Re: simple language subtag

On 27/04/2017 13:44, Tobias Bengfort wrote:
> On 27/04/17 04:13, Léonie Watson wrote:
>> On 21/04/2017 18:42, Tobias Bengfort wrote:
>>> back in september 2015 I sent a message to this list asking about
>>> opinions on a "simple" language variant subtag. This would allow to
>>> provide a "version that does not require reading ability more advanced
>>> than the lower secondary education level" (WCAG20 3.1.5) like this:
>>>
>>>   <link href="..." hreflang="en-simple" rel="alternate" />
>>>
>>> In the meantime, this variant subtag has actually been registered[1]
>>> (not by me).
>>>
>>> Should the technique described above be included in the "How to Meet
>>> WCAG 2.0" document? Or should we wait for ATs to actually support this?
>>> If so, how can we push support in ATs?
>>
>> Can you suggest which AT should be able to utilise this information and
>> in what way? As a piece of metadata that search engines could use to
>> return results with simplified content, I think there is a good use
>> case, but I'm not sure what screen reader, screen magnifier, or speech
>> recognition support might look like.
>
> My idea was that my user agent could help me find the simple language
> version. It could either switch to it automatically or ask me every
> time. In my head this looks a lot like the automatic translation feature
> in chrome[1].

Thanks Tobias, that makes sense.

>
> This could be implemented either as an option in mainstream browsers or
> as a browser extension. Maybe the term AT is not a perfect fit.

I think AT tends to refer to the typical tools like screen readers etc., 
but there are also browser extensions/plugins that could be called 
assistive of course.


This is something that could be a useful browser feature. In my 
experience the best way to encourage browser vendors to do it, would be 
to create a browser plugin and track downloads/installs - in order to 
make the case that it has widespread use and is therefore worth 
implementing directly in the browser.

With regard to WCAG, I don't think that using this sub-tag wouldn't in 
itself be a technique for meeting a WCAG SC. It could perhaps be 
included as an advisory and/or complementary technique for those SC 
relating to readability etc. though.

  Léonie
-- 
@LeonieWatson tink.uk Carpe diem

Received on Thursday, 27 April 2017 05:58:49 UTC