Proposed resolution to issue 421

Some of the issues that were raise on the 21 December teleconference:

1. Checkpoint 8.6 implies that a user agent must implement selection and 
focus to conform to the guidelines.  While these features are widely used 
in most user agents, it was not the intention of the group to require a 
user agent to implement selection and focus.  If a user agent does not 
implement these for anyone, why do they need to be implemented for a person 
with a disability?  In practice most user agents support at least focus, 
and many support selection.  But some technologies like a multi-media 
player may never implement selection, but could be very accessible.

2. The second sentence in 8.6 deals with implementing standard focus and 
selection methods that are usable to assistive technologies.  This 
requirement seems to be more a part of guideline 5.

Proposal:

1. Delete current checkpoint 8.6 based on the removal of the requirement to 
implement selection and focus.
2. Add a new checkpoint to guideline 5 relating to implementing accessible 
focus and selection methods at a priority 1 level.

[NEW]
5.x  Provide programmatic access to selection, content focus, and user 
interface focus mechanisms using operating system APIs that support 
accessibility [Priority 1].

Note: This checkpoint is an important special case of checkpoint 5.4.  Some 
operating systems have specialized APIs that are designed for communicating 
some types of information to assistive technologies and these should be 
used when available, other operating systems will require using the 
standard operating system APIs that support communication with assistive 
technologies.
[/NEW]
Jon Gunderson, Ph.D., ATP
Coordinator of Assistive Communication and Information Technology
Division of Rehabilitation - Education Services
MC-574
College of Applied Life Studies
University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign
1207 S. Oak Street, Champaign, IL  61820

Voice: (217) 244-5870
Fax: (217) 333-0248

E-mail: jongund@uiuc.edu

WWW: http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~jongund
WWW: http://www.w3.org/wai/ua

Received on Thursday, 28 December 2000 11:32:57 UTC