WAI stands for Web Accessibility Initiative. It's a program by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) that develops standards and resources to make the web accessible to people with disabilities. WAI creates the WCAG guidelines that governments and businesses use for web accessibility compliance.
The Web Accessibility Initiative develops strategies, standards, and supporting resources to help make the web accessible to people with disabilities, enabling everyone to participate equally on the web.
WAI brings together people from industry, disability organizations, government, and research labs to develop guidelines and resources that make the web work better for people with disabilities. Their work includes:
Creating internationally recognized accessibility guidelines like WCAG
Providing tutorials, tools, and documentation for developers
Connecting stakeholders and promoting accessibility awareness
Helping governments implement accessibility legislation
WAI has developed comprehensive standards that form the foundation of web accessibility worldwide
The global standard for web accessibility, adopted by governments worldwide
Technical specification for dynamic web applications and screen readers
Guidelines for browsers and media players to be accessible
Standards for content management systems and authoring tools
WAI's WCAG guidelines are built around four foundational principles that guide all accessibility requirements
Information must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive
Interface components must be operable by all users
Information and UI operation must be understandable
Content must be robust enough for various assistive technologies
W3C launched the Web Accessibility Initiative with White House endorsement
First Web Content Accessibility Guidelines released
Major update with POUR principles (Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust)
Enhanced guidelines for mobile accessibility and cognitive disabilities
Latest version with improved mobile and authentication accessibility
WAI guidelines are now legal requirements in many jurisdictions and essential for inclusive business practices
WAI's WCAG is referenced in ADA, AODA, and other accessibility laws worldwide
Reach 1+ billion people with disabilities and improve usability for everyone
Search engines favor accessible websites that follow WAI guidelines