508 wording/intent

Dear Marti (et al.),

As I understand it, they may have "wiggle room" with (n), but where they
caught is (m):

	(m) When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other
application be on the client system to interpret page content, the page must
provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with § 1194.21(a)
through (l).

It seems to me that this covers ALL proprietary file formats, including
.doc, .wpd, .pdf., .xls, etc.
But maybe that's just my interpretation!
-- Bruce


Message-ID: <005301c09990$672fcc60$a3d6db3f@cais.net>
From: "Marti" <marti@agassa.com>
To: <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2001 04:51:44 -0500
Subject: 508 wording/intent

From another list -
The following was in a response from a webmaster at a US fed Gov site after
a complaint -
Anybody think that is what 508 really meant to do?
Marti

> forms accessible and will continue to use the Adobe Portable
>Document Format until another solution is available.  These forms, however,
>are excluded from the current section 508 requirements.  Specifically,
>section 1194.22(n) of the regulations, published on December 22, 2000,
>states that:
>
>"When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall
>allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field
>elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the
>form, including all directions and cues."
>
>As our forms cannot and are not intended to be completed online, they are
>currently not covered by theregulations.

Received on Tuesday, 20 February 2001 08:42:02 UTC