XML and accessibility

Hi,

The XML/XSL/XSTL technology provides the ability to use an XML file
to create different types of web pages.  For example, an XML file
could contain information for an article.  An example of an artcle
XML file could look like:

    <article>
      <head>
        <date>20 January 2000</date>
        <title>Some title</title>
	<author>A. Nonymous</author>
	<keywords kw="key1, key2, key3" />
      </head>
      <body>
	<p>  paragraph 1 text ...
	</p>
	<p>  paragraph 2 text ...
	  <picture src="???"> picture caption text </picture>
	</p>
	<p>  paragraph 2 text ...
	  <a HREF="???"> link text </a>
	</p>
      </body>
    </article>

The XSL/XSTL can now be used to create different types of web pages with
the same article text.  One XSL style sheet could create a web page with
a very visually appealing layout.  Another XSL style sheet could use the
same XML file and create a web page which would be much easier to use by
blind people by presenting the artcile in a format without all the
layout features which makes it visually appealing.  In addition, the XSL
style sheet could include special features in the web page which will
make it easier to navigate.  (Many of the arguements which have been
offered for using CSS style sheets can also be applied to using XSL.)


Users of XML/XSL/XSTL technology or any of the other technology which
can create web pages dynamically will need to know what a web page
designed for blind users needs to include.  It would seem to make sense
that the guidelines tell these people how a web page which is generated
dynamically should be structured to make it easy to use by a wide range
of blind users with varying technology / access technology skill levels.

Scott

Received on Saturday, 22 January 2000 15:15:07 UTC