RE: ATAG2 - Guideline 7

Hello all,

Here's my next stab at Guideline 7.  I have tried to incorporate (as
much as possible) all the comments from the calls and list. Here are the
highlights:

1. Restored the searching checkpoint (7.6)
2. Restored the separate property and structure editing.
3. Introduced the term "Authoring interface"
4. Tried to make the three priority levels on 7.1 more clear
5. Tried to make the "at minimum" text more general (since the
checkpoints range in generality, getting less general subtext that is
still more general techniques is sometimes easier said than done)
6. Made quite a few changes to all of the subtext.
7. Borrowed the phrase "operating environment conventions that benefit
accessibility" from UA.

---

Guideline 7. Ensure that the authoring tool is accessible to authors
with disabilities.
Note: the guideline explanatory text has not been changed and so is not
included

Checkpoints:

7.1 Ensure that the authoring interface follows all operating
environment conventions that benefit accessibility.
[Three priority levels: Priority 1 for standards and conventions
essential to accessibility; Priority 2 for those important to
accessibility; Priority 3 for those beneficial to accessibility] 

This checkpoint requires all aspects of the authoring interface to be
accessible to the author. This wide scope means that the checkpoint
applies to the implementation of all the other checkpoints in this
guidelines document. The techniques for meeting this checkpoint include
references to platform-specific checklists and guidelines and to general
guidelines for accessible applications. In many cases several sets of
standards will be applicable. 

---

7.2 Ensure that the authoring interface enables accessible editing of
all element and object properties. [Priority 1]

This checkpoint is a special case of checkpoint 7.1 that is especially
important to authoring tools. At minimum, the checkpoint requires at
least one accessible way to edit every element and object property
supported by the tool. More advanced implementations might ensure that
all of the ways in which the tool allows element and object properties
to be edited should be accessible.

---

7.3 Ensure that the authoring interface enables the author to edit the
structure of the document. [Priority 2]

This checkpoint is a special case of checkpoint 7.1 that is especially
important to authoring tools. At minimum, the checkpoint requires that
the author be able to copy, cut or paste an element and its content at
any level of the document tree hierarchy. More advanced implementations
might provide more powerful ways to edit elements or groups of elements
in the structure.

---

7.4 Allow the display preferences of the authoring interface to be
changed without affecting the document markup. [Priority 1] 

This checkpoint requires that the author be able to view the content, as
it is being authored, in a way that differs from the presumed default
appearance of the rendered content. At minimum, the tool should support
any system-wide display preferences as well as allowing textual
alternatives to be displayed in place of non-text elements. More advance
implementations might allow the author to select an editing style sheet
that is different from the document style sheet.

---

7.5 Ensure that the authoring interface enables accessible navigation of
editing views via the document structure. [Priority 2] 

This checkpoint requires that tools make use of the structure of the
documents being edited, in order to simplify navigation for the author.
At minimum, the author should be able to move from element to element.
More advanced implementations might provide highly flexible mechanisms
that take advantage of the hierarchical nature of the document tree.

---

7.6 Ensure the authoring interface allows the author to search within
the editing views. [Priority 2] 

This checkpoint requires that tools provide a search facility. While
this is a common feature in most text markup editing tools, it is less
common for other authoring tools (i.e. SVG and editors). At minimum, the
tool should allow basic text search. More advance implementations might
have more powerful mechanisms that, for example, might search on the
basis of structure or similarity.

---

Cheers,
Jan

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Jan Richards
Adaptive Technology Resource Centre (ATRC)
University of Toronto

jan.richards@utoronto.ca
Tel: (416) 946-7060  Fax: (416) 971-2896

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Received on Friday, 11 May 2001 14:42:05 UTC