Technique 3.1.2: Consider different ways to prompt and assist the author
with various types of information required for accessibility
Subcategory 3.1.2(18) Style Sheets:
Scenario - At the beginning of the authoring session, the user selects in which form the
assistance will arrive, as well as when (how often-determined by the tool?), as well
as how much information to provide (short or long "length"). The user should also
be given the option of not getting any assistance of this type at all? The user should
have the option of changing previously-given settings at some point into the authoring
session? Given this previous user-supplied information, the tool would present assistance
according to the user's wishes. For example, the tool might "intelligently" determine
when the result of a "current" authoring action may have style-sheet accessibility implications
(according to the user's wishes mentioned previously), determine what particular style-sheet accessibility
implications might be present (from the following list-NOT EXHAUSTIVE), and as a result of such determination present appropriate items from the following list
(with the goal of developing a positive attitude towards accessibility in the user):
- assistance on proper ways of controlling fonts, colors, text sizes to promote accessible content
- assistance on how to properly specify fallback fonts to promote accessible content
- guidance on properly specifying font characteristics to promote accessible content
- assistance on properly using HTML elements to control fonts to promote accessible content
- guidance on proper use of color contrast to promote accessible content
- assistance on properly specifying colors to promote accessible content
- guidance on accurately specifying foreground and background contrast to promote accessible content
- guidance on properly specifying fore- and background colors to promote accessible content
- assistance on properly conveying information through multiple means (not just color) to promote accessible content
- guidance on properly using relative units of measure to promote accessible content
- assistance on proper use of absolute units of measure to promote accessible content
- assistance on how to create stylized text with CSS rather than using raster images to promote accessible content
- assistance on proper formatting and positioning of text to promote accessible content
- guidance on proper text style effects to promote accessible content
- assistance on how to create rules and borders to promote accessible content
- guidance on proper use of text equivalents for content generated by style sheets to promote accessible content
- guidance on proper use of generated content in the DOM to promote accessible content
- assistance on providing contextual clues in lists to promote accessible content
- assistance on properly creating layout, positioning, layering, and alignment to promote accessible content
- assistnace on properly creating null alt-text to promote accessible content
- assistance on how to provide good structural markup for graceful degradation to promote accessible content
- assistance on use of scripting and style sheets to promote accessible content
- assistance on using ACSS to create auditory presentation to promote accessible content
- guidance on access to alternative representations of content to promote accessible content
- guidance on proper use of media types to promote accessible content
NOTE: Would the user have the ability to "ignore" these assistive messages and use the tool anyway?
What effect would this ability have on future assistive message generation by the tool?