RE: Challenge: Defining accessibility

Charles, I'm sure your challenge will start a huge mail string, which is
fine, but certainly those involved with WAI have addressed the question
previously. The glossary for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
provides this definition: 

  

accessibleAccessible 

Content is accessible when it may be used by someone with a disability. 

That's not the comprehensive definition you are seeking, but it's the bottom
line we need to keep in mind.

Dick Brown
Microsoft Corp.

-----Original Message----- 
From: Charles F. Munat 
Sent: Mon 10/23/2000 8:20 PM 
To: WAI Interest Group (E-mail) 
Cc: 
Subject: Challenge: Defining accessibility



I think that part of the reason for our heated debates regarding graphics is

a difference in the way we view accessibility. It seems to me that a 
prerequisite to ensuring accessibility on the Web is to understand what we 
mean by it. So here is my challenge: 

Who on this list can give a comprehensive definition for accessibility? What

*exactly* does it mean? And accessibility for whom? To what? 

(With regard to the Web, of course). 

Perhaps by getting the differences in our fundamental views out in the open,

we can begin to work toward a consensus as to what we are striving to 
achieve. That will give us a clear yardstick for measuring how well our 
guidelines help us to approach that ideal. 

Any takers for the defining accessibility challenge? Step right up and take 
a shot. 

