Principle B3: Authors are supported in improving the accessibility of existing content

Guideline B3.1: Assist authors in checking for accessibility problems

B3.1.1 Checking Assistance (WCAG)

If the authoring tool provides authors with the ability to add or modify web content in such a way that a WCAG 2.0 success criterion can be violated, then accessibility checking for that success criterion is provided (e.g. an HTML authoring tool that inserts images should check for alternative text; a video authoring tool with the ability to edit text tracks should check for captions).

The intent of this success criterion is to support authors in finding accessibility issues with the content they produce.

B3.1.2 Help Authors Decide (Level A)

If the authoring tool provides accessibility checking that relies on authors to decide whether potential web content accessibility problems (WCAG) are correctly identified (i.e. manual checking and semi-automated checking), then the accessibility checking process provides instructions that describe how to decide.

The intent of this success criterion is to help authors, who are not accessibility specialists, to make correct decisions about whether content is accessible or not.

B3.1.3 Help Authors Locate (Level A)

If the authoring tool provides checks that require authors to decide whether a potential web content accessibility problem (WCAG) is correctly identified (i.e. manual checking and semi-automated checking), then the relevant content is identified to the authors.

The intent of this success criterion is to ensure that authors know exactly which item on the page they are make accessibility decisions about. For example, the accessibility checker could use a highlighting feature which shows the items concerned when the user selects the issue.

B3.1.4 Status Report (Level AA)

If the authoring tool provides checks, then authors can receive an accessibility status report based on the results of the accessibility checks.

The intent of this success criterion is to give authors an overview of the accessibility of their content. This is useful for reporting and monitoring accessible and for deciding what to prioritise for fixing.

B3.1.5 Programmatic Association of Results (Level AA)

If the authoring tool provides checks, then the authoring tool can programmatically associate accessibility checking results with the web content that was checked.

The intent of this success criterion is to encourage the use of automated accessibility checking tools.

Guideline B3.2: Assist authors in repairing accessibility problems

B3.2.1 Repair Assistance (WCAG)

If checking can detect that a WCAG 2.0 success criterion is not met, then repair suggestion(s) are provided.

The intent of this success criterion is to help authors to fix issues that have been identified by an in-tool accessibility checker.