GCA Certification

Steps for Benetech GCA Certification

  1. epubcheck
  2. Quick review using reading system (thorium)
  3. Validate using Ace by Daisy
  4. Conformance checking with SMART
  5. Check code (Sigil etc)
  6. Check images for contrast
  7. Produce reports for publisher

1 – epubcheck

Either GUI or command line

2 – Quick review using reading system

  • images
  • tables
  • lists
  • math
  • asides, footnotes, links etc.

Test with screen reader when in doubt

3 – Validate using Ace by Daisy

Either GUI or command line - only ~10–15% of required checks - links to DAISY Knowledge Base

4 – Conformance checking with SMART

https://smart.daisy.org/

Imports Ace's json

  • can save resulting report

5 – Check code (Sigil etc)

  • look for tags

6 – Check images for contrast

Check to see if images (generally cover) meets WCAG-AA

7 – Produce reports for publisher

ACE HTML report
SMART HTML report
GCA Technical Report

  • manual Word Doc
  • Start with Benetech template
  • Add info from ACE and SMART
  • Provides Code samples of issues and solutions
  • Three sections:
  • Must fix
  • Strongly suggested
  • Best practices

WCAG

  1. perceivable see/hear etc.
  2. operable typing, mouse, voice, link context
  3. understandable UI must be standard/consistent
  4. robust interpretable by a wide variety of assistive technologies

WCAG Level A Common Issues for epubs

  • Non-text content (image descriptions)
  • Info and relationships (headings, pagebreaks)
  • Meaningful sequence (spine etc.)
  • Sensory characteristics (size, shape color)
  • Use of color (no dependencies on color)

WCAG Level AA Common Issues for epubs

  1. perceivable
    • 1.4.3 Constrast Minimum If you can't fix cover contrast then book would be WCAG A
    • 1.4.4 Resize Text
    • 1.4.5 Images of Text
  2. operable
    • 2.4.5 Multiple Ways (page lists etc.)
    • 2.4.6 Headings and labels (note: aria can enable you to go beyond h6 i.e h7, h8 etc.)
  3. understandable
    • 3.1.2 Language of Parts
    • 3.2.3 Consistent Navigation (interior and book to book)
    • 3.2.4 Consistent Identification
  4. robust

Epub Accessibility 1.0

MUST:

  • meet requirements for Discoverable Epub (have metadata in opf)
  • meet WCAG 2.1 A
  • meet Epub requirements (page numbers, source, media overlays, etc.)

  • include accessibility conformance metadata (must declare conformsTo , WCAG 2.1 AA etc.)

  • GCA requires WCAG AA and extended descriptions

General Notes

  • Covers
    • cover images do not need to be in a figure tag
    • "Cover: [title] by [authors]..."
    • "Cover: [title], [edition] by..."
    • very long descriptions can have just authors with aria-described by in hidden aside (not recommended)
  • Landmarks: Use the following if they are meant to be referenced "often"
    • List of Tables
    • List of Figures
    • List of Illustrations