Charles F. Munat, 
Seattle, Washington 


begin 600 winmail.dat
M>)\^(AL#`0:0"``$```````!``$``0>0!@`(````Y`0```````#H``$%@`,`
M#@```-`'"@`7`!0`)``3``$`1`$!"8`!`"$```!&0T8T-$%"044P,3,X1C1!
M.$0T,3<X,T5#,C(V1C`W,P!,!P$@@`,`#@```-`'"@`7`!0`)``:``$`2P$!
M#8`$``(````"``(``0.0!@"0$@``.@```$``.0"]@Y.2:SW``1\`,4`!````
M"````#4`-@`R`````P`:0``````?`#!``0````@````U`#8`,@````,`&4``
M````'P!)``$```!$````0P!H`&$`;`!L`&4`;@!G`&4`.@`@`$0`90!F`&D`
M;@!I`&X`9P`@`&$`8P!C`&4`<P!S`&D`8@!I`&P`:0!T`'D```!``$X``*WO
M7FD]P`$"`5L``0```#T`````````@2L?I+ZC$!F=;@#=`0]4`@````!#:&%R
M;&5S($8N($UU;F%T`%--5%``8VAA<T!M=6YA="YC;VT`````'P!F``$````*
M````4P!-`%0`4```````'P!G``$````>````8P!H`&$`<P!``&T`=0!N`&$`
M=``N`&,`;P!M```````?`%H``0```"(```!#`&@`80!R`&P`90!S`"``1@`N
M`"``30!U`&X`80!T```````?`#)``0```!X```!C`&@`80!S`$``;0!U`&X`
M80!T`"X`8P!O`&T```````(!7``!````%````%--5%`Z0TA!4T!-54Y!5"Y#
M3TT``P`=0``````"`5X``0```#T`````````@2L?I+ZC$!F=;@#=`0]4`@``
M``!#:&%R;&5S($8N($UU;F%T`%--5%``8VAA<T!M=6YA="YC;VT`````'P!H
M``$````*````4P!-`%0`4```````'P!I``$````>````8P!H`&$`<P!``&T`
M=0!N`&$`=``N`&,`;P!M```````?`%T``0```"(```!#`&@`80!R`&P`90!S
M`"``1@`N`"``30!U`&X`80!T```````?`#-``0```!X```!C`&@`80!S`$``
M;0!U`&X`80!T`"X`8P!O`&T```````(!7P`!````%````%--5%`Z0TA!4T!-
M54Y!5"Y#3TT``P`>0``````"`7$``0```!L````!P#UHRX6?^F@(C^M(/(U$
M%N_8;7QF``"-N;,`'P!T``$````X````5P!!`$D`(`!)`&X`=`!E`'(`90!S
M`'0`(`!'`'(`;P!U`'``(``H`$4`+0!M`&$`:0!L`"D````"`0D0`0```!(*
M```."@``*"$``$Q:1G6M(]?D`P`*`')C<&<Q,C6",@-#:'1M;#$#,#\!`P'W
M"H`"I`/C`@!C:,$*P'-E=#`@!Q,"@/\0`P!0!%8(50>R$=4.40,!W1#7,@8`
M!L,1U3,$1A#9;Q+K$>,([PGW.QC/#C`U.Q'2#&!C`%`+"0%D,S:3$6`+I30@
M$`(J7`ZRO0&09Q3P"J,1XQWH-!3P`#PA1$]#5%E0`$4@2%1-3"!0`%5"3$E#
M("(M("\O5S-#(8!$5")$()0S+C(A@$5.G"(^'NT>CR/!,3@?\&\@HB,/)!\F
MD#,=@"5P17Q!1"7-#O$F[REO)/0V00[P/$U%5$$'L$$Q+&`](D<)\`20871%
M!;`B$M!/3E0BT%03+/`%X45X$/%N9V4]!E)V$S$O00"0`B`@-B`N,"XT-"5`
M+C@G(OXJSR4#-S<?\%1)>%1,127.,%`2T!$`;,9L"?`NX#H@1`$0"X!I"X!G
M(`#08P>0`)!B40,0:71Y)&XU'_`O_S-/,7\F1321-_`H3R:?.\0"-1%@/$)/
M1%D@T&1I<CT[X'([,#NCYP`A`S`^061O`.`^00JQ_%QQ&+`^01#P`S`^I1%@
M1SM;'/$\7V<Y-A_P1'Q)5CYY``!`OT'/.Y<V,R@1(?`@8PM@!!`]9W<88`00
M"L!Y0]]$XS3!<@$U`',L($DG;2!V<PAP+O!Y"&%'L#36(#\#\#3P2L`!D``@
M-?`@:/YU+N$`P`,1.=Q&%4Q@!1!S+M!*<'=H#>!`@`0`(.4UD65*<&)U!4`V
M(``@P0MQ;'D@=&A(0"[P;0N`=@;P+T!D3`%1("!H5T%)3-!A+T`U\&3^9!C0
