Accessibility News for February 2026

Draft Released of Accessibility Evaluation Methodology (WCAG-EM) version 2.0 

The Accessibility Guidelines Working Group has published the first draft of W3C Accessibility Guidelines Evaluation Methodology (WCAG-EM) 2.0 as a Group Note. 

WCAG-EM continues to provide a structured framework for evaluating how well digital products conform to WCAG 2, guiding evaluators through defining scope, selecting representative samples, assessing accessibility, and reporting findings in a consistent and defensible way.

In version 2, the methodology has been broadened to make it more widely applicable beyond traditional websites. New terminology has been introduced, including “digital products” to cover websites, mobile apps, kiosks and documents, “samples” to refer to selected items such as pages, screens or views, and “sample set” to describe the total collection of selected items for evaluation. This shift reflects how accessibility assessments are now commonly conducted across multi-channel environments.

References to WCAG 2.0 have been updated to either WCAG 2 or WCAG 2.2, ensuring the methodology aligns with the latest version of WCAG 2. The language throughout the document has also been simplified to improve clarity and usability.

Overall, WCAG-EM 2.0 modernises the methodology to reflect how accessibility evaluations are conducted today, while preserving the structured, step-by-step approach that supports consistent and reliable conformance assessment.

You can view the full draft of the WCAG-EM on the W3C website.

Draft Cognitive Accessibility Research Modules Published

The Accessible Platform Architectures Working Group of the W3C has published the first draft of the Cognitive Accessibility Research Modules as a Group Note. This work provides a structured exploration of how evolving digital technologies affect people who may require cognitive accessibility supports, focusing not only on barriers but also on opportunities for improvement and innovation.

The overview introduces four dedicated modules. These cover:

  • voice systems and conversational interfaces
  • technology-assisted indoor navigation and wayfinding
  • online safety and wellbeing including the role of algorithms and data-driven systems, and
  • supported decision-making online. 

Each module examines accessibility challenges in its respective area, identifies user needs, highlights gaps in current standards or research, and proposes potential directions for solutions.

For organisations working with AI, voice interfaces, algorithm-driven systems, or complex digital environments, these draft modules offer an important reminder that cognitive accessibility must be considered alongside technical conformance, usability, and ethical design.