Re: Advice on AA conformation

> On Nov 6, 2009, at 10:44 AM, Andy Laws wrote:
>
>> Dear All
>>
>>
>> We have come across a scenario lately, where 2 different  
>> accessibility audits have produced different results, As a company  
>> we are legally obliged to provide AA compliant web aplications,  
>> however this is very subjective, how as a company do we protect  
>> ourselves legally ie if we have met all checkpoint guide lines, is  
>> this sufficient


This is no different than in any other field.   Except where you can  
reduce everything to a mechanical test with a numeric result you will  
get these differences.   Even there you get different measures from  
different evaluations sometimes if you live near the edge.   Even with  
HTML -- you have "valid" html (things that can be checked with a  
mechanical validator) and "conforming HTML" which means you follow the  
spec.  Not all validators will give you the exact same results --- and  
if you wanted to check for conformance to the standard -- you can get  
different interpretations from different evaluators.

The guidelines shouldn’t be thought of as a line that you want to just  
barely get across.   as long as your are right on top of the line -  
you will get normal variation on whether you are on it or over it one  
side or the other.

Instead - use it as in indication of where you should be above -- and  
then don't get near it.   That is the MINIMUM that you must do.   Like  
the edge of a road.  You don't want to drive on the edge of the  
road.    If you are above it by any reasonable amount you won't have a  
problem.   Also,  look at the REASON that the guideline is in  
place.     If you fulfil the reason - then you will have met the  
criteria.  Remember the techniques are not required. Only the  success  
criteria.

Finally,  I can find someone who will pass or fail any site if I want  
to.  That doesn’t mean the ruler is bad.

Find a good evaluator and go with them or someone they recommend.    
Then don't press them to figure out how to pass you.  Use them to  
figure out where the edge of the road is - and how to say away from it.


Gregg
-----------------------
Gregg Vanderheiden Ph.D.
Director Trace R&D Center
Professor Industrial & Systems Engineering
and Biomedical Engineering
University of Wisconsin-Madison










On Nov 6, 2009, at 10:44 AM, Andy Laws wrote:

> Dear All
>
>
> We have come across a scenario lately, where 2 different  
> accessibility audits have produced different results, As a company  
> we are legally obliged to provide AA compliant web aplications,  
> however this is very subjective, how as a company do we protect  
> ourselves legally ie if we have met all checkpoint guide lines, is  
> this sufficient
>
>
> Many Regards
>
> Andrew
>
> -- 
> Andrew Laws Bsc(Hons) MBCS, FBCS
> Web-Sites:
> www.opelnet.co.uk
> www.cubiks.com
> www.holidayhypermarket.co.uk
> e-mail: adlaws@gmail.com
> Telephone:: +44 (0) 7828822987