- From: Michael Gaigg <mgaigg@esri.com>
- Date: Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:23:39 -0700
- To: "Stephani L. Roberts" <stephani@MIT.EDU>, "w3c-wai-ig@w3.org" <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
Stephani, There are certainly commonly accepted cartographic conventions (like using blue lines for rivers and green colors for vegetation), and certain mapping agencies will adopt a set of cartographic symbols for their maps (like the symbols on a USGS topographic map, as shown in Parts 5 and 6 on this web site: http://rockyweb.cr.usgs.gov/nmpstds/qmapstds.html), but there is NO ONE SET of universally accepted cartographic symbols. And for cartographers that is actually a good thing! Different maps will require different symbology for all sorts of reasons that relate to the use and the audience of the maps. That said, there ARE sets of symbols that many map makers use and therefore many map readers are familiar with. Many of these are sets of symbols are found in our mapping software ArcGIS and are called styles. For the types of features you are trying to map, there are no standard symbol sets though. So for example, if you are making a 2D map, you can check out the Public Signs style. This style contains marker symbols that have the kinds of signs you might find in public buildings to indicate such things as elevators, escalators, and stairs. The Hazmat style has things like stairs (of various types), escalators, elevators (or various types), and handicapped accessible emergency exits. The Transportation style contains symbols for handicapped reserved parking and access for the handicapped. Other styles will contain other symbols. You can either use these symbols as they are, use them to create your own symbols, or create your own symbols using other input (e.g., graphic image files). Question: How can maps be made accessible? This is on a different account and of interest to me personally and to my company. Do you have any experience with one or the other challenge of making internet mapping applications accessible? You can see a more detailed write-up here: http://www.mgitsolutions.com/blog/2009/03/question-how-can-internet-mapping-applications-be-made-accessible/ Thanks Mike -----Original Message----- From: w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org [mailto:w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org] On Behalf Of Stephani L. Roberts Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 8:16 AM To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org Subject: Universal Symbols for Accessible Routes etc. on Maps Hello, We're working on improving MIT's map for accessible routes and I'm wondering if anyone knows if there are universal symbols that convey the following information: - power doors - non-power doors - elevators - lifts - ramps - curb cuts - curb without a curb cut - accessible (handicapped) parking I've looked at quite a few maps now and have found a wide variety of symbols used to convey the same information from on map to another. I get the sense that the cartographers and members of facilities are creating this symbols based on their process and knowledge. The symbols they choose are not all that intuitive and sometimes cause more confusion due to similar appearance and color. I'm hoping that somewhere out there, a library of universal symbols exists and our cartographer can use it as a reference. Thank you, Stephani -- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Stephani L. Roberts Web Accessibility Consultant - MIT IS&T ATIC Lab building: n42-240k phone: 253.0866 cell: 617.852.3100 email: stephani@mit.edu http://web.mit.edu/atic/www/accessibility/ ::::: Important: MIT IS&T staff will *NEVER* ask you for your password, nor will MIT send you email requesting your password information.
Received on Wednesday, 29 April 2009 19:24:25 UTC