Re: inquiry: Complete List of Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools

[removing several lists and recipients not directly involved]

Hi Gregory,

Thank you for your interest and offer, please find some comments below:


Gregory J. Rosmaita wrote:
> aloha, shadi!
> 
> i'm emailing you to inquire if you are still the maintainer of the ERT 
> Tools resource located at:
> 
> http://www.w3.org/WAI/ER/tools/
> 
> you are listed as the resource's maintainer, but the date-stamp indicates 
> that it hasn't been modified since 17 march 2006 -- if you no longer 
> maintain this resource, could you please let me know who does and forward 
> this inquiry to the proper person?

This date is a little misleading as it is the date when the database and 
user interface where last modified. The content however has changed ever 
since and is being actively maintained by myself. You can see the change 
requests on a publicly archived list:
  - <http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-wai-ert-tools/>

Note that this database is a public resource and lives from voluntary 
contributions so there are many ways in which you could still help if 
you are interested. If you come across or know of a *Web accessibility 
evaluation tool* (not any QA tool) that is not currently listed on our 
database then please contact the vendors and make them aware that they 
can list their tool just by filling out this form:
  - <http://www.w3.org/WAI/ER/tools/submission>

Please make sure that the tool vendors are aware of the information on 
the overview page, especially the "disclaimer" and the "about the tools 
list" sections of it:
  - <http://www.w3.org/WAI/ER/tools/>


> i'm specifically writing to you in regards a conversation which dan 
> connolly, mike (tm) smith, and i had on IRC before the last HTML WG 
> teleconference, in which mike was inquiring as to what tools are 
> available for evaluation and repair, so that he could ensure that the 
> materials he mounts and/or maintains in W3C space is accessible, including
> the HTML working group's pages...  when i pointed him to the resource at 
> the URI above, dan pointed me to:
> 
> http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-wai-ert/2007Feb/0009.html
> 
> in which he had notified you, as well as sean palmer, with a carbon copy 
> to:
> 
>  * public-wai-ert@w3.org
>  & public-grddl-comments@w3.org
>  * public-sparql-dev@w3.org
>  * www-qa@w3.org
> 
> that he was in the process of developing a tool to make "nice HTML 
> reports out of EARL data"
> (http://www.w3.org/2001/sw/grddl-wg/td/earlsum.py), 
> along with an attachment containing some results...
> 
> dan's tool wasn't listed in the ER tools database, which brings me to my
> meta-question: is http://www.w3.org/WAI/ER/tools/ being actively 
> maintained?  is public-wai-ert@w3.org being actively monitored?  do you 
> need someone to take ownership of either/both resources?

As far as I know, Dan's tool is NOT an *accessibility evaluation tool*, 
it checks the validity against GRDDL test cases. The W3C Evaluation and 
Repair Tools Working Group (ERT WG) has had several exchanges with Dan, 
and are happy to see EARL implementations. That is however a different 
subject to the Web accessibility evaluation tools database.


> EARL is greeted with great enthusiasm whenever i point someone to it, or 
> when someone comes across it on their own and uses it to create a custom
> tool or script, and both it and the existing tools resource are extremely 
> important resources to keep up-to-date, in order to ensure that ERT tools 
> are more widely used, and that those who create them for their own needs 
> can share the fruits of their labor with the wider web community...

Please let us know about EARL implementations, we would like to list 
such resources separately to demonstrate the different ways in which 
EARL can be used (also outside the realm of accessibility).


Thank you for your interest and please continue to promote our work! 
Also looking forward to possible contributions from your side... ;)


Regards,
   Shadi


-- 
Shadi Abou-Zahra - http://www.w3.org/People/shadi/ |
   WAI International Program Office Activity Lead   |
  W3C Evaluation & Repair Tools Working Group Chair |

Received on Tuesday, 4 December 2007 08:14:30 UTC