Re: Rewrite of Introduction: Purpose

Chas,

         I like your re-write, but I'm still having a problem with the 
inclusion of the example of the tv. It makes more sense now than as a 
question (when I read the question, I answer that no, I never do that). In 
a bar, is a better example. But I really wonder if an example from another 
medium, tv, is appropriate in a document about the web. Shouldn't we have 
an example about the web instead? No, I can't think of one, but will think 
on it. The examples of the other forms of receiving the web are probably 
weak, but not inappropriate. I think about the pages I make and cannot 
think of a single realistic scenario in which someone would be using a cell 
phone to use my pages. The introduction does not even mention a screen 
reader, and that is the appliance that is accommodated most in the guidelines.

So, OK, I'll put my money where my mouth is, and here is a re-write of the 
first paragraph of the introduction for your consideration...
This document outlines design principles for creating accessible Web sites. 
When these principles are ignored, individuals with disabilities may not be 
able to access the content at all, or they may be able to do so only with 
great difficulty. People with disabilities may use different output (speech 
reader or braille printer instead of a screen), or different input 
(keyboard only, a pointer or a mouth stick instead of a mouse). Further, 
when these principles are employed, they also make Web content accessible 
to a variety of web-enabled devices such as phones, kiosks, television, and 
other network appliances.


                                         Anne

At 06:52 PM 8/16/01 -0700, Charles F. Munat wrote:
>Here is a very basic rewrite of the Purpose:
>
>----------------
>Purpose
>
>This document outlines design principles for creating accessible Web sites.
>When these principles are ignored, individuals with disabilities may not be
>able to access the content at all, or they may be able to do so only with
>great difficulty. When these principles are employed, they also make Web
>content accessible to a variety of Web-enabled devices, such as phones,
>handheld devices, kiosks, network appliances, etc. By making content
>accessible to a variety of devices, the content is now accessible to people
>in a variety of situations. For example, many bar owners enable the captions
>on the television sets in their bars because the background noise in the bar
>makes hearing the television impossible.
>
>Not all devices are the same. Not all systems are the same. Not all people
>are the same. In following the guidelines, attempt to reach the maximum
>number of people in the maximum number of scenarios. This can be achieved
>through a single accessible rendering or multiple accessible renderings of
>the same content optimized for different situations.
>
>The design principles in this document represent broad concepts that apply
>to all Web-based content. They are not specific to HTML, XML, or any other
>technology. This approach was taken so that the design principles could be
>applied to a variety of situations and technologies, including those that do
>not yet exist.
>----------------
>
>This will do on such short notice, but I'd like to take a crack at a more
>substantial rewrite. I'll try to get to it tomorrow.
>
>Chas. Munat

Anne Pemberton
apembert@erols.com

http://www.erols.com/stevepem
http://www.geocities.com/apembert45