Questions from Face to Face

Questions about the checkpoints

During the face to face, we raised the issue of there being several questions that might arise as one reads the guidelines for the first time. There were some comments that to the extent possible, these questions should be answered within the guideline itself. To explore this issue further, Gregg suggested a list of these quesitons be collected. Below is the list of the questions I could think of and others I collected during the face to face meeting.
 
*        Guideline 1 - Perceivable
o       Checkpoint 1.1 Provide a text equivalent for all non-text content. 
*         For images, does this mean I have to have an alt text for all images?
*         For images, does this mean I have to use a long description for all images?
*         Does this require a text equivalent for every QT movie, Flash element or PDF it they meet Guideline 5?
o       Checkpoint 1.2 Provide synchronized media equivalents for time-dependent presentations. 
*         Do all video presentations require captions and audio descriptions?
*         Will text description suffice in video with no sound?
o       Checkpoint 1.3 Make all content and structure available independently of presentation.
*         Do all HTML pages require CSS?
*         Can I use the <font> tag?
 
*        Guideline 2 Operable
o       Checkpoint 2.1 Provide keyboard access to all functionality of the content. 
*         Do all forms require the use of accesskey?
*         Do all controls of technologies other than XML applications require shortcut keys? i.e. does the play button of a video player require a shortcut key?
o       Checkpoint 2.2 Allow users to control any time limits on their response or interactions times unless control is not possible to due to nature of real-time events or competition. 
*         Can online exams ever be limited to a specific?
*          
o       Checkpoint 2.3 Avoid causing the screen to flicker. 
*         Can something 'blink' for a short time and stop?
 
*        Guideline 3 - Orientation/Navigation
o       Checkpoint 3.1 Provide structure within content. 
*         Do all HTML pages require use of <h1> through <h6> elements?
o       Checkpoint 3.2 Emphasize structure through presentation(s), positioning, and labels.
*         Do all heading elements have to be formatting differently? i.e does <h3> have to be different <h4> in HTML? 
o       Checkpoint 3.3 Provide multiple site navigation mechanisms. 
*         Does a site with 5 pages need to meet this standard? If not, how large is large enough?
o       Checkpoint 3.4 Use consistent but not necessarily but not necessarily identical presentation. 
o       Checkpoint 3.5 Provide consistent and predictable responses to user actions. 
o       Checkpoint 3.6 Either give users control of mechanisms that cause extreme changes in context or warn them of pending changes.
 
*        Guideline 4 - Comprehension
o       Checkpoint 4.1 Write as clearly and simply as is appropriate for the content.
o       Checkpoint 4.2 Supplement text with non-text content. 
o       Checkpoint 4.3 Annotate complex, abbreviated, or unfamiliar information with summaries and definitions. 
o       Checkpoint 4.4 Identify the primary natural language of text and text equivalents and all changes in natural language. 
*         What about phrases that have coopted by the primary language? For example the City of Prarie du Chien in Wisconsin, U.S. is not pronounced in French. 
 
*        Guideline 5 - Pot Luck
o       Checkpoint 5.1 Use technologies according to specification. 
*         How are these specifications identified and ratified?
o       Checkpoint 5.2 Ensure that content remains usable when technologies that modify default user agent processing or behavior are turned off or not supported. 
*         Does that mean every element that is not written as an XML application must have a text equivalent?
o       Checkpoint 5.3 Choose technologies that support interoperability and compatibility.
*         Does this mean that only W3C technologies are accessible (other than GIF and JPEG)?
*         What technologies fit this category? 
o       Checkpoint 5.4 Ensure that user interfaces are accessible or provide an accessible alternative. 
*         The success criteria refer to accessibility conventions. How are these conventions identified and ratified?
 
 
 
 
____________________________
 
Bob Regan
Product Manager for Accessibility
Macromedia
1025 Emerald Street 
Madison, WI 53715 
608.239.8160 (mobile)