RE: Inclusion or accessibility

It is certainly not the case that "any multimedia will do". The use of
different types of media must be governed by both the purpose of the
application (or site) and the target population. What some individuals find
stimulating or an aid to comprehension others find a distraction or confusing.
I guess the critical consideration in trying to design a web site that is
"universally accessible" is to make the site as flexible as possible to cater
for different needs. We already recognise the importance of providing text
alternatives to multimedia components and indeed the option to view a site as
text only. So the same principle must apply to the use of individual media
components - ie not just have a text or graphics option but enable users to
selective deactivate certain media and retain only those features that they
find assists their comprehension or ability to navigate the site.

Simon, if you feel that the existing W3C guidelines fail to adequately take
into account the needs of the specific groups of teens you are working with
there may be a need for someone like yourself to contribute your knowledge and
experience to W3C. A good starting point would be to document why you feel the
posts here are wide of the mark. If that is the case everyone who contributes
to this list needs to be aware of the concerns. Another useful approach would
be for you to identify what it is about the couple of sites that you consider
are truly inclusive and post that to the list along with the URLs.

Denise





-----Original Message-----
From: Charles McCathieNevile [mailto:charles@w3.org]
Sent: Sunday, 21 October 2001 11:06 PM
To: Simon Evans
Cc: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
Subject: Re: Inclusion or accessibility


As one of the posters, I don't have a lot of exemplars in mind as regards
universal accessibility. I hope I have most of the problems in mind, but
could use more feedback on solutions that can be used.

For example, I am aware that there are people who find multimedia makes the
difference between comprehension and nothing, but I do not believe (and have
not seen it written) that "any multimedia" will do. So I am wondering what
features it is that make the difference - lots of motion, colour, sound, no
animation, ??? There is a big list, and it may be that there are different
features that work in different circumstances. But finding a workable
solution depends on knowing these variables as a start.

cheers

Charles McCN

On Fri, 19 Oct 2001, Simon Evans wrote:


  I teach IT to teens with SLD/PMLD and SLD Autism...also work as an IT
  teacher trainer within special needs and IT. Recently I've been
  working on a couple of inclusive sites for kids with the above
  (profound) cognitive disabilities and this is my particular area of
  interest within accessibility issues.

  I've found most of the posts here seem quite wide of the mark for my
  clients....whilst the fundamentals of guidelines would appear to
  acknowledge their difficulties, there are almost no relevant specifics
  at W3. Given the time I've spent looking for inclusive sites without
  finding more than a couple, I'm wondering what posters have in mind as
  exemplars for 'universal accessibility'.

  Simon


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