- From: Ian Jacobs <ij@w3.org>
- Date: Wed, 17 Feb 1999 10:07:32 -0500
- To: Charles McCathieNevile <charles@w3.org>
- CC: WAI AU Guidelines <w3c-wai-au@w3.org>
Hi Charles, Your suggestion sounds reasonable to me. I think part of the challenge of writing a document is deciding what to include (to make it easier on the reader) and what to reference (to avoid excess content that is not definitive anyway). I think making the document readable and usable has a higher priority than ensuring it is 28 pages instead of 30. - Ian (Your email excerpted below). Charles McCathieNevile wrote: > > It seems to me that although the guidelines refer to several other > documents which treat particular subjects more fully (for example the Web > Content Accessibility Guidelines, Notes on SMIL and CSS, and various > documents dealing with the accesibility of software applications) we > should summarise the most important points of those documents, as well as > referring to them as 'authorative sources'. > > This opens a Pandora's box of opportunities, but one into which I feel we > should look. As points for discussion, rather than a specific proposal, I > think we should make mention of the following principles: > > In section 2: > > Content produced must be device independent, or should have accompanying > information (eg alternative and/or descriptive text) which can be used to > ensure the information or function provided by that content is accessible. > For example, where a Java applet is used to provide a navigation system, > an alternative system which relies on ordinary HTML must also be offered. > This could be done in the content of the OBJECT or APPLET element. > > Content produced must seperate, or allow the seperation of, presentation > from structure. For example, where headings are indicated with a certain > colour and font-style, it must be done by applying style to the > appropriate level of Heading element (H1, H2, etc in HTML) rather than > styling 'ordinary' text (content of a P in HTML) > > Content produced should have simple and consistent orientation and > navigation. For example, navigation bars should use icons and ALT text > consistently (see appropriate guidelines/checkpoints). Features which > disorient users (such as the unexpected opening of new windows) should be > avoided. > > In Section 4: > > Access to functions provided by the tool should be device independent. In > many instances this can be achieved by providing keyboard access to every > function, according to operating system conventions, since in nearly all > operating systems any device can control the keyboard commands. Although > this may in principle be true of a mouse, the use of a mouse is > exceptionally difficult for many users, as it requires much more complex > feedback than keboard-based functions. > > The representation of content must be configurable. For example, font > sizes and colours used in editing the content must be configurable > independently of the intended representation of them by a user agent. > > Representation of the content being produced must be accessible through an > interoperable accessiblity interface. Complex elements (such as tables), > or those which can only be rendered in certain media (such as graphics) > may not be otherwise accessible to users who are relying on a > representation other than a common-sized colour monitor. For example, > the position within a table, and the relationship of the 'current' cell to > other cells may not be readily apparent via a speech interface, and > requires a further exposure of the document structure. As dynamic content > becomes more wdiespread, this need is likely to increase significantly. > > I think that this effectively covers the issues, although the reader must, > of course, be referred to the various full treatments which are included > as references in the document. I feel that something along these lines > justifies the volume it adds to the document. What do others think? > > Charles > > --Charles McCathieNevile mailto:charles@w3.org > phone: +1 617 258 0992 http://purl.oclc.org/net/charles > W3C Web Accessibility Initiative http://www.w3.org/WAI > MIT/LCS - 545 Technology sq., Cambridge MA, 02139, USA -- Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org) Tel/Fax: (212) 684-1814 http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs
Received on Wednesday, 17 February 1999 10:09:07 UTC