Front Page 2000 (win98) AU Review

9 April 2000
Jim Allan

Summary

Front Page 2000 does not comply to the AU Guidelines. For example, it fails for Priority 1 checkpoints 6.1 and 7.4. It was accessible to a screen reader, with exceptions noted. 

Priority 1 checkpoints

• Checkpoint 1.1 Ensure that the author can produce accessible content in the markup language(s) supported by the tool. [Priority 1]
  Yes. Allows direct source editing, alternative content input options are available within dialog boxes (e.g. for ALT), some TABLE tags (THEAD, TBODY) must be manually entered, TABLE SUMMARY must be added manually. Allows author to turn off proprietary tags, and advanced technologies (DHTML, Javascript). 
• Checkpoint 1.2 Ensure that the tool preserves all accessibility information during authoring, transformations, and conversions. [Priority 1]
  No. Conversion of table to text loses, header, caption, and summary information. When converting from a word-processor format to HTML, headings  are transformed to plain text with font formatting. Must turn on "preserve existing HTML" or symbol insertion (§, é, etc.) generate system font symbols, and if entered manually (é) in HTML view they are converted back to system font symbols.
• Checkpoint 2.2 Ensure that the tool automatically generates valid markup. [Priority 1]
  Yes.
• Checkpoint 3.4 Do not automatically generate equivalent alternatives. Do not reuse previously authored alternatives without author confirmation, except when the function is known with certainty. [Priority 1]
  Yes.
• Checkpoint 6.1 Document all features that promote the production of accessible content. [Priority 1]
  No. None found in search of help file.
• Checkpoint 7.2 Allow the author to change the presentation within editing views without affecting the document markup. [Priority 1]
  Yes. In WYSIWYG (normal) view - can only use OS system tools to change default font-size and font-color. User is allowed to configure font-face.   In HTML view user can control font-face and tag/attribute color.  Using an Intellipoint mouse (wheel), user can change font size.
• Checkpoint 7.3 Allow the author to edit all properties of each element and object in an accessible fashion. [Priority 1]
  Yes.
• Checkpoint 7.4 Ensure that the editing view allows navigation via the structure of the document in an accessible fashion. [Priority 1]
  No. No outline view, no movement between like elements.

Relative Priority checkpoints

Note: These should be assessed by reference to the checkpoints of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines [WCAG10], and may be met at three different levels.

• Checkpoint 1.3 Ensure that when the tool automatically generates markup it conforms to the W3C's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 [WCAG10]. [Relative Priority]   
  No. When inserting images there is no prompt for alternative content (P1 in WCAG10). It does not include DOCTYPE at the beginning of your pages unless you manually build it in to the default page template (P2 in WCAG10). However, dependent upon the author's knowledge of accessibility requirements and abilities of the tool; it is capable of producing conforming content. Tools  provide NOFRAMES placeholder and generic text . When inserting a plug-in (EMBED) dialog box has text entry field for alternative content. ("Message for browsers without plug-in support"). Menu options are available to insert  table CAPTION, THEAD, TBODY, and SUMMARY must be added manually. Manually looking at properties for IMG (after insertion) shows a  text entry field for alternative content. Menu selection for applying LABEL for form element and associated text label. 
• Checkpoint 1.4 Ensure that templates provided by the tool conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 [WCAG10]. [Relative Priority]  
  Yes. Generally, fairly good. Navigation generated by using Themes and Shared Borders include ALT for buttons. However, there is abundant use of font size rather than structural tags for headings. Form templates do not use LABEL.
• Checkpoint 3.1 Prompt the author to provide equivalent alternative information (e.g., captions, auditory descriptions, and collated text transcripts for video). [Relative Priority]  
  No. When inserting images there is no prompt for alternative content (P1 in WCAG10).
• Checkpoint 3.2 Help the author create structured content and separate information from its presentation. [Relative Priority]
  Yes. CSS implemented.
• Checkpoint 3.3 Ensure that prepackaged content conforms to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 [WCAG10]. [Relative Priority]  
  No.
• Checkpoint 4.1 Check for and inform the author of accessibility problems. [Relative Priority]  
  No.
• Checkpoint 4.2 Assist authors in correcting accessibility problems. [Relative Priority]  
  No. No help available, no validity checking.
• Checkpoint 7.1 Use all applicable operating system and accessibility standards and conventions (Priority 1 for standards and conventions that are essential to accessibility; Priority 2 for those that are important to accessibility; Priority 3 for those that are beneficial to accessibility). 
  Yes, when using JAWS 3.5. A few problems were noted. In WYSIWYG (normal view), default H1 and H2 text is not spoken (font size is too large for JAWS, this is a JAWS problem not FrontPage). With "view tags" on the UL and OL tags are not spoken. The tags for IMG and HR are not displayed. When creating a new image, in the Image Properties dialog box user cannot tab "Image Type" controls. When setting styles, in the Styles dialog box, Borders and Shading property sheet, the Border type images are not labeled (there is a  visual label), Border Location images are not labeled (there is no visual or OS supplied label). All buttons are available from menu selections. Keyboard short-cuts are available for most functions. 

Priority 2 checkpoints

• Checkpoint 2.1 Use the latest versions of W3C Recommendations when they are available and appropriate for a task. [Priority 2]  
  For the most part, does use W3C, but also allows proprietary tags (EMBED, BLINK, etc.) based on browser version selection. I could not find any information about the default or minimum DTD being used. There are also a number active elements that can be inserted into a page that I am not as familiar with (different types of scripting, ActiveX, ASP, etc.)
• Checkpoint 4.3 Allow the author to preserve markup not recognized by the tool. [Priority 2]  
  Yes.
• Checkpoint 5.1 Ensure that functionality related to accessible authoring practices is naturally integrated into the overall look and feel of the tool. [Priority 2]  
  No.
• Checkpoint 5.2 Ensure that accessible authoring practices supporting Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 [WCAG10] Priority 1 checkpoints are among the most obvious and easily initiated by the author. [Priority 2]  
  No.
• Checkpoint 6.2 Ensure that creating accessible content is a naturally integrated part of the documentation, including examples. [Priority 2]  
  No.
• Checkpoint 7.5 Enable editing of the structure of the document in an accessible fashion. [Priority 2]  
  No.
• Checkpoint 7.6 Allow the author to search within editing views. [Priority 2]  
  Yes.

Priority 3 checkpoints

• Checkpoint 2.3 If markup produced by the tool does not conform to W3C specifications, inform the author. [Priority 3]  No. No validity check included.
• Checkpoint 3.5 Provide functionality for managing, editing, and reusing alternative equivalents for multimedia objects. [Priority 3]  
  No.
• Checkpoint 4.4 Provide the author with a summary of the document's accessibility status. [Priority 3]  
  No.
• Checkpoint 4.5 Allow the author to transform presentation markup that is misused to convey structure into structural markup, and to transform presentation markup used for style into style sheets. [Priority 3]  
  No.
• Checkpoint 6.3 In a dedicated section, document all features of the tool that promote the production of accessible content. [Priority 3]  
  No.