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@@Notes while editing@@
@@Should we include specific examples for the well known XML applications (SVG, SMIL, MathML, VRML, WAP, etc)? -> make sure to keep up to date with WCAG@@
@@Editor note: As part of the techniques writing process, changes are being made to the text of success criteria and checkpoints. Once approved, these changes need to be made back in the guideline document.@@
This guideline requires that authoring tools must promote accessible authoring practices within the tool as well as smoothly integrate any functions added to meet the other requirements in this document. The checkpoint requirements for this section include ensuring the priority for accessible means of completing an authoring tasks (Checkpoint 4.1), ensuring the availability of accessibility-related functions (Checkpoint 4.2), and ensuring that accessibility-related functions fit into the appearance and interactive style of the tool (Checkpoint 4.4).
Rationale: Authors are most likely to use the first and easiest options.
Technique 4.2.1: If there are
two or more authoring options for performing the same authoring task (e.g.
setting colour, inserting multimedia, etc.), and one option results in
content that meets WCAG and the other does not, the more accessible option
can be given |
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Example 4.2.1: This illustration shows an authoring tool that supports
text formatting tasks via two options: using CSS and using
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Technique 4.2.2: Completely removing less accessible options can simplify the task of meeting this success criteria. |
Rationale: If the features that support accessible authoring are difficult to find and activate, they are less likely to be used. Ideally, these features should be turned on by default.
@@BAF: "logical" grouping rules should take precedence. If necessary the accessibility options can be on separate pages if easily accessed through the many flow of the application. Typically this will not be the case. For example, have an "description" field as a part of an image selection dialog is both natural and appropriate.@@
Technique 4.3.2: The tool can inform the author that disabling any continuously active process may cause problems to develop that might not otherwise. | |
Example 4.3.2: This dialog box might be activated if the author unchecks
a "highlighting accessibility related fields" feature, as shown
in figure 4.3.1. Notice that the wording
used in this example makes reference to the possibility that documents
will be "less accessible to many users" and that "in some
jurisdictions accessibility is a legal requirement". (Source: mockup
by AUWG) |
@@JR: the techniques here are pretty weak - we must ensure they relate to success criteria@@
Technique 4.3.3: Considerations for accessibility, such as short text label and long description attributes, can appear on the same dialog as the source attribute, rather than buried behind an "Advanced..." button. @@BAF: "can" should be "must" here.@@ |
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Technique 4.3.4: Efficient and fast access to accessibility-related settings with as few steps as possible needed to make any changes that will generate accessible content. (@@KM concerned about this@@) | |
@@BAF spelling is an example of a verification action. this may lead one to think its the only one (ie if no spell check, we can ignore this).@@ |
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Technique 4.3.6: Sometimes several input fields must be filled in order to make a single element accessible. Instead of dispersing these prompts over multiple dialog boxes, it can be more effective to draw them together into one group of controls with a visible tab or other method for accessing the group.@@new-from intro text@@ |
Rationale: A configurable tool is more likely to be adatpable to the work habits or more authors.
Technique 3.2.8: Alerts for high priority WCAG checkpoints can be included in the default configuration.
Technique 3.2.10: Preference utilities can be designed to allow authors to choose different alert levels based on the priority of accessibility practices.
Technique 4.X.1: Consider how much author configurability to provide. Author acceptance of the accessibility features of an authoring tool will likely depend on the degree to which these features can be integrated into the existing workflows of authors. That is why the ATAG 2.0 definition of "prompting" clearly states that: "the form and timing that this prompting takes can be author configurable". In other words, the author should be able to control of how and when assistance in avoiding accessibility problems is rendered by the tool. This author configurability will help reconcile the additional accessibility authoring tasks with the regular work pattern of the author. To achieve this, tools may offer the author a range of checking and prompting options (see Figure 3.1.1), including: [@@new@@]
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Example 3.1.1(a): This
illustration shows an accessibility preferences dialog that allows the
author to customize the nature of accessibility checking, highlighting
and help as well as set the accessibility standards the tool will check
against. (Source: mockup by AUWG)
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Example 3.1.1(b): This illustration shows shows a different preferences
layout, in which accessibility checking is just one of the checkers available
as the author enters text in a code-level authoring tool. Other checkers
are shown for spelling, syntax and usability. (Source: mockup by AUWG)@@added
due to BAF comment@@
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All functions that support accessible authoring practices should allow author preferences to be configurable to allow for different authoring styles. Custom configurations should improve use of the tool and make authors more receptive to assistive interventions from the authoring tool.
