RE: WCAG 1.0 - checkpoint 11.4, policy and parallel web sites

There is a difference with static alternate pages, and pages that are
generated on the fly off the same source document.

Alternate page does not mean a different parallel website,  it means a
different XSL or interpretation of the same source document
For example, not all XML pages are marked up in a way that user
technologies know how to handle -so  XAG (XML Accessibility Guidelines)
advice (if I remember correctly) that you need an XSL or version if your
site, that creates markup in a WCAG useful and conformant manner.

The concerns about alternative versions aging is not problematic  if
different versions:

1.	work off the same source document
2.	are easily accessed by the main version,
3.	contain ALL the information that can be found on the main page
(no information is lost)
4.	are automatically generated as the main source document is
changed



Keep well and all the best
 
Lisa



> -----Original Message-----
> From: w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org
> [mailto:w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org] On Behalf Of Roberto Scano
> - IWA/HWG
> Sent: Monday, August 30, 2004 11:07 AM
> To: w3c-wai-gl@w3.org; Ian B. Jacobs
> Cc: jbrewer@w3.org
> Subject: WCAG 1.0 - checkpoint 11.4, policy and parallel web sites
>
>
>
> Hi to all the group.
> I hope this message isn't off topic.
>
> This regards the WCAG 1.0 Reccomandation [1] and expecially
> the checkpoint 11.4:
>
> 11.4 If, after best efforts, you cannot create an accessible
> page, provide a link to an alternative page that uses W3C
> technologies, is accessible, has equivalent information (or
> functionality), and is updated as often as the inaccessible
> (original) page. [Priority 1]
>
> The document contains a note for "after best efforts" [2]:
>
> ---
>
> "Note. Content developers should only resort to alternative
> pages when other solutions fail because alternative pages are
> generally updated less often than "primary" pages. An
> out-of-date page may be as frustrating as one that is
> inaccessible since, in both cases, the information presented
> on the original page is unavailable. Automatically generating
> alternative pages may lead to more frequent updates, but
> content developers must still be careful to ensure that
> generated pages always make sense, and that users are able to
> navigate a site by following links on primary pages,
> alternative pages, or both. Before resorting to an
> alternative page, reconsider the design of the original page;
> making it accessible is likely to improve it for all users."
>
> ---
>
> Right. As all we know, WCAG checklist is applied to every
> single page. This checkpoint is also always referred to
> policy that refer to WCAG, like here in Italy where the
> governament is developing the guidelines based to WCAG
> checkpoints. Discussing in web accessibility mailing lists,
> also with the partecipation of some lawyers, as explained the
> checkpoint *could* authorize - after best efforts - to create
> parallel web sites that is a group of "alternative page for
> every page".
>
> This is one of the problems for the real application inside
> policy for some checkpoints, like the "until user agents..."
> issue that I've also posted some months ago, on 22th dec.
> 2003 [3] - after the italian law approval.
>
> Some months ago in an agenda there was the idea to issue WCAG
> 1.0 Second Edition with the creation of a group inside the
> working group to follow this. I think that to this
> clarification (and for "until user
> agents...") must be given the first priority for let the
> countries that are developing national policy to have a clear
> application for these checkpoints.
>
> I wouldn't personally that also european countries and other
> worldwide countries will do the same error of USA government
> with Section 508 at § 1194.22 (k) [4], where are authorized
> also the text-only version of web sites... Accessibility must
> be for all, not only for a few.
>
>
> Roberto Scano (rscano@iwa-italy.org)
> IWA/HWG International Project Manager and EMEA Coordinator
> International Webmasters Association / HTML Writers Guild W3C
> Advisory Commitee Representative for IWA/HWG W3C WCAG Working
> Group Member - W3C ATAG Working Group Member
> http://www.iwanet.org - http://www.hwg.org
> E-Mail:
> emea@iwanet.org - w3c-rep@iwanet.org
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> [1] http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/WAI-WEBCONTENT-19990505
> [2] http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10/wai-pageauth.html#alt-page-note
> [3]
> http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-gl/2003OctDec/0616
.html
[4] http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/1194.22.htm#(k)