Re: 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) - Sufficient Technique for UI Controls

Thanks for the feedback on this.  Given the responses and some brief
discussion on last week's WCAG Working Group call, I would like to hear if
there are any objections to adding the following as an Advisory Technique
to 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum):

   Making user interface controls that meet the contrast provisions for
   text




Regards,


Marc Johlic
Accessibility Consultant
Human Ability & Accessibility Center, IBM Research
                                                                                             
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From:	Gregg Vanderheiden <gv@trace.wisc.edu>
To:	Sailesh Panchang <spanchang02@yahoo.com>
Cc:	w3c-wai-gl@w3.org, w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org, Marc
            Johlic/Tampa/IBM@IBMUS
Date:	03/28/2011 05:58 PM
Subject:	Re: 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) - Sufficient Technique for UI
            Controls
Sent by:	w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org



On Mar 25, 2011, at 2:29 PM, Sailesh Panchang wrote:

      ark,
            However, we still run into problems with developers on their
            active UI >components because they are quick to point out that
            the techniques state >"text or images of text". Therefore their
            UI controls (or icons) are exempt >from 1.4.3 because they do
            not have any text associated with them.
      Well in reality these active  UI elements fail SC 1.1.1 . They are
      non text elements that have no text equivalents. How is a non-visual
      user supposed to understand what they  are? So the UI elements need
      to comply with SC 1.1.1 first, then evaluated for SC 1.4.3 (contrast)
      and SC 2.4.7 (visual focus indicator).
      No problem with WCAG 2 there.
      But I do not understand why "inactive controls that are not visible
      to anyone" figure in the text of SC 1.4.3 under exceptions. If it is
      not visible then how does contrast matter?
      My contention is that SC 1.4.3 and SC 2.4.7  should be elevated to
      Level A status. I see quite a few transgressions of these SC. There
      are no readily available and workable fixes  via features of the
      browser / assistive technology for these two SC. In fact some users
      who do not use AT may encounter these issues. The fixes have to be
      done by Web content developers.  I'll be happy  to learn if this is
      incorrect.
      Sailesh Panchang
      Director, Accessibility Services
      www.deque.com
      Tel 571-449-3576

Hi Sailesh

Some quick notes that may help with this.

RE: 1.4.3 and  "inactive controls that are not visible to anyone
There is no exception for "inactive controls that are not visible to
anyone".  I think you are reading the provision wrong.

      Incidental:  Text or images of text that are part of an inactive user
      interface component, that are pure decoration, that are not visible
      to anyone, or that are part of a picture that contains significant
      other visual content, have no contrast requirement.

should be read as

      Incidental:  Text or images of text
- that are part of an inactive user interface component,
- that are pure decoration,
- that are not visible to anyone, or
- that are part of a picture that contains significant other visual
content,
     have no contrast requirement.


The "not visible to anyone" is there because sometimes people will put
white text on white background to add text that is visible to screen
readers users only.  or for other reasons.  This simply says that contrast
rules do not apply to that text.


RE: Elevating SC
- that is not possible anymore.  The WCAG 2.0 has been released and cannot
be changed.


RE work arounds
--- The text is programmatically determinable so it can be rendered in high
contrast if needed using a plug in or special AT.