Understanding SC 2.2.3: No Timing (Level AAA)
In Brief
- Goal
- Users do not face time limits.
- What to do
- Do not use time limits, except for video and live events.
- Why it's important
- People with disabilities often need more time to complete actions.
Success Criterion (SC)
Timing is not an essential part of the event or activity presented by the content, except for non-interactive synchronized media and real-time events.
Intent
The intent of this Success Criterion is to minimize the occurrence of content that requires timed interaction. This enables people with blindness, low vision, cognitive limitations, or motor impairments to interact with content. This differs from the Level A Success Criterion in that the only exception is for real-time events.
Note
Video only, such as sign language, is covered in Guideline 1.1.
Benefits
- People with physical disabilities often need more time to react, to type and to complete activities. People with low vision need more time to locate things on screen and to read. People who are blind and using screen readers may need more time to understand screen layouts, to find information and to operate controls. People who have cognitive or language limitations need more time to read and to understand. People who are deaf and communicate in sign language may need more time to read information printed in text (which may be a second language for some).
- In circumstances where a sign-language interpreter may be relating audio content to a user who is deaf, control over time limits is also important.
Examples
- A test is designed so that time to complete the test does not affect the scoring
- Rather than calibrating an on-line test using a time limit, the test is calibrated based on scores when users have no time limits.
- A game is designed so that users take turns rather than competing in real-time
- One party can pause the game without invalidating the competitive aspect of it.
Techniques
Each numbered item in this section represents a technique or combination of techniques that the WCAG Working Group deems sufficient for meeting this Success Criterion. However, it is not necessary to use these particular techniques. For information on using other techniques, see Understanding Techniques for WCAG Success Criteria, particularly the "Other Techniques" section.
Sufficient Techniques
Key Terms
- audio
the technology of sound reproduction
Note
Audio can be created synthetically (including speech synthesis), recorded from real world sounds, or both.
- essential
if removed, would fundamentally change the information or functionality of the content, and information and functionality cannot be achieved in another way that would conform
- media alternative for text
media that presents no more information than is already presented in text (directly or via text alternatives)
Note
A media alternative for text is provided for those who benefit from alternate representations of text. Media alternatives for text may be audio-only, video-only (including sign-language video), or audio-video.
- real-time event
event that a) occurs at the same time as the viewing and b) is not completely generated by the content
- synchronized media
audio or video synchronized with another format for presenting information and/or with time-based interactive components, unless the media is a media alternative for text that is clearly labeled as such
- video
the technology of moving or sequenced pictures or images
Note
Video can be made up of animated or photographic images, or both.