RE: Web video accessibility

Hi Tay,

Following up on Cliff's email, I think that your first order of business
to improve your accessibility is to look at keyboard navigation and
controls interaction: this impacts on both non-sighted users (who will be
navigating content via keyboard only) as well as many mobility impaired
users who for whatever reason will not be using a mouse.

Part of the work the media sub-team of the Accessibility Task Force on
HTML5 undertook was the creation of a User-Requirements document, which
then helped us formulate and define solutions for accessibility in HTML5.
The document can be found at: http://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/media-a11y-reqs/
(Please note that this is an Editor's Draft - the original working copy
can also be seen at
http://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/HTML/wiki/Media_Accessibility_Requirements). 

I might suggest that you look at the section marked "System Requirements"
and in particular "Access to Interactive controls / menus" for some
starting points.

As you look to add or enhance features that could be targeted towards
Persons with Disabilities a review of the first section ("Accessible Media
Requirements by Type of Disability") will likely also prove useful in
understanding needs.

Stepping back even further, a good read-through of WCAG 2 will also be
useful for you, and in particular the sections on 
Time-based media (http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/quickref/#media-equiv), 
Adaptable
(http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/quickref/#content-structure-separation), 
Keyboard Accessible
(http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/quickref/#keyboard-operation), 
Navigable (http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/quickref/#navigation-mechanisms), 
Predictable (http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/quickref/#consistent-behavior), 
and likely Compatible
(http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/quickref/#ensure-compat).  

One thing to note in WCAG 2 is that "success" is not defined by checking
off a box, but rather by satisfying the need: WCAG 2 is flexible enough to
allow for multiple possible solutions, and not "1 true way"; when looking
at the "Techniques for Success Criteria" regard them as possible
solutions, but if you think you can achieve success in a different
fashion, do explore that possibility. Many members of this list will be
happy to provide feedback on specific attempts.

Since EmbedPlus is as much an "application" as it is 'web page content',
you might also consider reviewing The User Agents Accessibility Guidelines
(UAAG) for ideas and user-requirements. While UAAG2 is still a Draft
document, it's pretty stable and the better reference to review (in my
personal opinion). See: http://www.w3.org/TR/UAAG20/ 

So... lots to read, but once you get into it, it's not so bad really.
Feel free to ask specific questions, and good luck!

Cheers!

JF

Received on Wednesday, 17 August 2011 03:01:27 UTC