Re: Use accessibility conventions...

Rather than replicate information.  I think we should just present an
orgainzed list of resources on this topic.
Jon


At 04:18 PM 6/23/99 -0500, mark novak wrote:
>doesn't seem to be any shortage of this type of information
>
>http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-ua/1999AprJun/0180.html
>
>
>-or-
>
> there is another list of 34 guidelines and the like at:
>
>http://trace.wisc.edu/docs/eitaac/
>
>
>
>>This is the checkpoint and the techniques from the Authoring Tool
>>Accessibility Guidelines.
>>
>>Just by the way, review of this is specifically requested by the authoring
>>tools group at the momemt, so copying comments to w3c-wai-au@w3.org would be
>>appreciated
>>
>>charles McCN
>>
>>This comes from
>>http://www.w3.org/WAI/AU/WAI-AUTOOLS-19990621/wai-autools-tech#gl-make-acce
>>ssible
>>
>>   1.1 Use all applicable operating system and accessibility standards and
>>conventions. [Priority 1]
>>
>>Techniques:
>>
>>          + Guidelines for specific platforms include
>>              1. "IBM Guidelines for Writing Accessible Applications Using
>>100% Pure Java" [JAVA-ACCESS] R. Schwerdtfeger, IBM Special Needs Systems.
>>              2. "An ICE Rendezvous Mechanism for X Window System Clients"
>>[ICE-RAP], W. Walker. A description of how to use the ICE and RAP
>>protocols for X Window
>>                 clients.
>>              3. "Information for Developers About Microsoft Active
>>Accessibility" [MS-ACCESS] Microsoft Corporation.
>>              4. "The Inter-Client communication conventions manual"
>>[ICCCM]. A protocol for communication between clients in the X Window
>>system.
>>              5. "Lotus Notes accessibility guidelines" [NOTES-ACCESS] IBM
>>Special Needs Systems.
>>              6. "Java accessibility guidelines and checklist"
>>[JAVA-CHECKLIST] IBM Special Needs Systems.
>>              7. "The Java Tutorial. Trail: Creating a GUI with JFC/Swing"
>>[JAVA-TUT]. An online tutorial that describes how to use the Swing Java
>>Foundation Class to
>>                 build an accessible User Interface.
>>              8. "Macintosh Human Interface Guidelines" [APPLE-HI] Apple
>>Computer Inc.
>>              9. "The Microsoft Windows Guidelines for Accessible Software
>>Design" [MS-SOFTWARE]. Warning! This is a "self-extracting archive", an
>>application that
>>                 will probably only run on MS-Windows systems.
>>          + Guidelines for specific software types include
>>              1. "The Three-tions of Accessibility-Aware HTML Authoring
>>Tools" [ACCESS-AWARE], J. Richards.
>>              2. "User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (Working Draft)" J.
>>Gunderson, I. Jacobs eds. (This is a work in progress) [WAI-USERAGENT]
>>          + General guidelines for producing accessible software include:
>>              1. "Accessibility for applications designers" [MS-ENABLE]
>>Microsoft Corporation.
>>              2. "Application Software Design Guidelines" [TRACE-REF]
>>compiled by G. Vanderheiden. A thorough reference work.
>>              3. "Designing for Accessibility" [SUN-DESIGN] Eric Bergman
>>and Earl Johnson. This paper discusses specific disabilities including
>>those related to
>>                 hearing, vision, and cognitive function.
>>              4. "EITACC Desktop Software standards" [EITAAC] Electronic
>>Information Technology Access Advisory (EITACC) Committee.
>>              5. "Requirements for Accessible Software Design" [ED-DEPT]
>>US Department of Education, version 1.1 March 6, 1997.
>>              6. "Software Accessibility" [IBM-ACCESS] IBM Special Needs
>>Systems
>>              7. "Towards Accessible Human-Computer Interaction" [SUN-HCI]
>>Eric Bergman, Earl Johnson, Sun Microsytems 1995. A substantial paper,
>>with a valuable print
>>                 bibliography.
>>              8. "What is Accessible Software" [WHAT-IS] James W.
>>Thatcher, Ph.D., IBM, 1997. This paper gives a short example-based
>>introduction to the difference
>>                 between software that is accessible, and software that
>>can be used by some assistive technologies.
