notes on current draft.

Below you'll find document excerpts and coments from the 5/30 draft.  In
places there are comments surrounded by ** and in some places I've used
*dp* to indicate my comments.
Please note: I worked with the document as it stands not taking into
account any broad enterpretation of material when referred to and looking
with the eye of someone not familiar with it and also from a designer's
point of view re browser/user agent.

I feel wee need to tackle the ratings issue in discussion but offer the
thought that some priority 1 items may be conbinable as to decrease the
actual number and still achieve the same results.
My hopefully valuable input is below.
   
  2.3 Selection, Focus, and Events
          
   Focus
          The focus is a control element (link, form, DHTML events, etc.)
          that is used by keyboard commands to indicate which control is
          currently active. A document can only have one focus at a time.
*dp* events should be replaced by event
   
3 Presentation Adjustability

  3.1 Control over Browser Defaults and Author Styles
  
    1. [PRIORITY 1]
       Allow the user to override default values for the following
       properties: font face, font size, and foreground and background
       colors.
*dp* strike the last "and".
    
2. [PRIORITY 1]
       Allow the user to override author styles for the following
       properties: font face, font size, and foreground and background
       colors.
*dp* strike the last and.

4. .
*dp* what goes here?
    7. [PRIORITY 1]
       Allow the user, through a keyboard command, to switch between
       browser default values and current values.
*dp* what is "current"? perhaps custom or user defined could
be substituted here?

         3.2 Alternative Representations of Images
  *dp* note: see criptic comments surrounded by **
    1. [PRIORITY 1]
       Allow the user to turn off the display of images inserted by
       HTML's IMG element (see [HTML40]) and display descriptive *alternative* text 
       in place of the image. There are potentially two sources of
       descriptive text information (in order): the "alt" and "title". If
       both "alt" and "title" are specified, "alt" should be used as a
       description  of *replacement for* the image, and "title" as a tool tip. 
       If only "title" is available it should be used as the description of the
       image.
       If none of these attributes is specified, the name of the file
       designated by the "src" attribute should be used as the
       alternative text.
       The entire text should be rendered no matter what the source of
       the text or the dimensions specified for the original image. Text
       should be wrapped so the user doesn't need to do a vertical scroll
       to read the description.
*The text should wrap so that the user need not scroll
horrizontally in order to read it.*

    2. [PRIORITY 1]
       Allow the user to turn off the display of images inserted by
       HTML's OBJECT element (see [HTML40]) and display descriptive
*alternative, alternate or replacement?*text
       in place of the image. The innermost text of the OBJECT is
       considered its alternative text. In the element has no content,
       the name of the file designated by the OBJECT's "data" attribute
       should be used as the alternative text.
       The entire text should be rendered no matter what the source of
       the text or the dimensions specified for the original image.

    4. [PRIORITY 3]
       When an IMG element has a value for the "longdesc" attribute and
       the user has already defined a "description link" (D-link) for the
       image, the "longdesc" D-Link should be suppressed. Therefore if an
       IMG element has both a value for "longdesc" and a hard coded
       D-Link only one D-Link should be presented to the user.
*dp* what does "user has defined" mean here?
       
  3.3 Alternative Representations for Video, Movies, and Animations
*dp* should not the word audio be inserted here and throughout this
section as well?
       
  3.5 Alternative Views of Document
  
    1. [PRIORITY 2]
       Allow the user to identify quickly the important elements of a
       page. For example, when used properly, header elements (H1-H6) may
       be used to create an outline of major topics. The user should be
       able to select headers in the outline view, causing the
       corresponding locations in the main view to be displayed.
       If the browser provides more than one view, the user should be
       able to toggle between the full and outline view of the document.
       Selections between views should be synchronized.
*dp* "full and outline" might be replaced with "various views" or just views.

4 Orientation Information

  4.1 Maintenance of Document View and Focus
  
    1. [PRIORITY 1]
       Maintain the document view and focus as a user moves between
       documents. As a user activates links and
*dp* is this finished or tied to the below?
    2. [PRIORITY 1]
       When the user changes the view of a document, the focus is shifted
       to a location in the current view. Thus, after changing the view,
       if the user uses keyboard commands to move or select the focused
       element, the view does not abruptly change to another portion of
       the document with the focused element.
       
  4.4 Element and Event Identification
  
    1. [PRIORITY 1]
       Display information about elements and dynamic HTML events when
       certain events occur (e.g., focus, hover, etc.). Element
       information should be displayed on the status line of the browser
       when an element receives the focus or an occurs.
       *dp* the word event is missing after an above.

5 Navigation and Control
    
  5.2 Hierarchical Navigation
  
   Question. How is the hierarchy defined?
*dp* does the d o m speak to this issue?
    1. [PRIORITY 2]
       or [PRIORITY 3]
       Allow the user to use the keyboard to navigate a hierarchical or
       outline representation of the document. Highlight the focus within
       the hierarchy in a way that is compatible with third-party
       assistive technology. The user should be able to expand or
       contract the hierarchy based on keyboard and pointing input.
       
  5.3 Direct Navigation
  
   Question. How are elements named and numbered?
*dp* a link is named by the text in it much the way of an
address in an addressbook.  anything between the > and the </a>
is fair game.  presumably, going from lefto right.  Numbering
begins at top left and moves sequentially as you read.
Other processes govern special cases such as tables and frames.
HOwever, if you activate a frame, the links with in it can
be numbered beginning at 1.
    1. [PRIORITY 1]
       Allow the user to use the keyboard to move the focus directly to
       links and controls on a page. Users should be able to search for
       (and shift the focus to) a link or control by its position or by
       its name.


    2. [PRIORITY 2]
       Allow the user to use the keyboard to move the focus directly *to*
       elements that are not links or form controls.
    
  5.6 Dynamic HTML Events
*dp* What does create mean in the two items here?
    2. [PRIORITY 1]
       Allow the user to use the keyboard to create a list of elements
       and their associated dynamic HTML events, and to select and
       execute an event on the list.
       
  5.7 Navigation among Pages
  
    1. [PRIORITY 1]
       Allow the user to use the keyboard to create a history of visited
       documents, and to select and visit a document on the list.    

6 Visibility of Accessibility Features
       
  6.2 Documentation
    3. [PRIORITY 1]
       Print and on-line information should be available in alternative
       formats for people with print impairments. This includes large
       print, *an accessable electronic form*
audio tape and Braille. Information on how to obtain
       information in alternative formats should be available in both
       on-line and print materials.

7 Compatibility
    
  7.2 Compatibility with Third-party Assistive Technology

    Using Accessibility Application Programming Interfaces
    
   [PRIORITY 1]
   Some operating systems have developed accessibility application
   programming interfaces (APIs). The accessibility APIs are designed to
   provide a bridge between the standard user interface supported by the
   operating system and alternative user interfaces developed by third
   party assistive technology vendors to provide access to persons with
   disabilities. Applications supporting these APIs are therefore *generally*
more compatible with third party assistive technology. A list of currently
   available accessibility APIs can be found in Appendix B.
*dp* note: at the present time, some third party access
applications are rendered useless by at least one access api, and
backward compatability can be an issue as well.
the future holds promise.



Hands-On-Technolog(eye)s
touching the internet
voice: 1-(301) 949-7599
poehlman@clark.net
ftp://ftp.clark.net/pub/poehlman
http://www.clark.net/pub/poehlman

Received on Tuesday, 2 June 1998 12:36:49 UTC