RE: test24 Text equivalents for APPLETs must be updated if APPLET changes

Ben Caldwell wrote:
<blockquote>
I think we should consider modifying our definition of non-text content 
to include scripts and other programmatic objects as *functional* 
non-text content.

That way, guideline 1.1, level 1, success criterion 1 would require a 
text alternative that describes the purpose of function of programmatic 
objects and guideline 4.2 would address the need to either make that 
programmatic content directly accessible to provide an accessible 
alternative.
</blockquote>

I'm not sure it's a good idea to define scripts, applets, etc., as
non-text content.  Guideline 1.3 requires developers to "Ensure that
information, functionality, and structure are separable from
presentation."
L1 SC1 requires that "Information and relationships within the content
can be programmatically determined."

There isn't a a success criterion under 1.3 that explicitly addresses
functionality, but maybe we need one.  General Techniques for 1.1 L1 SC1
discusses forms both with respect to the *relationships" between form
controls and their labels and with respect to the *functionality* of
form controls, but doesn't currently have anything to say about applets
or other programmatic objects.

John


"Good design is accessible design." 
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: Ben Caldwell [mailto:caldwell@trace.wisc.edu] 
Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2005 3:08 pm
To: Chris Ridpath
Cc: John M Slatin; jasonw@ariel.its.unimelb.edu.au; Ken Kipnes;
w3c-wai-gl@w3.org
Subject: Re: test24 Text equivalents for APPLETs must be updated if
APPLET changes


Chris Ridpath wrote:
  > Is there anything in the guidelines that requires applets and other
> programmatic objects to have a text equivalent? It doesn't seem to be 
> covered by 4.2.

I think we should consider modifying our definition of non-text content 
to include scripts and other programmatic objects as *functional* 
non-text content.

That way, guideline 1.1, level 1, success criterion 1 would require a 
text alternative that describes the purpose of function of programmatic 
objects and guideline 4.2 would address the need to either make that 
programmatic content directly accessible to provide an accessible 
alternative.

-Ben

--
Ben Caldwell | <caldwell@trace.wisc.edu>
Trace Research and Development Center <http://trace.wisc.edu>

Received on Wednesday, 9 February 2005 21:44:45 UTC