Re: Comments on User Agent Guidelines

Thanks Alan,

I am sharing these with the EOWG list since we said we'd be rolling this
into our comments; I think that was your intention?

- Judy

At 10:28 AM 12/3/99 -0500, Alan Cantor wrote:
>Judy, Here are my comments.
>
>Alan
>
>Alan Cantor
>Cantor + Associates
>Workplace Accommodation Consultants
>acantor@interlog.com
>www.interlog.com/~acantor
>
>Comments on User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
>
>W3C Working Draft 5-November-1999
>
>5.8 Follow operating system conventions and accessibility settings. In
>particular, follow conventions for user interface design, default keyboard
>configuration, product installation, and documentation. [Priority 2]
>
>This should be Priority 1. I have conducted accessibility audits of many
>software packages that break conventions for user interface design. Almost
>always, non-standard interfaces create accessibility nightmares. A product
>with non-standard keyboard mappings may be in some sense “accessible,” but
>it will probably be so unusable that it is, in effect, inaccessible. The
>ability to install — or reinstall — software is vital. A product that cannot
>be independently installed is not accessible: if you can’t install it, use
>can’t use it. Similarly, a user who cannot get at documentation may not be
>able to use it at all.
>
>10.3 Allow the user to change and control the input configuration. Users
>should be able to activate a functionality with a single-stroke (e.g.,
>single-key, single voice command, etc.). [Priority 2]
>
>This is not clear. The second is really a subset of the first, but I suggest
>presenting them as two points:
>
>1.	The user should be able to customize the means by which control and input
>are accomplished. This should be Priority 1. I have seen lots of software
>rendered inaccessible because important features are not readily available.
>It is common to find important accessibility features poorly documented or
>undocumented.
>
>2.	The user should be able to activate any feature with a single keystroke,
>button press, or voice command. This is Priority 2.
>
>10.8 Allow the user to configure the graphical arrangement of user interface
>controls. [Priority 3]
>
>This should be Priority 2. In accommodating people with learning and
>cognitive disabilities, the ability to rearrange the interface is sometimes
>key — the strategy that renders the interface accessible and not.
>
>
----------
Judy Brewer    jbrewer@w3.org    +1.617.258.9741    http://www.w3.org/WAI
Director, Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) International Program Office
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
MIT/LCS Room NE43-355, 545 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA,  02139,  USA

Received on Friday, 3 December 1999 10:45:23 UTC