>>          + User Interfaces are sometimes built as web content, and as
>>such should follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
>>[WAI-WEBCONTENT] (See also 3 Support
>>            accessible authoring practices )
>>          + The following are common requirements for producing accessible
>>software. This list does not necessarily cover all requirements for all
>>platforms, and items
>>            may not be applicable to some software.:
>>
>>Following Standards
>>               o Draw text and objects using system conventions
>>               o Make mouse, keyboard, and API activation of events
consistent
>>               o Provide a User Interface that is "familiar" (to system
>>standards, or across platform)
>>               o Use system standard indirections wherever possible
>>               o Ensure all dialogs, subwindows, etc meet these requirements
>>               o Avoid blocking assistive technology functions
>>(sticky/mouse keys, screenreader controls, etc) where possible
>>
>>Configurability
>>               o Allow users to create profiles
>>               o Allow control of timing, colors, sizes, input/output
>>devices and media
>>               o Allow users to reshape the user interface - customize
>>toolbars, keyboard commands, etc
>>
>>Input Device Independence
>>               o Provide Keyboard access to all functions
>>               o Document all keyboard bindings
>>               o Provide customizable keyboard shortcuts for common
functions
>>               o Provide logical navigation order for the keyboard
interface.
>>               o Avoid repetitive keying wherever possible
>>               o Provide mouse access to functions where possible
>>
>>Icons, Graphics, Sounds
>>               o Provide visual (text) equivalents for sound warnings
>>               o Allow sounds to be turned off
>>               o Provide text equivalents for images/icons
>>               o Use customizable (or removable) colors/patterns
>>               o Ensure high contrast is available (as default setting)
>>               o Provide text equivalents for all audio
>>               o Use icons that are resizeable or available in multiple
sizes
>>
>>Layout
>>               o Do not rely on color alone for meaning. Use color for
>>differentiation, in combination with accessible cues (text equivalents,
>>natural language, etc)
>>               o Position related text labels and objects consistently,
>>and in an obvious manner (labels before objects is recommended)
>>               o Group related controls
>>               o Ensure default window sizes fit in screen
>>               o Allow for window resizing (very small to very large)
>>
>>User Focus
>>               o Clearly identify the user focus (and expose it via API)
>>               o moving focus should not cause unexpected events
>>               o Allow user control of timing - delays, time-dependent
>>response, etc
>>               o Allow for navigation between as well as within windows
>>
>>References:
>>
>>   [APPLE-HI]
>>          "Macintosh Human Interface Guidelines", Apple Computer Inc.
>>Available at:
>>
>>
>>http://developer.apple.com/techpubs/mac/HIGuidelines/HIGuidelines-2.html
>>
>>   [CSS2-ACCESS]
>>          "WAI Resources: CSS2 Accessibility Improvements", I. Jacobs and
>>J. Brewer, eds. This document, that describes accessibility features in
>>CSS2, is available
>>          at:
>>          http://www.w3.org/WAI/References/CSS2-access
>>
>>   [ED-DEPT]
>>          "Requirements for Accessible Software Design", US Department of
>>Education, version 1.1 March 6, 1997. Available at:
>>
>>          http://ocfo.ed.gov/coninfo/clibrary/software.htm.
>>
>>   [EITAAC]
>>          "EITACC Desktop Software standards", Electronic Information
>>Technology Access Advisory (EITACC) Committee. Available at:
>>
>>trace.wisc.edu/docs/eitacc_desktop_software_standards/desktop_software_stan
>>dards.htm
>>
>>   [HTML4-ACCESS]
>>          "WAI Resources: HTML 4.0 Accessibility Improvements", I. Jacobs,
>>J. Brewer, and D. Dardailler, eds. This document, that describes
>>accessibility features in
>>          HTML 4.0, is available at:
>>          http://www.w3.org/WAI/References/HTML4-access
>>
>>   [IBM-ACCESS]
>>          "Software Accessibility" IBM Special Needs Systems. Available at:
>>
>>          http://www.austin.ibm.com/sns/accesssoftware.html
>>
>>   [ICCCM]
>>          "The Inter-Client communication conventions manual". A protocol
>>for communication between clients in the X Window system. Available at:
>>
>>          http://ftp.x.org/pub/R6.3/xc/doc/specs/ICCCM/
>>
>>   [ICE-RAP]
>>          "An ICE Rendezvous Mechanism for X Window System Clients", W.
