RE: 3.3 feedback

Thank you Lisa.  This is most helpful.

Lee
  -----Original Message-----
  From: w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org [mailto:w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org]On
Behalf Of Lisa Seeman
  Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2002 12:30 PM
  To: _W3C-WAI Web Content Access. Guidelines List
  Subject: 3.3 feedback


  I am resending these comments on checkpoint 3.3 as text for people with
out MS word. Apologies for the first time around.

  All the best,
  Lisa


  Comments from David Brewer, ILR Extension Associate, Cornell University,
ILR Program on Employment and Disability:



  I’ll look at this more in depth over the weekend.  However, my main
comment is that for individuals with cognitive disabilities, content is
accessed through good multi-media elements.  It must be clear that pushing
such and such a button will lead to a movie about such and such a topic.
The guidelines below are just good writing elements, useful to help with my
own cognitive disability.  However, if we are trying to convey content to
people who may struggle with and hate the activity of reading, the
alternative formats (movies, sound, graphics) must be clearly identified and
presented in a non-cluttered manner, aligned with the writing to further
encourage the person to want to read.  I see that she refers to this within
some other document.  I simply don’t see how the writing pieces can be
carved out from the rest.  My only other thought is that some of the web
access barriers for people with sensory impairments (frames, animations)
seem helpful to people with cognitive impairments by making the site
visually engaging and instructive.  It would appear that there will be a
future battle between disability groups over this issue, resulting in a way
for web access issues to be skirted by designers. DB





  Comments from John Andrews, Director, Kessler Medical Rehabilitation
Research & Educational Corporation:



  The text thus far seems to address reading comprehension, but not the
impact of layout on readability. Much of this is good user interface design
anyway.



  Initial page layout for a website/section of a website should establish a
design "template" on the first page, where location of information and
process of information flow (such as navigation, act of review and/or
submission, act of drilling down for further info, use of hyperlinks, use of
images or image maps, etc are DEFINED and established as standards for the
subsequent pages of the site.



  For example, in one website design:

              user feedback facility is behind the "feedback" hyperlink and
envelope icon always placed lower right for all pages within the site

              form buttons for for SUBMIT and CANCEL are used consistently,
in same side-by-side order every time, at bottom every time, same
functionality every time

              where-you-are-sent-to-next is consistent throughout the site
(if it's back to home, it's always back to home, with the same name and
icon)

              major page sections are consistent throughout site (info in
masthead, info in bottom navigation, info in left sidebar, etc)



  Hyperlinks which leave the subsite or section(defined by it's use of a
user interface standard defined above) should be clearly indicated as such,
much like existing recommendations for leaving a website ("you are about to
leave..."), of course using a consistent interface. This allows obvious and
ready recognition of the screen as a "leaving" screen.



  Help facilities should be consistent, proximal, and context-specific
throughout the site. Never send the user to navigate a separate help system
which uses a different user interface.



  Comments from Mike Barcus, Virginia Commonwealth University:

  Success criteria
  Document:

  Provide overview
  For flow: look at overview ( summary, diagram, heading outline or page
map)- It is possible to map the document to pieces that are in the summary
  Highlight key information  using markup ( eg headings and emphasis  Not
underlined –which can be confused as a hyperlink) -  when the highlighted
text
  stands alone does it summarize the key ideas.

  Paragraphs:
  Short paragraphs - Paragraphs should have with fewer than five sentences .
Use lists to break up long paragraphs.
  can sentences be replaceds by bulleted points? If so markup sentence as a
list
  First sentence summarizes the point of each subsequent sentence - does
each sentence in the paragraph directly relate to the first sentence?
  one idea per sentence- Test: replace each paragraph with a one idea
sentence. Does the document
  STILL make sense?

  Sentence:
      -All:
   Use short sentences - Write sentences with 20 (20seems to be rather
lengthy  -- consider short maximum)or fewer words and .
   Use lists to break up long sentences -can comas be replaced by bulleted
points? if so markup sentence as a list
  Sentence   -Headings
  Should be meaningful out of context
  Headings should be unique

  Sentence - Instructional
  It should be possible to identify a graphic representation of an
   instruction. I.e. you can draw the picture.
  Each step is clearly stated. You  Ccould you represent the flow  chart and
successfully perform a dry
  run.
  Pictorial representation should be provided of each instruction
  Use active rather than passive expressions
  Sentences contain no more than one relative clause
  Use goal/action structure for menu prompts.

  Words:
  ???Is this necessary???Non-literal text is identified and a literal
translation is identified -
  test by literal translating to another language and re- literal
translating back. Does it make
  sense?
  Jargon that is expected should be linked to a glossary / explanation.
  Use simple words: Substitute common words for uncommon words
  (without significantly expanding the size) does not change the meaning.
Note
  that this requires a dictionary that marks the "difficulty" of a word.

  Words - anchors (links)
  hypertext anchors should be meaningful out of context
  hyperlinks --- visited links should be well contrasted (i.e.different
color) from non-visited links
  Forms
  All form elements should have a default or example provided
  calculations should be performed automatically (eg severside)
  Provide definite feedback cues
  Use a two-step "select and confirm" to reduce accidental selections. (IE
nothing happens when an option is selected until a confirm/go/OK button is
clicked)





  Comments from John Corrigan, Ph.D., ABPP, Professor, The Ohio State
University



  Printing documents or pages easily is a concern for people with cognitive
impairments.  It is important to make sure that is it easy to see how to
print, that the print command is explicit, and that pages are in a readily
printable format.
  All the best,

  Lisa Seeman

  www.GlobalFormats.com
  Widen the World Web