access key replacement in XHTML 2 and backward compatibility

The XHTML 2 working group has a new implementation of access key called
<access>. WCAG 2 does not require access keys for accessibility. XHTML 2
has a replacement for access keys called <access> at
http://www.w3.org/TR/2005/WD-xhtml2-20050527/mod-role.html#sec_25.1. It is
designed to address device independent navigation to replace access key
based on semantics. We allow the user agent to assign the access key by
default but for backward compatibility we allowed the author to provide a
keyboard mapping.

The HTML working group would like to know if WCAG would like us to maintain
this support for backward compatibility sake. Example uses cases is a set
of descriptive short cuts to web content. This need for keyboard support
was questioned by John Foliot.

The HTML working group would like that WCAG give us consensus position on
this issue.

Thank you,

Rich


Rich Schwerdtfeger
Distinguished Engineer, SWG Accessibility Architect/Strategist
Emerging Technologies
Chair, IBM Accessibility Architecture Review  Board
blog: http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/blogs/dw_blog.jspa?blog=441
schwer@us.ibm.com, Phone: 512-838-4593,T/L: 678-4593, mobile: 512-876-9689

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