Re: ATAG2 B.2.4 Assist authors to manage, edit, and reuse equivalent alternatives for non-text objects.

The wording of B.2.4 still hasn't been settled. Here's an updated
version of my Dec. 2008 proposal. (I'm hoping this also addresses Tim's
comments from January)


B.2.4 Assist authors with maintaining alternative content for
non-text objects.

Rationale: Improperly generated alternative content can create 
accessibility problems and interfere with accessibility checking.

B.2.4.1 Editable: Authors are able to modify alternative content for 
non-text objects. This includes types of alternative content that may 
not typically be displayed on screen by user agents.

B.2.4.2 Automated suggestions: During the authoring session, the 
authoring tool can automatically suggest *alternative content* for 
non-text objects under the following conditions:
- author control: authors have the opportunity to accept, modify, or 
reject the suggested *alternative content* prior to insertion.
- relevant sources: the suggested *alternative content* is only derived 
from sources designed to be fulfill the same purpose (e.g., suggesting 
the value of an image's "description" metadata field as a long description).

B.2.4.3 Let user agents repair: After the authoring session, the 
authoring tool does not attempt to repair *alternative content* for 
non-text objects using text content that is equally available to user 
agents (e.g., the filename). (Level A)

B.2.4.4 Special Values: The authoring tool follows recommendations on 
special values for *alternative content* (e.g., in HTML4 alt="" denotes 
images that should be ignored by assistive technology). (Level A)

B.2.4.5 Save for Reuse: Provide authors with the option of having
any *recognized* plain text alternative content that they enter (e.g.,
short text labels, long descriptions) stored for future reuse (Level AA).


Applicability Note:
- This guideline applies when non-text objects are specified by
authors (e.g., an author inserts an image). When non-text objects are
automatically added by the authoring tool, Guideline B.1.3 applies.


Previous proposed wording:
http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-au/2008OctDec/0079.html


Cheers,
Jan

-- 
Jan Richards, M.Sc.
User Interface Design Lead
Adaptive Technology Resource Centre (ATRC)
Faculty of Information (i-school)
University of Toronto

   Email: jan.richards@utoronto.ca
   Web:   http://jan.atrc.utoronto.ca
   Phone: 416-946-7060
   Fax:   416-971-2896

Received on Thursday, 9 April 2009 20:58:27 UTC