compleeting our action item: techniques for Guideline 11]

This discharges our action item springing forth from the November 10
teleconf.
Gregory's additions are marked with JGR and mind with Dp.
 
TECHNIQUES FOR GUIDELINE 11 (5 November Last Call Draft)

Guideline 11. Provide accessible product documentation and help

DP's ADDITIONS:
One should not assume that the disabled user of a user agent will only
be
an end user.  A disabled user may be a developer using the user agent
as a
test bed or someone who needs critical information that can only be
obtained by as direct a path to the tool's mechanics and
"under-the-hood"
features as possible.

Documentation, therefore, is critical to the use of a user agent by a
multitude of users, and should be well positioned and easily
accessible to
all potential users.  This means that it is highly advisable that you
provide several electronic forms of the documents describing and
detailing
the user agent's operation, installation, configuration and whatever
other
functionalities are available to the user as a separate--but well
referenced and easily accessed--format included in the archive or on
the
media (such as CD-ROM or floppy disks) through which the user agent is
distributed, and/or as an integrated part of the software distribution
package.

GJR's ADDITIONS:
In keeping with the spirit of this Guideline, it is also essential
that the
run-time help and any web-based help or support information, as well
as the
documentation distributed with the tool, be fully accessible to
persons
with disabilities.

It is also imperative that the user be able to invoke the run-time
help
with a simple, well documented keystroke command.  It is strongly
suggested
that the keybinding used to invoke the UAs help system be the default
"Help" keybinding for the platform upon which the UA is running.
(Refer
also to Checkpoint 5.8 and the Techniques for Checkpoint 5.8)

It is essential that any web-based support and/or documentation that
is
produced or maintained by the manufacturer of a user agent or by a
sub-contractor of the user agent's developer, comply with the Web
Content 
Accessibility Guidelines [WCAG], so that it, too, may be used by
persons
with disabilities.  This includes (but is not limited to):

1. alternative textual descriptions of all graphics
2. extended descriptions of screen-shots, flow-charts, etc.
3. clear and consistent navigational mechanisms
4. use of the NOFRAMES element when the support/documentation is
presented
in a FRAMESET
5. non-tablized (linear) listings of keystrokes and keybindings
            __________________________________________________________

Checkpoint 11.1 Provide a version of the product documentation that
conforms to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. [Priority 1]

DP's ADDITIONS:
Alternative and fully equivalent forms of documentation can also be
provided in a form that is tailored to or which conforms to a desired
type
of output, such as an electronic Braille device, a specialized reading
system, 
or ready for a Braille embosser.
            __________________________________________________________

Checkpoint 11.4 In a dedicated section, document all features of the
user
agent that promote accessibility. [Priority 2]

DP's ADDITIONS:
When providing, in a dedicated section, documentation for all features
of
the user agent that promote accessibility, it is also essential that
such
information be clearly and obviously linked to other sections of the 
documentation, where appropriate.  A dedicated section documenting the
features of the user agent that promote accessibility, however, must
not be
the only method of documenting such features.

Received on Tuesday, 16 November 1999 15:37:36 UTC