Using (RDF) meta-data for Page Accessibility

Hi Everyone,
On the RDF IG list lately, there has been a lot of conversation about the
Semantic Web. One action item that has been raised is using RDF and
meta-data to optimise page accessibility; and hence I am writing to this
list.
It has been suggested to me (by William Loughborough on the RDF IG list)
that:
[[[
In the WAI Working Groups for both content guidelines and tools (and
possibly protocols/formats) we are wrestling with the notion of
suggesting/requiring metadata dealing with the conformance claims made by
authors that are a little more reassuring than just a logo at the bottom.
]]] - http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/www-rdf-interest/2000Nov/0106.html
Therefore, may I suggest the following checkpoints and implementation
examples:

Checkpoints (where item 1. is A/AA, and item 2. AAA):-
1. Include Dublin Core or similar RDF based meta-statements where not
constrained by validation, or provide alternative methods for doing so (e.g.
using qualified Dublin Core metadata in HTML META elements). Provide RDF
site and page summaries.
2. Using the methods in 1., indicate that the author(s) have followed the
guidelines and checked their site in accordance with WAI guidelines.

An example of this follows:-
In HTML (currently: see [1]):
<meta name="DC.title" content="Checkpoint Checker" />
<meta name="DC.description" content="W3C WAI WCAG 1.0 Checkpoint Checker" />
<meta name="description" content="W3C WAI WCAG 1.0 Checkpoint Checker" />
<meta name="W3C WAI WCAG 1.0 Conformance Level" content="AAA - Triple A" />

In RDF:
<rdf:RDF xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/DC"
     xmlns:wcag="http://www.w3.org/2000/wcag"
     xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" >
<rdf:description rdf:about="http://rdf.pair.com/xchecker.htm"
     dc:title="Checkpoint Checker"
     dc:description="W3C WAI WCAG 1.0 Checkpoint Checker"
     wcag:version="1.0"
     wcag:level="AAA"
     wcag:proselevel="Triple A" />
</rdf:RDF>
The xmlns:wcag namespace is just an example: the WAI would have to create a
real and suitable one.

[1] Also, could someone ask the HTML WG to provide an RDF Dublin Core module
in either m12n or XHTML 2.0? Currently we can only use the profile attribute
in head to link to an RDF file. (Mr. Raggett, as HTML activity lead, would
it be possible for you take this up?).

Looking at the WAI IG charter, this applies to 2.1.1 and 2.1.3 in the
following:-
[[[
2. Scope
2.1 Scope of WAI IG discussion
The scope of issues for WAI IG consideration includes issues within the five
areas of work of the Web Accessibility Initiative:
1. ensuring that the technologies of the Web support accessibility;
2. developing guidelines for Web accessibility;
3. developing tools to facilitate Web accessibility;
4. conducting education and outreach to promote Web accessibility;
5. tracking research and development which can affect future Web
accessibility.
]]] - http://www.w3.org/WAI/IG/Charter

Kindest Regards,
Sean B. Palmer
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Received on Friday, 10 November 2000 10:10:30 UTC