE0%40DB7PR06MB4695.eurprd06.prod.outlook.com.

[Mark H. Wood]

On Tue, May 12, 2020 at 10:03:51PM +0000, Tim Donohue wrote:
> Yes, you are welcome to report WCAG compliance issues (v1 or v2) as bugs. Obviously, keep in mind though that DSpace is unable to guarantee WCAG compliance for *content added into DSpace* (as that is based entirely on your local usage of DSpace). As a simple example, I know WCAG v2.1 A compliance requires captions for prerecorded videos. As DSpace has no video captioning capabilities (and likely never will), it is up to the institution using DSpace to pre-caption any videos they plan to store in their DSpace if they want full WCAG compliance for their DSpace.
>
> So, in general, for DSpace, the goal is to try to align with WCAG latest guidelines. But, obviously some guidelines require your own local policies or workflows to ensure content added into DSpace is also WCAG compliant, that your local theme is WCAG compliant (as even tiny changes like color scheme can affect compliance), etc.

Would it require more than reasonable effort for DSpace to provide a
"compliance profile" outlining portions of the standard which DSpace
is expected to implement? Sites would benefit from a clear
understanding of where to look for noncompliance issues: DSpace,
local modifications, or user content.

--
Mark H. Wood
Lead Technology Analyst

University Library
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
755 W. Michigan Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202
317-274-0749
www.ulib.iupui.edu

[Tim Donohue]

Hi Mark,

I think that sounds like a nice idea.  I'd love to see DSpace provide more detailed advice around accessibility.  That's not something I can claim expertise in though, so I think it'd likely require efforts of some volunteers with this expertise or interest in building up this expertise.  It also could be the start of a DSpace Accessibility Working Group (if we found enough interested folks).

So, yes, I love the idea & I think it'd be a huge help to future development (as it'd better clarify for developers what to watch out for as well). I think it would require volunteer(s) interested in helping this along to make a reality.

If anyone is interested in this, let us know.  Starting up a working group is also easy to do, but it does take someone(s) willing to chair (or co-chair) the working group efforts.

Tim

---

From: Mark H. Wood,UL 0115A,+1 317 274 0749, on behalf of Mark H. Wood
Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2020 7:09 AM
To: dspace-c...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [dspace-community] Re: Accessibility - version of WCAG

--
All messages to this mailing list should adhere to the DuraSpace Code of Conduct: https://duraspace.org/about/policies/code-of-conduct/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "DSpace Community" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to dspace-communi...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/dspace-community/20200513120901.GB25032%40IUPUI.Edu.

[Jeffrey Sheldon]

Without a formal contact in place yet, I'll respond here.

Representing K-State Libraries, I'm highly interested in being a part of a DSpace Accessibility Working Group (DAWG).

-Jeff

________________________________________
From: dspace-c...@googlegroups.com <dspace-c...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Tim Donohue <tim.d...@lyrasis.org>
Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2020 9:59 AM
To: Mark H. Wood; dspace-c...@googlegroups.com

Hi Mark,

Tim

www.ulib.iupui.edu<http://www.ulib.iupui.edu>

--
All messages to this mailing list should adhere to the DuraSpace Code of Conduct: https://duraspace.org/about/policies/code-of-conduct/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "DSpace Community" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to dspace-communi...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/dspace-community/20200513120901.GB25032%40IUPUI.Edu.

--
All messages to this mailing list should adhere to the DuraSpace Code of Conduct: https://duraspace.org/about/policies/code-of-conduct/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "DSpace Community" group.

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to dspace-communi...@googlegroups.com<mailto:dspace-communi...@googlegroups.com>.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/dspace-community/DM5PR2201MB11486E4CCE724EDA8A6409F0EDBF0%40DM5PR2201MB1148.namprd22.prod.outlook.com<https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/dspace-community/DM5PR2201MB11486E4CCE724EDA8A6409F0EDBF0%40DM5PR2201MB1148.namprd22.prod.outlook.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

[Ying Jin]

It is a great idea to have a working group to work on accessibilities. I have been dedicated to the task for a few weeks to solve most our DSpace accessibility issues (we ignored the contrast errors though). I have most of them cleared but some I can't seem to figure out. I'd love to be part of the team. 

Ying

Rice University

https://scholarship.rice.edu

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/dspace-community/DM6PR05MB52914AE6D07D6BC59C426E4BD0BF0%40DM6PR05MB5291.namprd05.prod.outlook.com.

[Hayles, Steven]

Hi Tim

 

Thanks, that’s helpful.

 

I see that you’ve updated the code contribution check list, replacing the link to WCAG 1.0 with on for WCAG 2.0. What was the reason for choosing 2.0 rather than 2.1?

 

Steven Hayles
Systems Analyst

 

Advance notice of leave: May 25-29, July 10-21

 

IT Services, University of Leicester,

Prospect House, 94 Regent Rd, Leicester, LE1 7DA, UK

 

Working from home

e:  sh...@le.ac.uk
w: le.ac.uk

Follow us on Twitter or visit our Facebook page

[Tim Donohue]

Hi Steven & all,

No specific reason at all. I just wasn't able to immediately find the 2.1 guide when I did a quick search on WCAG 2.  

I've now found it after digging a bit deeper & can correct the link: https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/

Again, I think the solution here is to establish a working group who can provide us (developers & myself) with better advice on aligning with WCAG.  This advice has been lacking as we are entirely volunteer driven (quite literally I have no staff who work for me, I'm just a coordinator of volunteers who help me to maintain DSpace).

As for establishing a working group, I've heard several folks interested in being a member of such a group.  Therefore, I think all we'd need is a willing "chair" (or a set of co-chairs) to run the group.  Such a working group can schedule meetings as you see fit, and you are more than welcome to use our DSpace Zoom (https://wiki.lyrasis.org/display/DSPACE/DSpace+Meeting+Room) for meetings (I'd need to give the chair access though if you wanted to record meetings or share screens).  

If anyone is interested in chairing such a group, please do get in touch. I'd be glad to talk with you on how to get started, and how we can work together to provide accessibility advice/requirements back to the development team (especially the team working on DSpace 7 right now).

Thanks all!

Tim

---

From: dspace-c...@googlegroups.com <dspace-c...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Hayles, Steven <sh...@leicester.ac.uk>

Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2020 2:53 AM
To: dspace-c...@googlegroups.com <dspace-c...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [dspace-community] RE: Accessibility - version of WCAG

 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/dspace-community/AM6PR06MB46927D8F19BD787A3142CDF18ABC0%40AM6PR06MB4692.eurprd06.prod.outlook.com.