Re: Proposed text about which UAs are expected to conform

I agree with Jon - there is no reason why a voice-based system with
appropriate export through APIs cannot comply, and it certainly should be
able to. The requirement for exporting the interface to Assistive
technologies is of course crucial.

Charles

On Mon, 17 Apr 2000, Jon Gunderson wrote:

  Ian,
  My main point is that a voice only browser could still comply.  The main 
  complication from AT vendors with this issue are:
  1. My visual interface does not comply
  2. Exporting and supporting the DOM
  3. Targeting one type of disability
  
  My main concern is mentioning that a technology that is primarily speech 
  output as not something that is intended to complying.  Maybe it would be 
  better to say a browser that is targeting one type of disability or 
  something like that.
  
  
  Jon
  
  
  At 11:54 AM 4/17/00 -0400, Ian Jacobs wrote:
  >Jon Gunderson wrote:
  > >
  > > Comments in JRG:
  > > At 04:02 PM 4/16/00 -0400, Ian Jacobs wrote:
  > > >Hello,
  > > >
  > > >As part of resolving issue 232 [1], I'd like to propose the
  > > >following text for the section on conformance to explain which
  > > >user agents this document is meant for. Please note that the
  > > >abstract of the document already discusses which user agents
  > > >these guidelines are meant to address.
  > > >
  > > ><BLOCKQUOTE>
  > > >Which user agents may conform
  > > >
  > > >This document has been designed to promote the accessibility of
  > > >general-purpose graphical user agents. While many of the principles
  > > >set forth in this document apply to other
  > > >classes of user agents, including assistive technologies, many of the
  > > >checkpoints do not. As the number of applicable
  > > >checkpoints decreases for a piece of software, the likelihood
  > > >increases that the guidelines are not an accurate gauge of the
  > > >accessibility of that piece of software. Therefore, while assistive
  > > >technologies and other specialized user agents obviously promote
  > > >accessibility, they are not expected to conform (for instance, because
  > > >they offer a single output mode such as speech,
  > >
  > > JRG: I would suggest :
  > > The primary mode of output maybe generated speech, but the technology does
  > > offer a minimal visual interface for sighted support and trouble
  > > shooting.  The speech part of the interface may comply with the guidelines,
  > > but the visual interface does not.
  >
  >IJ: I don't think we should enter into that much detail in this part
  >of the guidelines.
  >
  >  - Ian
  >
  > > >or they do not make
  > > >available information through APIs) because
  > > >they are not general purpose user agents.  This document will help
  > > >assistive technology developers understand what functionalities and
  > > >communication an accessible general purpose user agent should provide.
  > > ></BLOCKQUOTE>
  > > >
  > > >  - Ian
  > > >
  > > >[1] http://cmos-eng.rehab.uiuc.edu/ua-issues/issues-linear.html#232
  > > >--
  > > >Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org)   http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs
  > > >Tel:                         +1 831 457-2842
  > > >Cell:                        +1 917 450-8783
  > >
  > > Jon Gunderson, Ph.D., ATP
  > > Coordinator of Assistive Communication and Information Technology
  > > Chair, W3C WAI User Agent Working Group
  > > Division of Rehabilitation - Education Services
  > > College of Applied Life Studies
  > > 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
  > > WWW: http://www.w3.org/wai/ua
  >
  >--
  >Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org)   http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs
  >Tel:                         +1 831 457-2842
  >Cell:                        +1 917 450-8783
  
  Jon Gunderson, Ph.D., ATP
  Coordinator of Assistive Communication and Information Technology
  Chair, W3C WAI User Agent Working Group
  Division of Rehabilitation - Education Services
  College of Applied Life Studies
  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
  WWW: http://www.w3.org/wai/ua
  
  

--
Charles McCathieNevile    mailto:charles@w3.org    phone: +61 (0) 409 134 136
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative                      http://www.w3.org/WAI
Location: I-cubed, 110 Victoria Street, Carlton VIC 3053
Postal: GPO Box 2476V, Melbourne 3001,  Australia

Received on Monday, 17 April 2000 12:49:28 UTC