- From: Wendy A Chisholm <chisholm@trace.wisc.edu>
- Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 17:35:51 -0500
- To: paul.adelson@citicorp.com, w3c-wai-gl@w3.org
hello, >One concern: the early part of the abstract is so brief it may be >difficult to understand, and may frustrate or scare novice readers from >wanting to read further. > any suggestions? what ideas in particular need to be expanded? >Section A: > >#1, Current >>>>>>>> > 1.Ensure that all the information on the page may be perceived >entirely visually or entirely through auditory means, or that all >information is also represented textually. ><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< > Makes it sound ok if a page can be perceived ONLY visually (and not >audibly), or ONLY audibly (and not visually), and that textual >alternatives are only needed if the visual and audio are mixed one one >page. > >Possible alternate wording: > "Ensure that all information on the page is either represented >textually, or that users can perceive the information entirely through >visual means and entirely through auditory means. For instance, provide >either textual or audio descriptions of photographs to facilitate >non-visual browsing." > >Or if that's not what was meant, alternative two [caps indicate changed >language]: > "Ensure that all the information on the page may be perceived >entirely visually or entirely through auditory means, AND that all >information is also represented textually." > we changed both of them to ANDs. >[I'm not sure what an audio alternative to a photo does for deaf-blind >individuals, for whom text is still an alternative.] >[Is it worth explaining that bitmaps of text are not textual information >in point #1? You explain what ‘content’ etc are in #3.] > we have included the following definition of "screen reader" in the appendix, and will link to it from throughout the guidelines: Screen reader A software program that reads the contents of the screen aloud to a user. Used primarily by individuals who are blind, screen readers can only read text that is printed, not painted, to the screen. > >#3, Current >>>>>>>>>>>>> > 3.Always separate the content on your site (what you say), and the >way you choose to structure that content (how you organize it), from the >way the content and structure are presented (how you want people to >"see" it). ><<<<<<<<<<<< > I’m having trouble understanding what that means. > >Does it mean: > > “Use HTML4.0 elements and stylesheets for their intended purposes. >For instance, giving text the attribute <BIG> or using a header >attribute like <H1> may both increase the visual size of text on the >screen. But <H1> should be used to indicate the start of a new document >section (not just to display larger text), and <BIG> should only be used >to display bigger text (not to indicate the start of a new section). >Following the standards will ensure that your content, information >structure, and presentation directives (what you say, how you organize >it, and how you want it to appear) can all transform gracefully when >accessed with alternative browsing methods.” > yes, this is exactly what it means. > >#2, Current >>>>>>>> > 2.Ensure that pages will be operable on various types of hardware >including devices without mice, with small, low resolution, or black and >white screens, with only voice or text output, without screens, etc. ><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< > This sounds impossibly complicated to people who have no experience >with alternative access methods. I spent months trying to convince >people via phone and email that these ‘impossible’ things can be done, >and they were only convinced when the saw a screen-reader and tried it >out. > >May I suggest moving #2 down to #3, and reword to something like: > “Ensure that pages allow the flexibility to be operable on various >types of hardware including devices without mice, with small, low >resolution, or black and white screens, with only voice or text output, >without screens, etc. Following the principles suggested above will go a >long way toward achieving this goal.” > we have moved 2 to 3, and added the phrase "Guidelines A.1 - A.12 address these issues." after the list of 3. thanks for your comments! --the editors
Received on Thursday, 17 September 1998 18:41:25 UTC