WAI Expanding Access Project:
Expanding Web and Mobile Accessibility in Low Resource Regions and Communities

About the Project

The WAI Expanding Access Project provided support for accessibility work at W3C WAI to broaden outreach and engagement on web and mobile accessibility for people with disabilities in low and middle income countries (LMIC), and in indigenous communities in developing and developed countries.

People with disabilities in low resource regions and communities and communities, including in developing countries and indigenous communities, have benefited less from progress on accessibility of digital technologies than people in more developed regions. The work aimed to address several factors that contribute to this digital divide, and to set a foundation for more equitable accessibility development in the future, through work that will enhance the overall quality of W3C WAI work, while also supporting the mission of W3C.

Main Areas of Work

Improve understanding of the needs of people with disabilities in low resource regions and communities, with regard to technical and educational materials supporting Web and mobile accessibility.
Update and expand technical and educational materials highlighting improved support for low vision, cognitive, language, and learning disability user needs and improved coverage for mobile accessibility, including examples highlighting the relevance of these accessibility provisions to people with disabilities in low resource regions and communities.
Improve online resources to recruit, support, and clarify priorities for translations of W3C WAI technical and educational materials, including online resources promoting authorized and volunteer translations; a more understandable Policy for Authorized W3C Translations; and improved discoverability of translated technical and educational materials.
Improve understandability and translatability of specifications, guidelines under development, and materials supporting implementation of WCAG 2.1.
Re-energize advisory and strategic planning functions for accessibility work in W3C, including through the WAI Steering Council, and increased focus on W3C WAI visioning, strategic planning, and development.

How to Participate

Much of this project work is being developed with input from the Education and Outreach Working Group (EOWG). We invite participation, comments, and contributions by anyone interested. This includes reviewing drafts of resources and actively participating in the Working Group to help develop these resources. See:

Participating in WAI to learn about contributing to WAI work.
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If you have any questions, contact Shawn Lawton Henry.

Project Staff

The following W3C staff were supported in part by WAI Expanding Access funds: