Proposed wording change of checkpoint 2.1 and Guideline 2 introduction

Proposed rewording of checkpoint 2.1 to:
"By default and without additional customization, ensure that all
functionalities offered by the user agent are accessible using standard
keyboard input device APIs supported by the operating system"

Proposed change of introduction text:

Original Text:
Although keyboard access may seem to contradict the previous guideline on
device-independence, ensuring keyboard access to user agent functionality
is important to accessibility since keyboard access is available to many
users and is widely supported. 

Modified Text:
Support of the keyboard is considered critical for accessibility of user
agents (for user agents that natively support the keyboard, see conformance
statement).  Many users with disabilities cannot use pointing devices and
most types of assistive technology provide improved access if they can use
keyboard based commands to provide alternative user interfaces.  This
guideline reenforces the previous guideline on device independence by
promoting the support of the keyboard for full functionality of the user
agent.  This guideline does not suggest only supporting the keyboard for
user interfaces.  For conformance with the guidelines all input modalities
supported by the user interface should allow for full functionality of the
user agent based on guideline 1.  


Jon Gunderson, Ph.D., ATP
Coordinator of Assistive Communication and Information Technology
Chair, W3C WAI User Agent Working Group
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.w3.org/wai/ua
		http://www.als.uiuc.edu/InfoTechAccess

Received on Friday, 24 September 1999 12:09:15 UTC