RE: [techs] Acronyms and abbreviations

> I do wonder what the difference between users with and 
> without disabilities
> is on this one.   Is there?  We should spell it out in the 
> examples.  Or
> else this is just a general usability issue. 
>  

One problem for dyslexic and people with impaired short term memory will
be remembering what acronym stands for what.

Note that expanding the acronym at the first usage, is less useful then,
expanding it in every case.

Also not that in long documents, the expansion will be hard to find, and
in documents with lots of similar acronyms, looking for the expansion
will not be doable by people with impaired visual memory

For example, a document using acronyms like ATM and UTM  , (were you may
also have to scroll to find the expansion) would not be understandable
to me - unless I coped and pasted all the expansions into a notepad, and
compared letter for letter....


All the best
Lisa









> Gregg
> 
>  -- ------------------------------ 
> Gregg C Vanderheiden Ph.D. 
> Professor - Ind. Engr. & BioMed Engr.
> Director - Trace R & D Center 
> University of Wisconsin-Madison 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org 
> [mailto:w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org] On Behalf Of Jim Thatcher
> Sent: Friday, May 14, 2004 5:31 PM
> To: 'John M Slatin'; 'Jens Meiert'; michaelc@watchfire.com
> Cc: w3c-wai-gl@w3.org
> Subject: RE: [techs] Acronyms and abbreviations
> 
> 
> Modifying John's suggestion slightly, how about
> 
> - Provide the expansion of each acronym or abbreviation, in 
> context or in markup, the first time the acronym or 
> abbreviation appears in any form that users experience as a "page."
> 
> Substituting "expansion" for "full meaning;" the latter being 
> way too much. But "expansion" not usually applied to an 
> abbreviation, is it?
> 
> Jim
> Accessibility, What Not to do: http://jimthatcher.com/whatnot.htm.
> Web Accessibility Tutorial: http://jimthatcher.com/webcourse1.htm.
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org 
> [mailto:w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org] On Behalf Of John M Slatin
> Sent: Friday, May 14, 2004 12:23 PM
> To: Jens Meiert; michaelc@watchfire.com
> Cc: w3c-wai-gl@w3.org
> Subject: RE: [techs] Acronyms and abbreviations
> 
> 
> OK-- how does this sound as a practical suggestion for What 
> to Do Today?
> 
> - Provide the full meaning of each acronym or abbreviation, 
> in context or in markup, the first time the acronym or 
> abbreviation appears in any form that users experience as a "page."
> 
> John
> 
> 
> "Good design is accessible design." 
> Please note our new name and URL!
> John Slatin, Ph.D.
> Director, Accessibility Institute
> University of Texas at Austin
> FAC 248C
> 1 University Station G9600
> Austin, TX 78712
> ph 512-495-4288, f 512-495-4524
> email jslatin@mail.utexas.edu
> web http://www.utexas.edu/research/accessibility/
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jens Meiert [mailto:jens.meiert@erde3.com] 
> Sent: Friday, May 14, 2004 12:18 pm
> To: John M Slatin; michaelc@watchfire.com
> Cc: w3c-wai-gl@w3.org
> Subject: RE: [techs] Acronyms and abbreviations
> 
> 
> > In principle, I agree that every occurrence of an acronym or
> > abbreviation should be tagged with the appropriate element.
> > 
> > In practice, however, what ends up happening is that people using
> > screen readers/talking browsers never actually hear the acronym or 
> > abbreviation [...]
> 
> Sounds like a draw anyway, doesn't it? What should we do and 
> recommend now, is there the need to update the corresponding 
> GL items? -- I really challenge this issue since I just had 
> this discussion occupationally (again), and there are of 
> course benefits as well as problems linked with it, as also 
> pointed out by both of you.
> 
> 
>  Jens.
> 
> 
> -- 
> Jens Meiert
> Interface Architect (IxD)
> 
http://meiert.com/

Received on Monday, 17 May 2004 07:25:39 UTC