RE: Proposed New 1.3 based on Yvette's Analysis (+ new examples)

Hi Joe and list,

> 
> > text is not presented over a background image or pattern, or if a 
> > background image or pattern is present the the text is 
> easily readable 
> > when the page is viewed in black and white. [Issue #605] [Y]
> 
> Black-and-white viewing is irrelevant except to achromats 
> (0.03% of the population). I have explained at length that 
> stylesheet-switching is the correct method of accommodation 
> here, but it continues to be ignored. If an approved person 
> said it, would the Working Group take it seriously?

I agree with you that alternate stylesheets are a good solution for this
problem. But don't you agree that it would help people with low vision for
example if the default rendering was such that the text was easily readable?
Simply grey-scaling the page is a simple tool to check if the text is easy
to read (enough contrast, no distracting backgrounds, etc.). Perhaps this is
what was meant here? 

There are no accessibility barriers that I know of when presenting black
text over a tiled background image consisting of 1 white pixel. I guess the
second part of the checkpoint is meant to cover these cases but it seems to
do it in a roundabout way.

> 
> How are cross-references accomplished *except* through the 
> <a> element, that is, through *links*?

By using the <link> element, for example to refer to previous and next pages
in a document collection. 

> 
> > c.      emphasis or special treatment of specific words, 
> phrases, quotes,
> > etc.
> 
> What is the exhaustive list of the manifestations of "special 
> treatment"?

I also think "special treatment" is too generic. If I want to jazz up my
content by giving one sentence a different color do I have to make sure that
special treatment is preserved in non-visual media as well? 

I also feel that the current examples are a bit far-fetched (I'm
paraphrasing Joe here). A few suggestions for new examples:

Example 1: A form that mentions in text which required fields are missing
When a user submits a form without filling in all the required fields, a
message appears that informs the user which fields are missing. The missing
fields are also indicated in color to help people with cognitive limitations
recognize what fields need attention. Because the message is also available
in text, people who cannot see color will still know which fields they have
to correct.

Example 2: A bus schedule where the headers have been associated with the
cells
A bus schedule consists of a table with the bus stops listed vertically and
the different trips listed horizontally. Each cell contains the time when
that bus will be at that bus stop. Structural markup has been used to
associate that cell with both the corresponding bus stop and the
corresponding trip. 

Example 3: A form where the labels for the checkboxes have been associated
with the checkboxes.
In a form where users can select different options using checkboxes, the
labels for the checkboxes have been associated with the checkboxes. This
benefits different types of users. It allows blind users to determine what
the checkbox is for. People with limited motor functions can check the
checkbox more easily because they can now click anywhere on the label
instead of just on the checkbox. 

Sorry Joe, I didn't put in 5 real world links for each of these but I think
these are so straightforward that it wouldn't be hard to find real world
examples for them. 

Yvette Hoitink
CEO Heritas, Enschede, The Netherlands
E-mail: y.p.hoitink@heritas.nl

Received on Tuesday, 24 February 2004 08:51:57 UTC