M!!!1X5$@+O!-CT9"KG$*4$Q@+\)P&-!V+\#$=7-0\"X@5%.A2";C3]`%L5=E
M8A+1`C`)\(4%0$$V&B!'=6D!`/<VD"TP!"`Q,!!3ST8S5;#^;U7@`0`$(%$@
M3[$!`36A_55B.EH?1D(^ET"9/I8*HC\^APIQ1H]'GTBO1.]G.,$=@"9N8G-P
M`H`^F/PG80%`8_]=?UZ/7Y]@KR]AOV+/8]]DZ#PLD&YA/0>`/38&-0!MFCMR
M8FM\;6M,97"':KAN[T.01MI.;9MI0)]O64)MFU>@WW8X6$8U`$*<'^$O=^IS
M7_]ZBG4<?`EMN7'T"?!1\'*Y^WP/>HI!.S!G7VAK:G]KCP,B$&RT1TQ/4U-!
M_%)9;9])M%?53[%P>$]!WPGP3Z`%0`#`40!B+O!6$-51X6)1`',#<&4"($OR
M_U(Q3,"#?T9"/@!M4#9T5E"_A,^%WSOQ`<!]HBA_,"@1WR'@0[N!;T6?:YU0
MAW\^F+\*L0J!?M]N.E9P+6`G!"#<;F\%0%.2!:!M5;&+,7\`D%+!7$A+$C7P
M2O$1,&7^:T\#4$*-CY9"-J";P5.2]P;@`D`#<"!9<DP`+O`M,,E38F\@@&!E
M<%%Q32#Y"X!D+H^?D*68OY2_D:>^4#L]E@^7'Y@O;CI$#>#(:R!"`V!W;B1\
M+!#=/9%2/GM/\9F*30W@`V#_C)`!@!+1/\"C;Z1_I8^FGQ^GKZB_0S4A$"`P
M2U%5[D\M\#WV3%%Y-0`N,:L`@$=)3BU224<@H/$U4#!P>"+QJUD_I4!#_T`!
M=B^U[Q\;$6!I,+;/0Y]_O(=KF\#_:;,VD!S2)'PT32511BW12L!I>G!0,E?`
MZPOBO&DMR&)/!1!GWPN`!T`%T#8Q/`!ER&/$S=^N'Z\O=M]W[\R'1@-A7.R?
M>O^4B4GVS[!64$UU<"#_GS^^#V4SOW[*[\O_S0_.'[_8J`9@`C#0#]$?TB=-
M+]%1DT`O,C/?0##?D"#D.#K'D5!-R@_73]A?]]EOVG^;%F_</]U/TB=28JY)
M5^%3(05`1P-@=:+01]//U-_5Y"A%+4TR*;_@3^%?XF_C?^2/299CYB__YS_2
M)^T?[B_O/_!/\5_;E?AU8FH%D-PO\^_2&S3__^H/ZQ_5Y#8+]9_VK_>_`R_7
M!#\%3R36-<"!+\7R_/__P?Z1X(2_D)^3#PJOO0\`K_^_+ZFWF)^9K\.?Q*_%
MO\;/]Q!74H!;\6ZLP%$@TY$1X?_3H+"04X.<L&S0+]%70DLR[U.@+6!1X9U0
M8AXABE#_KW<1_]7DG+!GLU`^`#719_TM4'!/88I03[`(_PH/]-__!D\'7Q!?
M&'\9C\=]C6`^`'1F9NE!;C8@HN)3DG?GB[&A\57@97<>[Q__`;_MCT-)TZ">
M@6U;T:*`<$#]&_1A(L\CWR3O)?\G#R@?_RDO*C_'?9RAG+!5($^PBW#_,G&B
M@"X_+T_5Y)SA2N`ATO\"*QR0+117@D^QHG'3<)U0_G),88"!3U#3D:'P,O\T
M#_\U'S8O-S\X3SE=/E-I,#I/OSM?<$!"T(Q2BW!64%.B@/=3H)Y13[%M40"\
M$/Z&0X__1)_1^@ROLC^S3[1?M6\^7W\2[Q/_%I\7KSF?2Z^\:5>^:#U`05-.
MH4$`Z7%C38'_R."=(8U@G'^=AAV"/6]7__LP7T$@/U_AFZ!/KU"_1:\_1K]'
MSU4/7.]=_\=]*F5">(IP=&QY*BQ`;^\>P8MR37%FT$&`@6./9)__9:]!(1V"
MBR",H&;0Y@!#`_X_9S]H3U'/4M]3[VQ_5@__5Q]8+UD_6D];7VT?;B]O/_E\
M="A7C2(A=#TB086>\,\<H6&P0!",("DN=N]W__]Y#WH?>R]\/WU/?E]_;X!_
MOX&/@I^#KX2_A<^/!%`LD/V;D'`B@$VQR9"A4"'208*O+%@B@:,`'<)F0F%A
M36#_Z2#)$2WB'M^1K]7&'<#3H.DM!6]P3U`LB7^*CVE?_VIO:W^.WY:_E\_'
M?2VQ80+^8B&`+0)V<1V0&^&M`(?"_V&0G8^>G]7D8;!B,#_B(H#_'3"K,T,D
M88!.<>EPR,`MX/V:PF^A#Z(?HR^D/Z5/IE]_IV^H?RM.O!`M\&%@TT!4[QP2
MK%^M;]7D=^S0G0!A0^^O0F&@3T"\H7DAH>EP(F#_&^`=@DUA0`5@`"X0+;"^
M,?\=P;%/LE^S;[1_M8^VGTGO]TK_N5_',V<\P$*`QH(B@'T<X&SIX*]!,C$B
