1. Overview

Clause 11, "Non-web software", covers everything that runs as a program rather than a page. That includes operating systems, desktop applications, kiosk software and native mobile apps. The clause has two halves.

Clauses 11.1 to 11.4 mirror the WCAG 2.2 success criteria. The standard adjusts the wording where a web concept has no equivalent in software. It leaves a few requirements void.

Clause 11.5 sets out how software must expose itself to assistive technology. It does this through the platform's accessibility services, element by element. So a screen reader can learn the role, name, state and value of every control. It can also act on each control. Clauses 11.6 and 11.7 cover the platform's own accessibility features and the user's preference settings.

This lesson explains four things. First, who clause 11 applies to. Second, where the software wording differs from WCAG. Third, what each of the thirteen 11.5.2 requirements asks for. Fourth, how the clause maps to the European Accessibility Act (EAA). The exercise at the end is a VoiceOver walkthrough of your own app, recorded against 11.5.2.

Standards covered: EN 301 549 V4.1.1 clauses 11.0 to 11.7, 5.2 and 5.10, and Table A.3 · WCAG 2.2 Levels A and AA as applied to software through the W3C's WCAG2ICT guidance · European Accessibility Act Annex I Section I point 2 (user interface and functionality design) and Section III(c) (mobile applications). Tables ZB.2 and ZB.4 map them.

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