- section on configurability in techniques for checkpoint 3.1 could be used as starting point for techniques for this checkpoint (4.X)
Rationale: Accessible design as an afterthought or separate process is much more onerous and therefore costly than when accessibility is considered from the start. If the authoring tool supports a workflow in which the author considers accessibility before and/or during the authoring process it is more likely that accessible authoring practices will become a common practice. This is analogous to internationalization, which is much easier when it is considered from the beginning rather than handled last.
@@ BAF: Wizards are the way to go: . Repair tools can address pre-existing content or content edits after use of a wizard (assuming you cannot reenter the wizard). @@ @@BAF: wizards etc should be a major prompting mechanism. Many samples should be shown such as the table example.@@
@@JT: Maybe have an example showing a template....?NTS?@@
@@JT: We need to have new techniques for tools that could try to get author to put down structure first and seperately than presentation - swappable styles@@
Technique 4.1.1: Prompting can be integrated into sequencing mechanisms (e.g. design aids, wizards, templates) at a point early enough in the authoring process that there is less chance that it will be bypassed. |
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Example 4.1.1: This illustration shows a wizard (indirect authoring) interface
that prompts the author for a few key pieces of information that will
then be used to generate a complete page; a gallery page in this case.
Since this step of the wizard includes a "Finish" button, this
is a suitable place to add the accessibility-related prompts ("label"
and "description"). Placing these prompts later in the process
would allow the author to bypass them. (Source: mockup by AUWG) |
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Technique 4.1.2: Checking that is automated or semi-automated can be integrated into sequencing mechanisms (e.g. design aids, wizards, templates) |
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Example: See 4.1.5(b) |
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Technique 4.1.3: Repair that is automated or semi-automated can be integrated into sequencing mechanisms (e.g. design aids, wizards, templates) |
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Example: This illustration shows ... @@PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTING CONTENT AND STRUCTURE BEFORE STYLING@@
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Technique 4.1.4: Immediate access to some basic accessibility documentation and one-step access to more comprehensive documentation can be provided to provide support to the author as needed. |
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Example 4.1.4: This illustration shows an accessibility
checker with some limited short label authoring tips listed beneath the
text entry area as well as a button linking to the full documentation.
(Source: mockup by AUWG)
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Technique 4.1.5: A tight coupling between all of the accessibility-related functions leads to a more seamless authoring experience. | |
Example 4.1.5(a,b,c): This illustration shows a sequence of steps through
a WYSIWYG interface in which prompting, checking, repair and documentation
of accessibility issues are all integrated into the process of creating
a table. In the first step (Figure 4.1.5(a)), the author has requested
that a table be inserted. The tool prompts the author for accessibility
information (i.e. caption and summary) at the same time as it prompts
for the number of rows and columns, etc. The tool assists the author by
filling both fields with known information (i.e. that this is the 3rd
table in the document). In the second step (Figure 4.1.5(b)), as the author
finishes filling in the top row of cells, the tool has checked the structure
of the table and found a lack of header cells. To address this problem,
the tool asks whether this "is a row of table headers". If the
author answers "Yes", then the tool can make the repair automatically.
In the third step (Figure 4.1.5(c)), the author has added a new row to
the top of the table and merged two cells in this new top row. The tool
again checks the table and asks the author whether this "merged cell
is a header for the column headers below it". If the author answers
"Yes", then the tool can repair the table structure accordingly.
In all three steps, key terms are linked directly to the help documentation.
