Web Accessibility Through the Ages

In the 1960s and 1970s, the internet took its initial steps, establishing the foundation for a worldwide digital landscape. The pivotal moment came in 1989, when Tim Berners-Lee introduced the World Wide Web, ushering in a revolutionary era of information sharing.

Computer programmers in the 1970s. Source: Computer History Museum

1971: The Trace Center formation
In 1971, an electrical engineering undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin, Gregg Vanderheiden encountered Lydell, a young non-speaking student with cerebral palsy at a nearby school, using a basic wooden communication board for school and homework. Through this encounter, Vanderheiden and a group of students from various academic disciplines joined forces to explore technology-based solutions, aiming to create an independent communication and writing method for Lydell.

Lydell experiments with the inaugural Autocom prototype. Source: TRACE RERC University of Maryland

What began as an earnest effort to assist one individual grew into the pioneering Trace R&D Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (then relocated to the University of Maryland in 2016). Pioneering the field of ‘augmentative communication,’ the Center co-founded the Communication Aids & Systems Clinic (CASC) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Fast forward five decades, Dr. Vanderheiden, a professor in the College of Information Studies at the University of Maryland, narrates the inception of the Trace Center in the opening pages of the book ‘Technology and Disability: 50 Years of Trace R&D Center Contributions and Lessons Learned’ (Springer, 2023). The book brings readers through the Trace Center’s remarkable journey over the past fifty years and enriched with engaging anecdotes and insightful lessons learned from the Center’s pioneering work in Computer Accessibility.

1980–1999: Industry-Government Initiative
In 1984, the Trace Center played a key role in coordinating the nationwide Industry-Government Initiative on Computer Accessibility. The resultant computer design guidelines formed the foundation for numerous industry standards and accessibility norms.

As technology became increasingly prevalent in various aspects of life, Trace’s research and development efforts shifted towards universal design for information and communication technologies. The aim was to make these technologies more accessible and usable not only for people with disabilities but also for elders.

Notably, Trace pioneered the creation of the initial set of accessibility guidelines for web content and the Unified Web Access Guidelines. These guidelines served as the cornerstone for the development of the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0.

1984: IBM Screen Reader
In 1984, largely due to the work of Jim Thatcher, IBM Researcher and Accessibility Pioneer, who was motivated by a personal connection with his blind thesis adviser, Dr. Jesse Wright, Thatcher worked on developing an audio access system for the IBM Personal Computer. This collaborative effort resulted in the launch of IBM Screen Reader in 1986, one of the early screen readers for DOS.

“The 3270s were what people were using; we saw PCs coming on,” Thatcher recalled during a telephone interview from his home in Austin, Texas. He noted that, at that time, IBM had a prototype of a talking terminal, known then as SAID (for Synthetic Audio Interface Driver), developed by Al Overby of IBM Raleigh. Through the work of Thatcher and Wright, SAID was developed into the IBM Screen Reader for DOS. “I had no idea it would become an IBM product because I was just having fun, making the PC accessible for Jesse,” Thatcher continued.

Source: American Foundation for the Blind

Subsequently, Thatcher played a key role in creating IBM Screen Reader/2, the first screen reader for a graphical user interface on the PC. Following his retirement from IBM in 2000, Thatcher continued contributing to accessible technology as a consultant.

1998: Section 508 and Legal Frameworks
In 1998, the U.S. amends the Rehabilitation Act to include Section 508, emphasising digital accessibility. Under Section 508, agencies are required to provide disabled employees and members of the public access to information that is equivalent to the access available to individuals without disabilities.

Curtis Chong. Source: National Federation of the Blind

Born prematurely in Honolulu, Curtis Chong lost his eyesight due to excessive oxygen in an incubator. In 1969, Chong initiated his involvement in blind community affairs by joining the National Federation of the Blind (NFB). Through the organisation, he dedicated efforts to enhance services for the blind in Hawaii.

Transitioning to a career as a computer professional at the Federal Aviation Administration in 1972, Chong, faced with the absence of talking computers, ingeniously created his Braille output program for the IBM 1401 computer. This, along with an elastic attachment to an impact printer, allowed him to convert information from punch cards into Braille.

As the Director of Technology for the National Federation of the Blind (1997–2002), Chong played a significant role as a member of the Electronic Information and Technology Access Advisory Committee of the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board. This committee was responsible for crafting the initial standards, subsequently utilised by the Access Board to enact Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

1999: WCAG 1.0 Release
In May 1999, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 1.0 were introduced, marking an initial effort to establish accessibility standards for the web.

