Fwd: VHA Comments on HTML5 Draft Specification

Below are some relevant comments relating to visual focus, posted to 
public-html-comments.
http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html-comments/2011Aug/0008.html


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	VHA Comments on HTML5 Draft Specification
Resent-Date: 	Tue, 02 Aug 2011 21:17:44 +0000
Resent-From: 	public-html-comments@w3.org
Date: 	Tue, 2 Aug 2011 15:18:28 -0500
From: 	Lipner, Mia <Mia.Lipner@va.gov>


<snip>

*The Canvas Element*

Other than a reference to providing keyboard accessibility in the 
fallback content, there is no reference to providing accessibility for 
users with various disabilities.  Visual focus for off-screen elements 
is an issue for users of screen magnification and low vision users, with 
no visual keyboard indication and no tracking of programmatic focus in 
the magnified area.  This makes "fallback content" appear to be the 
"text-only alternative" of this decade.  Until there are strong 
recommendations for how to make Canvas content accessible, there is a 
huge risk of unequal access to interesting and innovative content.

<snip>

*Element level Focus APIs*

In this section, people are instructed to use CSS to hide the focus ring 
if they "find it unsightly".  There should be additional information 
letting them know that doing so can jeopardize accessibility for some 
people including those who can see the screen, but who also rely upon 
keyboard accessibility.