WAI Call for Participation [2 of 3]: WAI/IPO Browser Guidelines Working Group

Hello WAI Interest Group Members,

This is the Call for Participation for the WAI/IPO Browser Guidelines
Working Group.

- Judy

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Date: Fri, 19 Dec 1997 22:14:54 -0500
From: Sally Khudairi <khudairi@w3.org>
Organization: W3C - World Wide Web Consortium
To: W3C Advisory Committee Representatives <w3c-ac-members@w3.org>
Subject: WAI Call for Participation [2 of 3]: WAI/IPO Browser Guidelines
Working Group (UI)

Dear Advisory Committee Representative,
 
As a followup on our recent Web Accessibility Initiative International
Program Office (WAI/IPO) working group re-organization, we
are now announcing the WAI/IPO Browser Guidelines Working Group (UI)
 
The Call for Participation is attached, and is available online at
http://www.w3.org/WAI/UI/charter.txt
 
Background information on the WAI and its structure is available at
http://www.w3.org/WAI.
 
If you have any questions regarding this Call for Participation,
please contact Daniel Dardailler, WAI Project Manager <dd@w3.org> or
Judy Brewer, WAI IPO Director <jbrewer@w3.org>


----------------------------------------------------------------------

A. Mission Statement
* WAI/IPO Browser Guidelines Working Group

The working group will develop user interface guidelines that improve
accessibility of WWW browsers, including improved navigation and
orientation to information on WWW documents and scripting languages, and
more flexible and enhanced presentation of document information to meet the
needs of specific disabilities.  The goal is to develop guidelines that
allow people with disabilities to have equal access to the able-bodied
peers.  The guidelines should support features that benefit both novice and
skilled computer users with disabilities.  The group will also develop
technical guidelines to help WWW browser and assistive technology vendors
be aware of the strategies that are available to achieve the user interface
guidelines.

Code Name: WAI-UI

* WAI-UI Working group tasks

1. User interface guidelines that improve the accessibility of WWW Browsers.

· Develop a list of user interface specifications for improving access to
  browser technology.
· Develop a list of features of current browser/operating system technology
  that improves accessibility of browsers.
· Compare the two lists to identify differences between what is needed and
  what is available to persons with disabilities.
· Present guidelines and comparison for public comment and input from
  browser and assistive technology developers, and representatives of
  sensory, motor and cognitive disability groups.

2. Technical guidelines on how assistive technology and browsers can work
   together to achieve features of the user interface guidelines.

· Evaluate current browser technology for use of accessibility API in
  current operating systems  
· Develop a reference on the resources available for assistive technology
  developers to access browser technology
· Survey browser developers on their ability to implement guideline
  features and ability to support assistive technology extensions for
  accessibility.
· Survey assistive technology developers for their needs from browser
  developers for implementing browser recommendations.
· Facilitate discussions and transfer of information between assistive
  technology developers and browser developers for setting standards on
  browser and assistive technology cooperation to implement the user
  interface guidelines.
 
The end deliverables of this group are W3C WAI Recommendation for
Web Browser accessibility.

* WAI-UI Timeline:

Duration: 6 months.

(Markup guidelines recommendation date) + 3 months.

Which should put us around June 98.

* WAI-UI Communication

A mailing list (w3c-wai-ui@w3.org), a web area
(www.w3.org/WAI/UI, and conference calls will be the normal way of
communicating within the group.

* Working Group People

We encourage people whose area of competence are HTML, CSS, assistive
technology, and Browser Accessibility to join this group.

For the work group to accomplish the stated objectives the membership must
include representatives from disability groups, and browser and assistive
technology developers.  The group must represent the needs of a wide range
of disabilities and computer skill levels of persons with disabilities. 

Jon Gunderson of University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign
Rehabilitation Education Center <jongund@uiuc.edu> will be the chair
of this group.

* Participation Level.

Employees of W3C members and other invited technical experts are
welcome and encouraged to participate in our listserv discussions
(auto-subscription is not available, please contact the chair for
subscription).

If you want to join the WAI-UI working group and participate actively,
please fill out the following form and send it to <wai-ui-call@w3.org>


========================================
WAI-UI working group participation form

First Name: 

Last Name: 

Email Address: 

Telephone Number: 

Employer: 

Specific area of interest:

========================================

-------------------------------------------------------
Judy Brewer   jbrewer@w3.org     617-258-9741
Director, Web Accessibility Initiative International Program Office
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
MIT/LCS Room NE43-355
545 Technology Square, Cambridge MA 02139 USA
http://www.w3.org/WAI

Received on Tuesday, 23 December 1997 15:15:14 UTC