Re: XML and accessibility

>It would seem to make sense
>that the guidelines tell these people how a web page which is generated
>dynamically should be structured to make it easy to use by a wide range
>of blind users with varying technology / access technology skill levels.
>
>Scott

I do not think that we need special guidelines for a page generated 
dynamically by XSL transformation. The guidelines that we have for 
markup of the "content document" and the guidelines for 
"stylesheets" do the job. Transforming the page by XSL is applying 
a stylesheet to the page.

One thing that is needed is to extend XHTML to include markup for 
webbish constructes such as navigation bars. This will allow authors 
to mark the content well and users may use various transforming 
stylesheets, according to their needs/preferences.

This type of addition to XHTML seems as a better solution than
requiring content providers to study in detail the needs of every user.

The author of a page will have only to know what he is trying to say. 
The designer of the stylesheet, that may be the user or his browser, will
have 
to know how he wants to read the page. Did someone say "separate
content/structure 
from presentastion?" XML and XSLT allow for this separation to higher level
than HTML and CSS.

In general, it is desirable that WAI will actively work on other 
specifications of W3C, rather than passively create guidelines how 
to use the "given" specifications. (I am not saying that WAI doesn't do 
as I propose) Clearly, when WAI started the latter 
was of greater urgency, but I think priorities may change.

Regards,
Nir. 

At 12:14 PM 1/22/00 -0800, Scott Luebking wrote:
>Hi,
>
>The XML/XSL/XSTL technology provides the ability to use an XML file
>to create different types of web pages.  For example, an XML file
>could contain information for an article.  An example of an artcle
>XML file could look like:
>
>    <article>
>      <head>
>        <date>20 January 2000</date>
>        <title>Some title</title>
>	<author>A. Nonymous</author>
>	<keywords kw="key1, key2, key3" />
>      </head>
>      <body>
>	<p>  paragraph 1 text ...
>	</p>
>	<p>  paragraph 2 text ...
>	  <picture src="???"> picture caption text </picture>
>	</p>
>	<p>  paragraph 2 text ...
>	  <a HREF="???"> link text </a>
>	</p>
>      </body>
>    </article>
>
>The XSL/XSTL can now be used to create different types of web pages with
>the same article text.  One XSL style sheet could create a web page with
>a very visually appealing layout.  Another XSL style sheet could use the
>same XML file and create a web page which would be much easier to use by
>blind people by presenting the artcile in a format without all the
>layout features which makes it visually appealing.  In addition, the XSL
>style sheet could include special features in the web page which will
>make it easier to navigate.  (Many of the arguements which have been
>offered for using CSS style sheets can also be applied to using XSL.)
>
>
>Users of XML/XSL/XSTL technology or any of the other technology which
>can create web pages dynamically will need to know what a web page
>designed for blind users needs to include.  It would seem to make sense
>that the guidelines tell these people how a web page which is generated
>dynamically should be structured to make it easy to use by a wide range
>of blind users with varying technology / access technology skill levels.
>
>Scott
> 
===================================
Nir Dagan
Assistant Professor of Economics
Brown University 
Providence, RI
USA

http://www.nirdagan.com
mailto:nir@nirdagan.com
tel:+1-401-863-2145

Received on Saturday, 22 January 2000 16:12:32 UTC