Re: Proposals or Recommend Closing? 2 Accessibility Issues: aria-role & longdesc

Hi Chaals,

You wrote:

> Yes, I propose that since the task force is not yet active, I make a change
> request to have longdesc copied from tht HTML 4 draft to HTML 5 as an
> attribute for img elements.

Thank you for your prompt response and initiative <smile>.

Since the task force is not yet active, your idea for longdesc sounds
good to me as at least an interim measure, so that the issue is not
closed and become an endpoint to the escalation process [1] . When the
task force has permanent facilitators and is fully active we can
determine consensus. Does that sound okay? Debi indicated that she
would be available to help with longdesc (see forwarded email below).
Thank you Debi!

The HTML Working Group Decision Policy [2] details what to include in
a change-proposal [3]. According to the policy, if the change proposal
is not done by the deadline, the issue will be closed without
prejudice and deferred to the next version of HTML. The default
deadline to complete a Change Proposal is one month from the time
someone volunteers. The chairs may grant a longer deadline for complex
issues on request.

[1] http://dev.w3.org/html5/decision-policy/decision-policy.html#escalation-step-2a
[2] http://dev.w3.org/html5/decision-policy/decision-policy.html
[3] http://dev.w3.org/html5/decision-policy/decision-policy.html#escalation-step-2b

Best Regards,
Laura

-- Forwarded message --

From: Debi Orton <oradnio@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Oct 26, 2009 at 10:24 AM
Subject: Re: Proposals or Recommend Closing? 2 Accessibility Issues:
aria-role &   longdesc
To: Laura Carlson <laura.lee.carlson@gmail.com>

Hi Laura,

I am available to help with longdesc.

I feel that to remove longdesc would close the door on making the
information contained in complex charts and other dense graphic images
(such as artwork) available to those with visual impairments.
Longdesc content (when made available via a text link) is also useful
for those with cognitive impairments who may not easily grasp those
sorts of images, as well as those using mobile devices.

I'd be glad to help write whatever the consensus opinion becomes.

Debi Orton

-- End Forwarded message --

On Mon, Oct 26, 2009 at 10:18 AM, Charles McCathieNevile
<chaals@opera.com> wrote:
> Trimming the cc list.
>
> On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:05:30 +0100, Laura Carlson
> <laura.lee.carlson@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Chaals, I think you originally raised ISSUE-30 longdesc [3].
>
> Yep.
>
>> I know the Accessibility Task Force [4] is not quite official yet, but
>> does anyone have ideas on how we should handle these?
>
> Yes, I propose that since the task force is not yet active, I make a change
> request to have longdesc copied from tht HTML 4 draft to HTML 5 as an
> attribute for img elements. It is known to work in assistive technologies
> (and Opera, and it sort of worked in Firefox), it is used by some proportion
> of websites (less than a per cent, but that's only millions, if the
> statistics are worth having in the first place) and it is used usefully in
> about a third of cases, while having it be junk (misusing the attribute) is
> not shown to be actively a problem for anyone - and at least one common
> misuse pattern can be usefully presented to users already.
>
> cheers
>
> Chaals
>
> --
> Charles McCathieNevile  Opera Software, Standards Group
>    je parle français -- hablo español -- jeg lærer norsk
> http://my.opera.com/chaals       Try Opera: http://www.opera.com

-- 
Laura L. Carlson

Received on Monday, 26 October 2009 15:55:41 UTC