Appendix IV. The similarities and differences between the DLAUG and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)


    • Universal Standard: Providing a single shared standard for web content accessibility to people with disabilities
    • Web content accessibility: Explaining how to make web content and web sites more accessible
    • Target audience: Intended for web content and interface developers
    • Guideline objective: Providing techniques that offer specific details on how to develop an accessible web interface


    • User-driven guidelines: The DLAUG based on BVI users’ interactions with DLs; WCAG based on web content accessibility.
    • Focused scope: The DLAUG providing specific guidelines on accessibility and usability of digital libraries to support blind and visually impaired screen reader users; WCAG focusing on providing a wide range of recommendations enhancing accessibility for the web.
    • Different guideline structure: The DLAUG organized by categories of help-seeking situations; WCAG organized by web content elements.
    • Conformance level: The DLAUG categorized based on the frequency of help-seeking situations and unique association with BVI users rather than all people with disabilities; WCAG’s conformance level categorized based on important access issues that might be faced by all users with disabilities.
    • Added elements: The DLAUG providing Factors leading to the help-seeking situations and Recommended features for each guideline; WCAG focusing on web elements themselves and related techniques that improve the accessibility of each element.