Use W3C technologies and guidelines

These checkpoints are all about following the W3C's standards. The checkpoints are:

• Use W3C technologies when they are available and appropriate for a task and use the latest versions when supported [Priority 2]
• Avoid deprecated features of W3C technologies [Priority 2]
• Provide information so that users may receive documents according to their preferences (e.g., language, content type, etc [Priority 3]
• If you cannot create an accessible page, provide a link to an alternative page that uses W3C technologies, is accessible, has equivalent information (or functionality), and is updated as often as the inaccessible (original) page [Priority 1]

Why the checkpoints are important

The W3C standards are non-proprietary which means you can use them accross different browsers. If you use non-W3C technologies (e.g. PDF, Shockwave, etc.), you may need to download or use plug-ins or stand-alone applications that are not always accessible to read the page. The W3C reviews its technologies for accessibility so, by using a W3C technology, you are more likely to embed accessibility in your website.

If you avoid non-W3C and non-standard features (proprietary elements, attributes, properties, and extensions), your pages are more accessible to more people using a wider variety of hardware and software.