Context and official version
The Unified Web Evaluation Methodology is designed to ensure that evaluation tools and methods developed for large scale monitoring or for local evaluation, are compatible and coherent among themselves and with WAI. This document is the result of a joint effort of three European projects (EIAO, Support EAM and BenToWeb) with 23 organisations collaborating in the WAB Cluster to develop UWEM between 2004 and 2007.
The UWEM describes a methodology for evaluation of conformance with the WCAG 1.0 from WAI. For practical reasons, this version of the methodology focuses on the current WCAG 1.0 guidelines. These WCAG 1.0 guidelines are broadly accepted and form a stable factor in accessibility since May 1999. Already in 2002, the EU recommended that they should be adopted by the public sector in Member States. In some countries they found their way into legislation. In the later version, UWEM will be synchronized with the foreseen migration from WCAG 1.0 to WCAG 2.0.
UWEM 1.0 was published online on 5th July 2006:
- the official version of UWEM 1.0 is on the WAB Cluster Web site.
- the Spanisch translation of UWEM 1.0 is also online on the Fundosa Teleservicios Web site.
- the French translation of UWEM 1.0 is also online on the AccessiWeb Web site.
Correspondence tables between between UWEM and local labels
In accordance to to the general framework of the Euracert Label and the "Letters of understanding", the local label issuing organisations publish online:
- the translation of UWEM into their national language,
- and the table showing the mapping between their own methodology and UWEM.
These online documents give each local label an additional value in other countries and allow mutual recognition.
Belgium: mapping between Anysurfer and UWEM
The Anysurfer/UWEM 1.0 correspondence table between the Anysurfer guidelines and the UWEM 1.0 levels (priority 1 and 2 of WCAG 1.0) has been published on 14 March 2007 by ONA.
Spain: mapping between Sello de Accessibilidad MEWA and UWEM
The MEWA/UWEM 1.0 correspondence table between the MEWA criteria and the UWEM 1.0 levels (priority 1 and 2 of WCAG 1.0) has been published on 16 March 2007 by Fundosa Teleservicios.
France: mapping between AccessiWeb and UWEM
The AccessiWeb/UWEM 1.0 mapping table between the AccessiWeb criteria (Bronze and Silver levels) and the UWEM 1.0 levels (priority 1 and 2 of WCAG 1.0) has been published on 14 september 2006 by the BrailleNet association.