(Source: mockup by AUWG)
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Techniques for Success Criteria 2:
The P,C,R&D must occur before completion of authoring workflow.
[@@wording is still flexible@@] [@@maybe we can allow authoring to define scope
of workflow with input from author@@]
Technique 3.2.3: Accessibility problems can be detected and immediately highlighted when documents are opened, when an editing or insertion action is completed, or while an author is editing.
Technique 3.2.11: If intrusive warnings are used, a means can be provides for the author to quickly set the warning to unobtrusive to avoid frustration.
Technique 4.1.Y: Optimize the timing of prompting,
checking, and repair functions. Authoring accessible documents should
be as efficient as possible. Prompting, should be timed so that accessibility
problems are prevented whenever possible and, when not possible, checking
and repair should occur when the accessibility problem is easily reversible.
Integrated guidance in creating accessible content from @@we need to remove checking bias by adding prompting examples.@@ |
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1. Immediate Interruption: An immediate interruption is the most intrusive timing option because the attention of the author is actively diverted from the current editing task by the notification of some issue. This might be achieved, for instance, by an alert dialog. This type of alert presents multiple usability problems and should be used sparingly because it interferes with the normal design workflow. Intrusive warnings are probably only appropriate when the window of opportunity for correcting a serious accessibility problem is about to close, such as when an author decides to publish the content in question. In general, we recommend using the less disruptive timing options. |
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Example 3.2.2(a): This illustration shows an example of an immediate interruption
of the author's workflow. The author must press the "OK" button
on the dialog box to continue. (Source: mockup by AUWG) |
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2. Negotiated Interruption (Preferred): A negotiated interruption is caused by interface mechanisms (icons, line or color highlighting of the element, audio feedback, etc.) that alert the author to a problem, but remain flexible enough to allow the author to decide whether to take immediate action or address the issue at a later time. Since negotiated interruptions are less intrusive than immediate interruptions they can often be better integrated into the design workflow and have the added benefit of informing the author about the distribution of errors within the document. Although some authors may choose to ignore the alerts completely, it is not recommended that authors be forced to fix problems. Instead, it is recommended that, at some major editing event (e.g., when publishing), the tool should remind the author of the continuing unresolved accessibility issue. |
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Example 3.2.2(b): This illustration shows an example of a negotiated interruption.
The author is made aware of problems detected automatically by means of
a blue squiggly line around or under rendered elements with accessibility
problems. The author can still decide to address the problems at a later
time. (Source: mockup by AUWG) |
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3. Scheduled Interruption: A scheduled interruption is one in which the author has set the tool to alert them of accessibility issues on a configurable schedule. One option for the schedule might be to have prompts associated with the interface mechanisms for significant authoring events such as saving, exiting, publishing, or page generation, etc. At the significant authoring event, the author would be informed of the problem, while at the same time they would not be prevented from saving, publishing, printing, etc. For example, a "save as" dialog could display an accessibility warning and an option to launch a correction utility after saving (see Figure 3.2.7). A potential downside of this type of prompting is that by the time the prompt is displayed (publishing, etc.), the author may not have sufficient time to make the required changes, especially if they are extensive.
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Example 3.2.2(c): This illustration shows a "Save As" dialog
box that is an example of a scheduling mechanism for a scheduled interruption.
The author has the option of turning on or off a checking session immediately
following the save operation. The author's preference should be retained
for the next save operation. (Source: mockup by AUWG) |
Rationale: Most authors are reluctant to use features that depart from the conventions of a tool. Detached accessibility modules also decrease the likelihood authors will check for and repair accessibility problems with their code.[@@added by MM@@]
@@BAF: This one tends to be the default case (one would rarely use a different style for accessibility prompting vs other prompting) so wee need to make this more a thing to look out for vs a conscious design action. We should include other samples in the pattern below.@@
Technique 3.2.4: CSS classes can be used to indicate accessibility problems enabling the author to easily configure the presentation of errors.
Make checker like spell checker.
Contents | Guideline 1 | Guideline 2 | Guideline 3 | Guideline 4 | References