WCAG 2.0 was released in December 2008, and free web accessibility evaluation tools are slowly starting to catch up with the change from version one to version two. There are currently two free evaluation tools that support WCAG 2.0: aChecker, developed by the University of Toronto, and TAW, developed by Fundación CTIC. The next version of the popular evaluation tool WAVE will also support WCAG 2.0 and is due for release in early 2011.
When you conduct an accessibility audit, evaluation tools help you verify if your website meets the web accessibility guidelines such as WCAG 2.0 or, in the US, Section 508. It is important to remember that no tool can automatically determine if a website is accessible, but they can certainly assist you and cut down the time and effort it takes to assess a website.
In recent months the Australian government has endorsed WCAG 2.0, and will be implementing level AA of this standard by 2015. Media Access Australia highly recommends that all websites are developed in accordance with WCAG 2.0, and that you test and evaluate your website accordingly.
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