Primarily centered on HyperText Markup Language (HTML), WCAG 1.0 introduced the familiar conformance levels we use today: A, AA, and AAA. In terms of an entire website or web page, adhering to level A involves meeting only level A success criteria, whereas adherence to level AAA entails compliance with every success criterion, encompassing A, AA, and AAA, making AAA the most comprehensive level.

2008: WCAG 2.0 Release
In December 2008, WCAG 2.0 was released, marking a departure from its predecessor by considering a broader range of technologies. It introduced four essential principles — Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR) — which serve as categories for the success criteria of WCAG. Each criterion is designed to address challenges in making content perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for all users.

2018: WCAG 2.1 Release
In June 2018, WCAG 2.1 was launched, serving as an extension of, rather than a replacement for, WCAG 2.0. The 2.1 standards introduce additional success criteria specifically aimed at enhancing web accessibility for mobile devices, individuals with low vision, and those with cognitive disabilities.

2023: WCAG 2.2 Release
On October 5, 2023, WCAG 2.2 was released. All the new criteria in WCAG 2.2 tackle accessibility concerns related to how individuals engage with content. These standards apply to both mobile apps and websites, offering sensible recommendations to enhance the overall user experience.

2021–2023: WCAG 3.0 Draft Release
Published on 21 January 2021, the First Public Working Draft of WCAG 3.0 underwent further refinement in its July 2023 draft, incorporating numerous modifications based on public input and feedback.

WCAG 3 aims for greater user-friendliness, addressing diverse user needs and providing flexibility across web content, apps, and organisations. While sharing some similarities with previous versions, it introduces a different structure, conformance model, and a broader scope beyond web content.

For the latest updates and to explore WCAG 3.0 in detail, you can visit the official source from the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI): Link to WCAG 3.0 Updates.

References:

1. Computer History Museum. (n.d.). The 1970s: Building the Foundation for the Internet. Retrieved from https://www.computerhistory.org/internethistory/1970s/
2. Vanderheiden, G. (2002). The Progress and Future of Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology. Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development, 39(6), vii-x.
3. Roberts, E. (2005–06). Accessibility: The First Wave — A History of Disability Access on the Web. Retrieved from https://cs.stanford.edu/people/eroberts/courses/soco/projects/2005-06/accessibility/firstwave.html#:~:text=1986%20%E2%80%93%20Jim%20Thatcher%20created%20the,graphical%20interface%20PCs%20(4).
4. Trace Research & Development Center. (n.d.). Technology and Disability: 50 Years of Trace R&D Center Contributions and Lessons Learned. Retrieved from https://trace.umd.edu/news/new-history-of-the-trace-center-released-technology-and-disability-50-years-of-trace-rd-center-contributions-and-lessons-learned/
5. Trace Research & Development Center. (n.d.). History of Trace. Retrieved from https://trace.umd.edu/history/
6. American Foundation for the Blind. (n.d.). Helen Keller Achievement Awards: The Writers. Retrieved from https://www.afb.org/aw/5/2/14760
7. Blind Technology Blog. (n.d.). The Writers. Retrieved from https://blindtechnology.wordpress.com/the-writers/
8. American Foundation for the Blind. (n.d.). Technology and the Internet. Retrieved from https://www.afb.org/aw/6/5/
9. American Foundation for the Blind. (n.d.). Technology and the Workplace. Retrieved from https://www.afb.org/aw/6/5/14590
10. National Federation of the Blind. (2011). Resolution 2011–07: Regarding Web Accessibility for Blind Students. Retrieved from https://nfb.org/sites/default/files/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm11/bm1101/bm110107.htm
11. Accessibility Online. (n.d.). Speaker: Jim Thatcher. Retrieved from https://www.accessibilityonline.org/ada-audio/speakers/10583/?ret=speakers
12. IA Labs. (n.d.). A History of the WCAG. Retrieved from https://ialabs.ie/a-history-of-the-wcag/#:~:text=2008%3A%20WCAG%202.0%20Released,addressing%20content%20implemented%20using%20HTML.
13. W3C. (n.d.). Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Overview. Retrieved from https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/
14. W3C. (n.d.). WCAG 2.1. Retrieved from https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/new-in-21/
15. W3C. (n.d.). WCAG 2.2. Retrieved from https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/new-in-22/
16. W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). (2023). Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 3.0. Retrieved from https://www.w3.org/TR/wcag-3.0/