- From: John M Slatin <john_slatin@austin.utexas.edu>
- Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2003 17:04:34 -0600
- To: <w3c-wai-gl@w3.org>
- Message-ID: <C46A1118E0262B47BD5C202DA2490D1A1E2FF9@MAIL02.austin.utexas.edu>
This message contains a series of proposals for a "plain language_ rewording of WCAG 2.0 Guideline 1 and Checkpoint 1.1 with Success Criteria, Examples, and Benefits I send it to the list in partial fulfillment of an action item taken by John Slatin, Katie Haritos-Shay, and Doyle Burnett during a call in late September or early October, to generate a plain-language version of WCAG 2.0. What follows is partial in two ways: (1) It addresses only Guideline (now Principle) 1, Checkpoint (now Guideline) 1.1, and the relevant success criteria, examples, and benefits. Other guidelines, etc., will follow. (2) It is not really "plain language," in the sense that this text has not yet been compared to the 1500-word "special lexicon" used by Voice of America (or other similar lexicons). Thus it's actually best understood as an attempt to simplify and clarify. We're still working on the formal plain language issues, but wanted to put this out to start generating discussion. I should also acknowledge that there are a couple of places where I've taken some editorial liberties (couldn't help myself), and that this material hasn't yet been through the round-robin editing process that Katie and Doyle and I agreed upon, so all the errors that they'd have caught are still here. Items labeled "Current wording" are taken from the September document Reorg 4, available at http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/2003/09/reorg4.html <http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/2003/09/reorg4.html> . This document was current at the time Katie and Doyle and I took on the action item to attempt a plain language version. Of course the proposed rewordings will need to be correlated with later updates. Current wording for Guideline 1 Guideline 1: PERCEIVABLE. Make Content Perceivable by Any User Proposed wording for Principle 1 Principle 1: PERCEIVABLE. All users should be able to perceive all content. Current wording for Checkpoint 1.1 All non-text content that can be expressed in words has a text equivalent of the function or information that the non-text content was intended to convey. Proposed wording for Guideline 1.1 For non-text content, provide text equivalents that serve the same purpose or convey the same information as the non-text content, except when the purpose of the non-text content is to create a specific sensory experience (for example, music, visual art) in which case a text label and description are sufficient. Current wording for success criteria (SC) for Checkpoint 1.1 Current wording for SC 1 1. non-text content that can be expressed in words has a text-equivalent explicitly associated with it. Proposed wording for SC 1 Text equivalents are explicitly associated with non-text content, except when the non-text content is intended to create a specific sensory experience (for example, music without words, visual art). Current wording for bullet under SC 1 * The text equivalent fulfills the same function as the author intended for the non-text content (i.e. it presents all of the intended information and/or achieves the same function of the non-text content). Proposed wording for bullet under SC 1 * The text equivalent fulfills the same function as the author intended for the non-text content (that is, it conveys all of the intended information and achieves the same function as the non-text content). Current wording for Checkpoint 1.1, SC 2 2. non-text content that can not be expressed in words has a descriptive label provided as its text-equivalent. Proposed wording for Guideline 1.1, SC 2 2. non-text content that is designed to create a specific sensory experience (such as music without words or visual art) has a text label and a text description. Current wording for Best Practice Measures for Checkpoint 1.1 1. non-text content that can not be expressed in words has a text equivalent for all aspects that can be expressed in words. 2. a text document that merges all audio descriptions and captions into a collated script (that provides dialog, important sounds and important visual information in a single text document) is provided. list end Proposed wording for Best Practice Measures for Checkpoint 1.1 1. Deleted for consistency with changes to 1.1 that eliminate the phrase "expressed in words" 2. a single text document is provided that merges transcripts of all audio descriptions and captions into a collated transcript that includes all important visual information, all dialogue, and other important sounds,. Current wording for Benefits of Checkpoint 1.1 * Individuals who are blind, have low vision, have cognitive disabilities or have trouble reading text for any reason can have the text read aloud to them. * Individuals who are deaf, are hard of hearing or who are having trouble understanding the audio information for any reason can read the text presentation * Individuals who are blind or deaf-blind can have the information presented in braille. Proposed wording for Who Benefits from Guideline 1.1 * People who are blind, have low vision, have cognitive disabilities or have trouble reading text for any reason can have the text read aloud to them by assistive technology. * People who are deaf or hard of hearing, or who are having trouble understanding audio information for any reason can read the text presentation or have it translated and presented as sign language by assistive technology. * People who are blind or deaf-blind can read the text in braille. Current wording for Examples of Checkpoint 1.1 Current wording for example 1 * Example 1: an image used as a button. (short description of function) A right arrow icon is used to link to the next slide in a slide show. The text equivalent is "Next Slide," so that what is read by a screen reader would be "link: Next Slide." Proposed wording for Example 1 * Example 1: an image used as a button. (short equivalent for function) A right arrow icon is used to link to the next slide in a slide show. The text equivalent is "Next Slide," so that a screen reader wouldread the phrase "Next Slide" and automatically identify it as a link by adding the word link or changing the synthesizer's voice. Current wording for example 2 * Example 2: a data chart. (short label + longer description) A bar chart compares how many widgets were sold in June, July, and August. The short label says, "Figure one - Sales in June, July and August." The longer description identifies the type of chart or graph, provides a high-level summary of the data comparable to that available from the chart or graph, and lists the data themselves. Proposed wording for example 2 * Example 2: a data chart. (short label + longer description) A bar chart compares how many widgets were sold in June, July, and August. The short label says, "Figure one - Sales in June, July and August." The longer description identifies the type of chart or graph, provides a high-level summary of the data comparable to that available from the chart or graph, and provides the data themselves in a table or other accessible format. Current wording for example 3 * Example 3: an animation. (short label + longer description) An animation shows how to tie a knot. The short label says, "An animation showing how to tie a square knot." The longer explanation describes the hand movements needed to tie the knot. Proposed wording for example 3 No change Current wording for example 4 * Example 4: an audio file of a speech. (short label + transcript) An audio file is embedded in a Web page. The short label says, "Chairman's speech to the assembly." A link to a text transcript is provided immediately after the clip. Proposed wording for example 4 * Example 4: an audio file of a speech. (short label + transcript) An audio file is embedded in a Web page. The short label says, "Chairman's speech to the assembly." A link to a text transcript is provided immediately after the audio clip. Current wording for example 5 * Example 5: an audio file of a symphony. (short label) An audio file is embedded in a Web page. The short label says, "Beethoven's 5th Symphony performed by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra." Proposed wording for example 5 No change. But as currently worded, this example is no longer consistent with the Guideline's requirement to provide a text label and description. "Good design is accessible design." Please note our new name and URL! John Slatin, Ph.D. Director, Accessibility Institute University of Texas at Austin FAC 248C 1 University Station G9600 Austin, TX 78712 ph 512-495-4288, f 512-495-4524 email jslatin@mail.utexas.edu web http://www.utexas.edu/research/accessibility/ <http://www.utexas.edu/research/accessibility/>
Received on Monday, 3 November 2003 18:04:35 UTC