Current versions of SC and Definitions

• SC for viewing | SC for editing
• Critical Service definition for viewing | Critical Service definition for editing
• Important Information definition for viewing | Important Information definition for editing
• SC in full draft guideline

Extra Symbols

SC Text

A mechanism is available such that controls that are used to reach, or are part of, a critical service, and each instruction that contains important information that directly relates to a critical service, is preceded by a symbol or picture, which relates to the topic of the control or instruction.

Suggestion for Priority Level

AA

Note

It is a bit controversial to say that people with Aphasia, etc. are not in an intended audience. However, when we remove the intended audience clause this seems to become a AAA conformance criterion, which is more problematic. We are open to other alternatives.

Related Glossary additions or changes

Important information: information the user may need to complete any action or task including an offline task, or related to safety, risks, privacy, health or opportunities

What Principle and Guideline the SC falls within.

Principle 3, 3.1 Make text content readable and understandable.

Description

Symbols are added at the beginning of short sentences and phrases to aid understanding. However, as some people have difficulty remembering symbols, use text with the symbol.

• Use clear symbols that can easily be seen and expanded
• Use images understood by different users
• In left-to-right languages, place the image to the left of the text

We are also drafting semantics that will add symbols that are easy to use by the individual user.

See widget and easy read for some good examples.

Examples of content and features where the intended audience includes people who may require the use of symbols, use augmentative/alternative communication systems, have expressive and receptive written language difficulties or have intellectual disabilities, include:

• All important tasks in critical services such as making a doctor's appointment
• Navigation to important tasks in critical services, such as making a doctor's appointment
• Paying for utility bills, such as paying a water bill
• Critical government information sites
• Any content that is intended for a wide audience.

It should be noted that to conform to the principle of personalization (SC 6), symbols and graphics must be:

• Interoperable so that when possible, symbols can be replaced by symbols that are familiar to the user.
• Default setting should allow for the number of symbols shown to be reduced, such as only showing symbols by headings, controls and links. This reduces the clutter for non-symbol users.

If these conditions are not explicit in the personalization requirement, it should be added to this success criteria.

Note that graphics should be clear and make it easy to identify what is going on. This topic and why the use of symbols must support personalization and interoperability is discussed at Symbols for Non-Verbal.

Benefits

The benefit of this Success Criterion to people who find reading or language difficult cannot be underestimated. This population may include people who have developmental delays or acquired or progressive brain damage. For example, a person with severe aphasia, where they have the intellectual ability to understand concepts, but cannot express those concepts, read text or write the word needed in a search field, is dependent on the use of symbols to browse pages for information.

The user needs are more fully described in the issue paper Symbols for Non-Verbal and User needs Table.

Related Resources (optional)

Resources are for information purposes only, no endorsement implied.

• User needs Tables, Table 4: Help and Support and Table 7: Clear and Understandable Content and Text
• COGA background research document
• Making Myself Clear
• How Symbols Are Used
• Dyslexia Style Guide
• Garrett, K. L., Beukelman, D. R., & Low-Morrow, D. (1989). A comprehensive augmentative communication system for an adult with Broca's Aphasia. Augmentative & Alternative Communication, 5(1), 55.
• Top Five Instructional Tips for Students with Down syndrome

Testability

This Success Criterion can be tested manually by inspection.

Techniques

• Adding icons and graphics.
• Using COGA semantics for interoperable icons and concepts
• Using semantics to add symbols to sections that help the user identify key content including:
• types of contact information
• types of help
• types of functions
• warnings
• key points
• errors
• system messages
• notes
• definitions
• more information
• tables of content and site maps
• file types
• search
• required information
• errors
• opinions
• essential information
• types of transactions and types of reminders
• instructions and status of an element
• invalid fields
• non-native
• content and sponsored content are clearly marked and visually differentiated by standardized techniques