Fw: A new check for the Open Accessibility Checks

Saliesh,

I'm forwarding your message to the WAI ER list so there can be public discussion on the good points that you raise.

I haven't added any fields to the checks database that hold author/contributor information but this is a good idea and I'll implement something in January. 

Your comments on the improper marking of list elements:

>a.  consecutive lines of short text that are not in one paragraph
>element  which have been marked up with a heading tag (h1 to h6) 
>at the same level.
>
I have checks that cover using headings for formatting [1]. See checks 42-47

I've put these under the WCAG2 HTML techniques 3.2 - Style Headers [2].

>b. a layout table in which one column has a bullet (a character or an image l
>ike a star, arrow etc)  and the next column has an item of text in it.
>
The WCAG2 HTML techs[3] state that you must use only list elements to mark lists so this use of the layout table to markup a list is wrong:

I can write up a check to detect this misuse of the table formatting.

>c. Consecutive lines with a bullet (a character or an image like a 
>star, arrow etc)    followed by  an item of text.
>
This sounds like misuse of the P element to indicate lists. I can write up a check to detect this misuse of the P element.

>Many sites prefix  text links with word like "link to", the org's name, 
>or  the like that results in inefficient first letter navigation of links from  
>within a list of links. (List of links are presented by screen-readers for 
>instance).
>
I don't see anything in the WCAG2 techs links section [4] that states what's appropriate for link text. I know there has been discussion[5] about this issue but it appears that nothing has made it into the techniques.

Michael - Should there be something in the WCAG2 HTML techs that deals with link text?

References:
[1] http://tile-cridpath.atrc.utoronto.ca/tile/accessibilitychecker/guidelines/checks.html#check42
[2] http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WCAG20/WD-WCAG20-HTML-TECHS/#hx-style
[3] http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WCAG20/WD-WCAG20-HTML-TECHS/#lists
[4] http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WCAG20/WD-WCAG20-HTML-TECHS/#links
[5] http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-gl/2003JulSep/0269.html

Thanks for the suggestions.

Chris


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Sailesh Panchang 
To: chris.ridpath@utoronto.ca 
Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2003 12:32 PM
Subject: A new check for the Open Accessibility Checks 


Hello Chris,
Couple of checks I can think of  that can be incorporated and even automated:
(By the way, is there a list of contributors where one gets a mention and acknowledgment?) 
problem 1:
Often items that can be marked up as a list  are not so marked up. It makes sense if one can detect  non-linked text that can be marked up as a list.
Detection with reasonable level of certainty is possible by identifying :
a.  consecutive lines of short text that are not in one paragraph element  which have been marked up with a heading tag (h1 to h6) at the same level. i.e. a bunch of lines all marked up as h3 or h4 etc. This also suggests misuse of heading tag for font and perhaps  need for using list structure.
b. a layout table in which one column has a bullet (a character or an image like a star, arrow etc)  and the next column has an item of text in it 
c. Consecutive lines with a bullet (a character or an image like a star, arrow etc)    followed by  an item of text.
Problem 2:
Many sites prefix  text links with word like "link to", the org's name, or  the like that results in inefficient first letter navigation of links from  within a list of links. (List of links are presented by screen-readers for instance). Also these redundant prefixxes imply that:  
- probable need for grouping links,
- key words or phrases are not being used to begin link names, and
- the link is probably longer than it should be. 
Detection with reasonable level of certainty is possible by identifying :
A finite number (say 3 or 5, etc that is user definable) of links on a page that begin with the same word(s) 
Sailesh Panchang
Senior Accessibility Engineer 
Deque Systems,11180  Sunrise Valley Drive, 
4th Floor, Reston VA 20191
Tel: 703-225-0380 Extension 105 
E-mail: sailesh.panchang@deque.com
Fax: 703-225-0387
* Look up <http://www.deque.com> *