RE: 2.1.1 -- is it a "checkable" checkpoint?

Kynn suggested changing checkpoint 2.1.1 to:

[Priority 1]
Use standard accessibility user interface guidelines as for
any other piece of software.

Not a bad idea, but how do we define "standard" guidelines?

Dick Brown
Microsoft

-----Original Message-----
From: Kynn Bartlett [mailto:kynn@idyllmtn.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 1999 2:14 PM
To: w3c-wai-au@w3.org
Subject: 2.1.1 -- is it a "checkable" checkpoint?


I think checkpoints should all be "checkable".  For 2.1.1,
the guideline really is:

"The authoring tool is a software program with standard
 user interface elements and as such should follow relevant
 user interface accessibility guidelines."

_That_ is what must be done.  The current checkpoint is:

Checkpoints:
2.1.1: [Priority 1]
Use all applicable operating system and accessibility
standards and conventions.

HOWEVER, it's entirely possible to create an accessible 
web authoring tool if you have NEVER read the IBM guidelines!

Following IBM's or Microsoft or Sun's guidelines are a _way_
to ensure that your program has standard user interface
elements etc -- therefore this is a _technique_ for the
checkpoint of:

[Priority 1]
Use standard accessibility user interface guidelines as for
any other piece of software.

Please rewrite this to look better and communicate in terms that
can be understood, but what we want them to _do_ is to make the
software accessible.  I don't CARE if they've never HEARD of
IBM's Java rules as long as the tool works and is accessible --
maybe they read a book by Microsoft on accessible java and it
never refers to IBM, but still conveys the necessary info?

Therefore, I think that we should insist the tool follows normal
accessibility conventions but not specify that there's a special
set of guidelines (e.g. "operating system") that must be 
followed.  That's HOW most people will satisfy the checkpoint,
but the HOW can go in a technique, and the WHAT is something
different.

Does anyone agree or am I just insane?  (BTW sorry about not
speaking up more, my throat is still sore and I talked for an
hour on the phone to grad student today...)

--
Kynn Bartlett  <kynn@idyllmtn.com>                   http://www.kynn.com/
Chief Technologist, Idyll Mountain Internet      http://www.idyllmtn.com/
Catch the Web Accessibility Meme!                   http://aware.hwg.org/
Next Online Course starts August 2         http://www.kynn.com/+nextclass

Received on Wednesday, 23 June 1999 17:26:56 UTC