M,&'@;_^ZL3*$RZ'^@(EOPJ^+CXR?_XVOQM^/SY#?D>^2_Y0/E1]_QW^X+\H/
MTZ5R("V0U@!K?T*1'7.:\_\F0'Q/!V;04\_I,.GOUE\@]VEGQ?!"4/_A\$+2
MWK+.+\\_P\_$W\7O[]./VV_<?RM/<V``3?#EK__FO]!/T5_2;^KOU(_5G]:O
M?]>_V,_9W^N/[)_MK_440ZUVH')/0"*`1DX`34)@_V<0H/_PC^>_Z,_IW_3?
M_+_;_<^&/E,>$7#P98B@XA];]]]TA%<=,!NQ9[$@;O\`[P'_\:_RO_//!B_U
M[P/Y`C#Z,2]"3$]#2^!154]410]_$Z_WCQL8__A7-0>Q%F!/1%DO]JT4T!J_
M^,$W#P%(5!1-3`4`?1]P```?`$<0`0```!X```!M`&4`<P!S`&$`9P!E`"\`
M<@!F`&,`.``R`#(```````,`)@```````P`V```````#`-X_Z?T```,`\3\)
M!````P#]/^0$```?`'```0```$0```!#`&@`80!L`&P`90!N`&<`90`Z`"``
M1`!E`&8`:0!N`&D`;@!G`"``80!C`&,`90!S`',`:0!B`&D`;`!I`'0`>0``
M``L`\A`!````"P#T$``````+`/40``````L`]A``````'P#S$`$```!<````
M4@!%`"4`,P!!`"``0P!H`&$`;`!L`&4`;@!G`&4`)0`S`$$`(`!$`&4`9@!I
M`&X`:0!N`&<`(`!A`&,`8P!E`',`<P!I`&(`:0!L`&D`=`!Y`"X`10!-`$P`
M```"`4<``0```#$```!C/553.V$]34-).W`];7-F=#ML/5)%1"U05"TP,BTP
M,#$P,C0P,S,V,3E:+30Y-#8``````@'Y/P$```!.`````````-RG0,C`0A`:
MM+D(`"LOX8(!`````````"]//4U)0U)/4T]&5"]/53U.3U)42$%-15))0T$O
M0TX]4D5#25!)14Y44R]#3CTU-C(````?`/@_`0```!8```!$`&D`8P!K`"``
M0@!R`&\`=P!N```````?`#A``0````@````U`#8`,@````(!^S\!````3@``
M``````#<IT#(P$(0&K2Y"``K+^&"`0`````````O3SU-24-23U-/1E0O3U4]
M3D]25$A!345224-!+T-./5)%0TE0245.5%,O0TX]-38R````'P#Z/P$````6
M````1`!I`&,`:P`@`$(`<@!O`'<`;@``````'P`Y0`$````(````-0`V`#(`
M``!```<PL1YL`FL]P`%```@PEA20EFL]P`$?`!H``0```!(```!)`%``30`N
M`$X`3P!4`$4``````!\`-P`!````3````%(`10`Z`"``0P!H`&$`;`!L`&4`
M;@!G`&4`.@`@`$0`90!F`&D`;@!I`&X`9P`@`&$`8P!C`&4`<P!S`&D`8@!I
M`&P`:0!T`'D````?`#T``0````H```!2`$4`.@`@```````?`!T.`0```$0`
M``!#`&@`80!L`&P`90!N`&<`90`Z`"``1`!E`&8`:0!N`&D`;@!G`"``80!C
M`&,`90!S`',`:0!B`&D`;`!I`'0`>0```!\`-1`!````H````#P`-P!$`#8`
M1@`U`$,`,@`S`$(`.``Y`#0`-``P`#0`-@!"`$,`.`!$`#$`1`!$`$4`1``P
M`$4`1``Q`#4`10`P`#``,@`S`#<`,0`P`#<`1`!``'(`90!D`"T`<`!T`"T`
M,``R`"X`<@!E`&0`;0!O`&X`9``N`&,`;P!R`'``+@!M`&D`8P!R`&\`<P!O
M`&8`=``N`&,`;P!M`#X````+`"D```````L`(P```````P`&$$N#"",#``<0
MI00```,`$!```````P`1$``````>``@0`0```&4```!#2$%23$53+$E-4U52
M15E/55)#2$%,3$5.1T5724Q,4U1!4E1!2%5'14U!24Q35%))3D<L5TA)0TA)
M4T9)3D4L0E540T525$%)3DQ95$A/4T5)3E9/3%9%1%=)5$A704E(059%````
M``(!?P`!````4````#PW1#9&-4,R,T(X.30T,#0V0D,X1#%$1$5$,$5$,35%
M,#`R,S<Q,#=$0')E9"UP="TP,BYR961M;VYD+F-O<G`N;6EC<F]S;V9T+F-O
%;3X`T](=
`
end

Received on Monday, 23 October 2000 23:36:59 UTC