>>Walker. A description of how to use the ICE and RAP protocols for X Window
>>clients. Available
>>          at:
>>
>>          http://trace.wisc.edu/docs/x_win_andice/x_andice.htm
>>
>>   [JAVA-ACCESS]
>>          "IBM Guidelines for Writing Accessible Applications Using 100%
>>Pure Java", R. Schwerdtfeger, IBM Special Needs Systems. Available at:
>>
>>          http://www.austin.ibm.com/sns/snsjavag.htm
>>
>>   [JAVA-CHECKLIST]
>>          "Java Accessibility Guidelines and Checklist" IBM Special Needs
>>Systems. Available at:
>>
>>          http://www.austin.ibm.com/sns/accessjava.html
>>
>>   [JAVA-TUT]
>>          "The Java Tutorial. Trail: Creating a GUI with JFC/Swing". An
>>online tutorial that describes how to use the Swing Java Foundation Class
>>to build an
>>          accessible User Interface. Available at:
>>
>>          http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/uiswing/
>>
>>   [MS-ACCESS]
>>          "Information for Developers About Microsoft Active
>>Accessibility" Microsoft Corporation. Available at:
>>
>>          http://www.microsoft.com/enable/msaa/develop.htm
>>
>>   [MS-ENABLE]
>>          "Accessibility for Applications Designers" Microsoft
>>Corporation. Available at:
>>
>>          http://www.microsoft.com/enable/dev/apps.htm
>>
>>   [MS-SOFTWARE]
>>          "The Microsoft Windows Guidelines for Accessible Software
>>Design". Warning! This is a "self-extracting archive", an application that
>>will probably only run
>>          on MS-Windows systems.
>>
>>          http://www.microsoft.com/enable/download/winapp23.exe
>>
>>   [NOTES-ACCESS]
>>          "Lotus Notes Accessibility Guidelines" IBM Special Needs
>>Systems. Available at:
>>
>>          http://www.austin.ibm.com/sns/accessnotes.html.
>>
>>   [SUN-DESIGN]
>>          "Designing for Accessibility" Eric Bergman and Earl Johnson.
>>This paper discusses specific disabilities including those related to
>>hearing, vision, and
>>          cognitive function. Available at:
>>
>>          http://www.sun.com/tech/access/software.guides.html
>>
>>   [SUN-HCI]
>>          "Towards Accessible Human-Computer Interaction" Eric Bergman,
>>Earl Johnson, Sun Microsytems 1995. A substantial paper, with a valuable
>>print bibliography.
>>          Available at:
>>
>>          http://www.sun.com/tech/access/updt.HCI.advance.html.
>>
>>   [TRACE-REF]
>>          "Application Software Design Guidelines" compiled by G.
>>Vanderheiden. A thorough reference work. Available at:
>>
>>          http://trace.wisc.edu/docs/software_guidelines/software.htm
>>
>>   [W3C-RECS]
>>          "W3C Technical Reports and Publications" The latest versions of
>>W3C Recomendations are available at:
>>          http://www.w3.org/TR
>>
>>
>>   [WAI-USERAGENT]
>>          "User Agent Accessibility Guidelines", J. Gunderson and I.
>>Jacobs, eds. These guidelines for designing accessible user agents are
>>available at:
>>          http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-USERAGENT
>>
>>   [WAI-WEBCONTENT]
>>          "Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0", W. Chisholm, G.
>>Vanderheiden, and I. Jacobs, eds. These guidelines for designing
>>accessible documents are
>>          available at:
>>          http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT
>>
>>   [WHAT-IS]
>>          "What is Accessible Software" James W. Thatcher, Ph.D., IBM,
>>1997. This paper gives a short example-based introduction to the
>>difference between software
>>          that is accessible, and software that can be used by some
>>assistive technologies. Available at
>>
>>          http://www.austin.ibm.com/sns/software.html.
> 
Jon Gunderson, Ph.D., ATP
Coordinator of Assistive Communication and Information Technology
Division of Rehabilitation - Education Services
University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign
1207 S. Oak Street
Champaign, IL 61820

Voice: 217-244-5870
Fax: 217-333-0248
E-mail: jongund@uiuc.edu
WWW:	http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~jongund
	http://www.als.uiuc.edu/InfoTechAccess

Received on Wednesday, 23 June 1999 18:55:49 UTC