Guideline 1.1 issue summary and proposal

Summary of issues

Issue 1486, issue 1487, issue 1488 - rewording proposals from the report on the impact of not setting a baseline.

Issue 1368 - GL 1.1, SC L1 - division of content isn't clear - propose that we handle this in the Guide. If that's not acceptable, perhaps add a paragraph to Guideline 1.1 that explains the differences between the criterion.

Issue 1369 - Commentor feels that example 4 was inadequate. See proposed wording below.

Issue 1433 - Commentor feels that context should determine the appropriate text alternatives for non-text content. Specifically cited example 4. Fixed example 4, but the issue is not addressed. perhaps this will be clarified in the guide?

Issue 1434 - Broken link. Overcome by events.

Issue 1075 - Text alternatives that are not explicitly associates are sometimes okay. I added a long note to this criterion. Not sure if it solves the issue.

Issue 791 - Clarification needed about the benefit of text alternatives for people who have difficulty reading text. Created a separate benefit to explain.

Issue 1439 - Guideline 1.1, Level 1, point 6 is needed. Deleted the editorial note that noted the similarities between criterion.

Issue 895 - To grossly oversimplify the issue, "is a noscript required for every script." Include scripted content in proposed definition of non-text content, text, and functional and slightly modified what is required for functional non-text content.

Issue 587 - Definitions needed for text alternative, text, unicode, non-text content, and ASCII art. Should also close issue 673.

Proposal for Guideline 1.1 Provide text alternatives for all non-text content.

Level 1 Success Criteria for Guideline 1.1

For all non-text content that is functional text alternatives identify the non-text content in such a way that the label serves the same purpose as the non-text content. If the non-text content is a collection of functional non-text content, each function and collection of functions within is identified. [I] {Issue 1486 - Deleted the phrase: ", such as graphical links or buttons" tried rewording to include web apps and widgets within web apps. This is probably not technically correct and could use a plain language rewrite.}
How to provide text alternatives for content that is functional. (Informative)
For all non-text content that is used to convey information, text alternatives convey the same information. [I]
Note:

for multimedia, this means that two alternatives are provided:
1. a transcript
2. a text alternative that identifies the purpose or function of the multimedia
How to provide text alternatives for content that conveys information. (Informative)
For non-text content that is intended to create a specific sensory experience, such as music or visual art, text alternatives identify and describe the non-text content. [I]
How to provide text alternatives for content that creates a specific sensory experience. (Informative)
Non-text content that does not convey information, functionality, or create a specific sensory experience is implemented such that it can be ignored by assistive technology. [I] {Editorial: replaced "provide information" with "convey information" and added "create a specific" to "sensory experience" for consistency. Issue 1487 - replaced "marked" with "implemented.}
How to provide text alternatives that can be ignored by assistive technology. (Informative)
Any text alternatives are explicitly associated with the non-text content. [I]
Note: At a minimum, a text alternative that serves the same purpose as the non-text content must be explicitly associated with the non-text content (per the first success criterion). However, if an additional text alternative is needed to understand the non-text content, it must be easy to find either because:
- the additional text alternative appears immediately before or immediately after the non-text content [in reading order? in object model?] or
- the additional text alternative is referred to in the explicitly associated text alternative or
- the additional text alternative is itself explicitly associated. {Issue 1075 - Added the note in an attempt to clarify how and when text alternatives may not be explicitly associated with non-text content.}
How to explicitly associate text alternatives with non-text content. (Informative)
For live audio-only or live video-only content, such as internet radio or Web cameras, text alternatives describe the purpose of the presentation or a link is provided to alternative real-time content, such as traffic reports for a traffic Web camera
Note: real-time content does not imply real-time captions. {Issue 1439 - deleted editorial note, "Editorial Note: This is similar to #1 above, yet it seems we need to specifically address audio-only and video-only content to avoid confusion.}

Level 2 Success Criteria for Guideline 1.1

No level 2 success criteria for this guideline.

Level 3 Success Criteria for Guideline 1.1

For multimedia content, a combined transcript of audio descriptions of video and captions is available. [I] {Issue 1488 - replaced "provided" with "available."}
How to provide descriptions of all important visual information for multimedia. (Informative)

Who Benefits from Guideline 1.1 (Informative)

People who are blind, have low vision, or have cognitive disabilities can have text alternatives read aloud to them by assistive technology.
People who have trouble reading text may use tools that both read text aloud and highlight the words as they are read. In some cases, it may be difficult for someone to recognize visual information and the text alternative may help him or her understand the purpose of the non-text content. {Issue 791 - separated the 1st benefit into 2 to clarify how text alternatives may benefit people who have difficulty reading text.}
People who are deaf, are 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 deaf-blind can read the text in braille.
Additionally, text alternatives support the ability to search for non-text content and to repurpose content in a variety of ways.

Examples of Guideline 1.1 (Informative)

Example 1: an image used as a button.

A magnifying glass icon is used to link to the search page of a Web site. A screen reader identifies the button as a link and speaks the text alternative, "Search."

Example 2: a data chart.

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, provides a high-level summary of the data comparable to that available from the chart, and provides the data in a table.

Example 3: an audio recording of a speech (no video).

The link to an audio clip says, "Chairman's speech to the assembly." A link to a text transcript is provided immediately after the link to the audio clip.

Example 4: a recording of a symphony.

The Mars Philharmonic Orchestra's "Upcoming performances" page has a link to a 3 minute clip of the orchestra's rendition of Beethoven's 5th Symphony. The purpose is to encourage readers to buy tickets to a live performance. The link to the audio clip says, "Beethoven's 5th Symphony performed by the Mars Philharmonic Orchestra." On the same page is information about Beethoven and the 5th Symphony. Elsewhere on the Mars Philharmonic Orchestra's Web site is an educational area. There is a link to the same 3 minute clip of the orchestra performing Beethoven's 5th Symphony. The link is the same, "Beethoven's 5th Symphony performed by the Mars Philharmonic Orchestra." However, the page describes how this clip relates to the drama that Beethoven creates in his 5th symphony and describes a specific rhythm captured in this clip. It goes on to explain how this symphony "crystallized Beethoven's mature compositional innovations." (from Symphonies of Beethoven) {Issue 1369 - to clarify that in different situations a description may be provided and may be very different. Previously, there was no description, only an audio clip.}

Example 5: an animation that illustrates how a car engine works.

An animation shows how a car engine works. There is no audio and the animation is part of a tutorial that describes how an engine works. All that is needed is a description of the image. From "How car engines work: Internal combustion"

Example 6: a pair of images used to create a visual effect.

Two images are used to create curved edges on a "tab" interface. The images do not provide information, functionality, or a sensory experience and are marked such that they can be ignored by an assistive technology.

Example 7: an internet radio station.

A radio station broadcasts over the internet. The station's Web site describes the type of music played, a schedule of the shows, and the "current song" is updated each time the DJ starts a new track. Interviews are recorded and published in the archives. Transcripts of the archived interviews are provided per Guideline 1.2 Provide synchronized alternatives for multimedia.

Editorial Note: Does the above example help to clarify level 1 success criterion 6 or does it need additional clarification?

Example 8: a traffic Web camera.

A Web site allows end-users to select from a variety of Web cameras positioned throughout a major city. After a camera is selected, the image updates every 2 minutes. A short text alternative identifies the Web camera as, "TraffiCam." The site also provides a table of travel times for each of the routes covered by the Web cameras. The table is also updated every 2 minutes.

Proposals for definitions

Related to issue 587 (defn of text equiv/alternative) and issue 895 (when to provide text alternatives for application-like non-text content, e.g., defn of non-text content)