Re: How to make complex data tables more accessible to screen-reader users

Shelley Powers wrote:
> There is no empirical data to support either side in this issue.
>
> Reviewing randomly accessed web pages is not a proper study, and
> conclusions reached based on this review are subjective.

I only referred to that data as observational data; I realise it isn't a 
proper scientific study.  But even so, in the absense of any other data, 
we have to work with we've got and it's really difficult to reach any 
other conclusion from that, other than almost a total lack of correct 
usage amidst widespread misuse.

> In addition, there is a looming deadline related to last call, so
> there is no time to do proper studies.

About a week ago, I tried to start a discussion on how to obtain proper 
scientific data [1]; sent in response to your repeated attempts to 
discredit the data we have.  But it's surprising to me that rather than 
even attempt to contribute to producing a proper scientific study in any 
way at all, you'd rather continue you're attempts to discredit what we 
have, say we can't get anything else.

> Frankly, neither side likely has the resources necessary to do proper
> studies.

I don't think the responsibility for performing the study should fall 
onto just one side of the debate.  Rather, we should be working together 
to figure out how to best perform the study and find volunteers within 
the group capable of contributing resources.  We've already seen several 
members demonstrate the ability to collect data, from Ben Millard's 
table collections and Philip's various collections of data, to some 
informal survey results from Google and Opera's MAMA system.  So I think 
it is naiive to say that we don't have resources available to do proper 
studies.  We just need to sort out the details of what needs to be done 
and do them.

[1] http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html/2009Jun/0851.html

-- 
Lachlan Hunt - Opera Software
http://lachy.id.au/
http://www.opera.com/

Received on Monday, 6 July 2009 14:42:04 UTC