Re: "Checkpoint applicability", "Native support", etc.

I think we need to review the applicability section in more detail.  I am 
not sure I agree with all of Eric's comments.  I am not sure about the 
topic of "features for people disabilities versus features for people 
without disabilities" in this section.   What does this add to the 
discussion of applicability?

I think examples of common questions and edge issues are useful to 
developers to help them understand the applicability issue.

  In general I think there are several main issues that applicability needs 
to address:

Applicability Issues
1. You must implement and export the DOM for compatibility with Assistive 
Technologies

2. You must support a keyboard API, even if you do not have a physical 
keyboard as part of your product (KIOSK)

3. If you render a content type to anyone, you must provide access to that 
content type in an accessible way and provide access to author specified 
alternative equivalents through the user interface.  If you do not provide 
a content type to anyone, then you do not need to provide access to author 
specified alternative equivalents for that content.

4. If you support a particular output device for rendering content you must 
support the device in an accessible way.  If you don't support a particular 
output device you do not need to support the accessibility features 
associated with that device.

5. Supporting a keyboard input API is the only input device requirement, 
other input devices must be supported in an accessible way.  Capabilities 
of the user agent must be available through all supported input devices, 
except certain functions that are specific to a particular device like 
generating characters for a text entry field with a keyboard or dragging a 
graphical object with a pointing device.

6. User agents that use helper applications for rendering certain types of 
content are not responsible for rendering the sent to the helper 
application in an accessible way.  The host user agent though is 
responsible for making available alternative equivalents of content sent to 
the helper application available through the output devices it supports.
Jon Gunderson, Ph.D., ATP
Coordinator of Assistive Communication and Information Technology
Division of Rehabilitation - Education Services
MC-574
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

Received on Thursday, 10 August 2000 11:27:14 UTC