Principle B4: Authoring tools promote and integrate their accessibility features

Guideline B4.1: Ensure the availability of features that support the production of accessible content

B4.1.1 Features Active by Default (Level A)

All accessible content support features are turned on by default.

The intent of this success criterion is to encourage authors to perceive accessibility features as a natural and normal part of the workflow, just like other features such as spell check.

B4.1.2 Option to Reactivate Features (Level A)

The authoring tool does not include the option to turn off its accessible content support features or features which have been turned off can be turned back on.

The intent of this success criterion is to ensure that if authors turn accessibility features off, they can easily turn them back on again.

B4.1.3 Feature Deactivation Warning (Level AA)

The authoring tool does not include the option to turn off its accessible content support features or, if these features can be turned off, authors are informed that this may increase the risk of content accessibility problems (WCAG).

The intent of this success criterion is to tell authors that if they turn accessibility features off, it will have consequences for their content and may prevent some of their audience from accessing it.

B4.1.4 Feature Prominence (Level AA)

All accessible content support features are at least as prominent as features related to either invalid markup, syntax errors, spelling errors or grammar errors.

The intent of this success criterion is to make sure that authors are just as likely to see or notice accessibility warnings as any other warnings. For example, incorrect spellings are usually highlighted with a red zigzag. Accessibility issues with their content should be just as visible.

Guideline B4.2: Ensure that documentation promotes the production of accessible content

B4.2.1 Model Practice (WCAG)

A range of examples in the documentation (e.g. markup, screen shots of WYSIWYG editing-views) demonstrate accessible authoring practices (WCAG).

The intent of this success criterion is to role model accessibility good practice in any documentation. For example, documentation is likely to be correctly spelled and demonstrate valid HTML code. It should also demonstrate WCAG conformant examples.

B4.2.2 Feature Instructions (Level A)

Instructions for using any accessible content support features appear in the documentation.

The intent of this success criterion is to help authors find information on how to use features in the authoring tool to produce accessible content.