Re: Illustrating Guidelines

I had a look at the Anne' s site. It was fantastic. It aided comrehention,
by alowig me to fit the word to the consept as I read them.

In fact I used to draw block dyagrams and flow dyagrams, instead of taking
notes. That way I could remember and understand what was said. I somtimes do
somthing similar mentialy when I am following a complexted discution. Siliar
methids are recomeden by the BDA.

As I clearly demonstrated at the November ftf I have learning disabilty. The
only way I can remember thing with an impaired visual and auditory memory is
though the sense on context and meaning. By Anne illustrating the concept
with a diagram or graphic, I new what I was reading the first time I read
it, instead of reading the words, and then trying to fit them in to the
concept or thought that they represent.

Now I now I do not represent every dyslexic on the plaint, and that there
are many sub-groups of dyslexia, but I am one of the lucky ones who have
some measure of all impairments that have been grouped together as dyslexia.
In other words not all dyslexic will find it useful, but it seems to me that
people with an impaired auditory memory (estimated at 60% of dyslexics - see
the many works over the last 15 years by work by Tallal) and/or weak
phonetic processing (possibly 80% Stanovich, et all, or Blachman) skills
probably will.


----Original Message-----
From: Anne Pemberton <apembert@erols.com>
To: Jason White <jasonw@ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au>; Matt May
<mcmay@bestkungfu.com>
Cc: 3WC WCAG <w3c-wai-gl@w3.org>; William Loughborough <love26@gorge.net>
Date: Friday, May 11, 2001 12:48 PM
Subject: Re: Illustrating Guidelines


>Jason,
>
> Not to be argumentive, but what "hard data" did you use to establish alt
>tags and scripts of sound files? What "hard data" was used to establish the
>need for redundent text links when a sitemap is used? What "hard data" is
>used to establish the need for a syncronized script to multi-media?
>
> Anne
>
>At 02:07 PM 5/11/01 +1000, Jason White wrote:
>>Perhaps it would indeed be better to create a separate, multimedia
>>presentation based on the guidelines than to insist that every
>>guideline and/or checkpoint be illustrated. Also, though there has
>>been much discussion on this thread, there has been little, if any,
>>"hard data" regarding the extent to which, given a document of this
>>nature, illustrations will aid comprehension (for people with
>>disabilities in particular or for readers more generally), and if so what
>>kinds of illustrations are needed, and in what context. Further, it
>>may (or may not) be more effective to improve the document by
>>clarifying the language used, than to introduce superfluous graphics.
>>
>>What we need, I think, and this is clearly lacking in the whole
>>discussion of "cognitive" issues as they pertain to the guidelines, is
>>firm (non-anacdotal) evidence of what factors most influence the
>>comprehensibility of different classes of content, for which groups of
>>potential readers, and under what conditions. In that case, at least,
>>one can provide a prioritized list of factors which document and web
>>site editors can take into consideration should they wish to make
>>their publications more accessible to people with cognitive
>>disabilities.
>>
>>Needless to say, these are my personal observations and are not made
>>in my capacity as working group co-chair. To move this discussion
>>forward, however, I think there is a need for well researched and
>>credible evidence as to what techniques are most useful in improving
>>comprehension. Those which can be applied across a broad variety of
>>web content warrant a place in WCAG 2.0 checkpoints; those of more
>>limited applicability are nevertheless important and should either be
>>treated as "usability" requirements, or placed in a separate document
>>intended for content developers who want to optimize their
>>publications for audiences that include people with
>>(particular kinds of) cognitive disabilities.
>>
>>
>Anne Pemberton
>apembert@erols.com
>
>http://www.erols.com/stevepem
>http://www.geocities.com/apembert45
>
>

Received on Friday, 11 May 2001 07:47:40 UTC