RE: Joe wrote:"There is no plan of action available to you in order to accommodatelearning-disabled visitors"

Hold on folks
I agree that more could be done for learning-disabled. Even a lot more.
But credit were credit is due, we are working flat out for it.

The whole start of RDF and using annotations  such as with the SWAP
system, see www.ubaccess.com) was brought about because different people
may need different presentations. Annotation based technology allows for
people to provide summaries, glosary linking clarifications, links to
more information without changing the basic page. We are also working on
a rendering for Learning disabilities, were a page structure is
represented pictorially, so you can visualize the structure of the
document and navigate with out all that blasted reading.

That is why WCAG 2.0 will be coming with an RDF techniques document.


We are not stopping there

The R&D division at the WAI are planning a section/ meeting  on more
accessible interfaces for the learning-disabled.
Protocols and formats group have also done some interesting work 
http://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/usage/languageUsageAndAccess.html


Could more be done - yes.  Should we do more -you bet.
For example, we could have a separate task force to address these issues
- complete with road map. Have a clear action plan would be an excellent
idea. Funding wouldn't hurt too.

But things are happening, and more will happen if we all insist on it.

Yours 
Lisa Seeman



> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "RUST Randal" <RRust@COVANSYS.com>
> > > To: "WAI-IG" <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
> > > Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 4:54 PM
> > > Subject: RE: Joe wrote: "There is no plan of action 
> available to you 
> > > in order to accommodate learning-disabled visitors"
> > >
> > >
> > > >
> > > > Jonathan Chetwynd said:
> > > >
> > > > > you might like to contrast:
> > > > > "There is no plan of action available to you in order to
> > > accommodate
> > > > > learning-disabled visitors"
> > > >
> > > > > There are a range of resources on enabling people 
> with learning 
> > > > > difficulties to enjoy the web, linked from here: 
> > > > > http://www.learningdifferently.com/develop/papers.html
> > > most are by
> > > > > experts, but yours is the only one with such a depressing 
> > > > > conclusion.
> > > >
> > > > It seems to me that nearly all of the articles on this list
> > > deal with,
> > > > in effect, creating Web sites that are more usable. This
> > > list of links
> > > > provided by Jonathan is nothing more than a collection 
> of articles 
> > > > (one of which is written by Joe Clark).
> > > >
> > > > WCAG lays out a path, a set of guidelines, that shows designers 
> > > > and developers how to approach creating Web sites that are more 
> > > > accessible.
> > > >
> > > > I think all Joe is saying is that there is no guideline for 
> > > > successfully accommodating the learning disabled. And 
> really, how 
> > > > could there be? One dyslexic may not have the same issues
> > > as another.
> > > > One color-blind person is not the same as the next. At some
> > > point, we
> > > > have to realize that there simply is no way to cater to
> > > every single
> > > > person's needs and wants. Not even a strictly textual page
> > > can do this
> > > > because of language and comprehension issues.
> > > >
> > > > ----------
> > > > Randal Rust
> > > > Covansys Corp.
> > > > Columbus, OH
> > >
> > >
> >
> 
>

Received on Thursday, 22 January 2004 04:19:23 UTC