Re: VoiceXML

Charles,

VoiceXML is an XML-based markup language for distributed voice
applications, much as HTML is being used as a language for distributed
visual applications. VoiceXML is designed for creating audio dialogs that
feature synthesized speech, digitized audio, recognition of spoken and
telephone keypad tone (DTMF) input, recording of spoken input, telephony,
and mixed-initiative conversations. The goal is to provide voice access and
interactive voice response (e.g. by telephone, [cell or landline], PDA, or
desktop) to web-based content and applications.

It is not designed for providing accessibility to the page that shows up in
the graphical browser, but to a different view - a voice interactive view -
of web-based content.  The idea is that important "content" will show up in
both the graphical browser and the VoiceXML application, but with the a
differently designed user interface - one for the graphical browser and one
for the phone.  Many VoiceXML application designers will insure that one
can use the application without the use of a smart screen phones that might
tempt them to rely on the tiny screen for feedback because many will want
to use a regular old phone with all the "smarts" on the server.

VoiceXML is being defined by an industry forum, founded by AT&T, IBM,
Lucent and Motorola, established to promote the Voice eXtensible Markup
Language (VoiceXML). VoiceXML brings the power of web development and
content delivery to voice response applications, and frees the authors of
such applications from low-level programming and resource management. It
enables integration of voice services with data services using the familiar
client-server paradigm, and it gives users the power to seamlessly
transition between applications. The dialogs are provided by document
servers, which may be external to the browser implementation platform.

Other accessibility issues from the deaf and hard of hearing [such as using
a TTY device] and the mobility impaired [ease of using the phone keypad]
have not been discussed as far as I have read.

Regards,
Phill Jenkins
IBM Accessibility Center - Special Needs Systems


"Charles F. Munat" <chas@munat.com>@w3.org on 05/24/2000 01:59:03 AM

Sent by:  w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org


To:   "WAI Interest Group \(E-mail\)" <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
cc:
Subject:  VoiceXML



Hello all,

I am doing a research paper (due in a week) for a class on computational
linguistics. The subject of my paper is VoiceXML. I'd like to include a
discussion of the importance of VoiceXML wrt accessibility. I would
appreciate help from any interested parties. I am interested in the
following:

1. URI's of related sites/documents. I've searched all of voicexml.org and
have downloaded the IBM voice server kit (more on this below). None of this
talks about accessibility (unless I've missed something).

2. URI's of any related beta software I can test. I've already got the IBM
voice server.

3. OPINIONS. Got one? Tell me what you think and if it's useful, I'll quote
you in my paper.

4. Anything else you think would be of help.


Re the IBM voice server, I've heard it works on Windows 2000, but it
refuses
to install on my computer (my system "fails" the prereqs). I'm running W2K
advanced server. Anyone else get this to work?

Thanks in advance for any help. Please feel free to respond off-list if
your
comments don't relate to accessibility.

Charles Munat,
Seattle, Washington

Received on Thursday, 25 May 2000 13:13:34 UTC