Accessibility of Documentation, checkpoint 11.1

To: UA list
From: Eric Hansen
Re: 

I think that the conformance requirement for documentation in checkpoint
11.1 needs to be clarified and, if my inference about the meaning of
checkpoint 11.1 is correct, then it is too strict and needs to be loosened. 

I can imagine a developer of module A says, "I have this composite user
agent D composed of modules A, B, and C. My documentation for module A is
Triple-A WCAG 1.0 conformant, as is the documentation for module B. But the
documentation for module C is only Double-A conformant because there were
some acronyms that were not expanded (WCAG 1.0 checkpoint 4.2). Therefore,
overall, the documentation for composite user agent D is only Double-A
conformant, thus ensuring (per checkpoint 11.1) that my conformance claim is
no better than Double-A conformant."

I think that this standard is too strict. 

Old (28 July 2000):

"11.1 Provide a version of the product documentation that conforms to the
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 [WCAG10]. [Priority 1] 
Note: User agents may provide documentation in many formats, but at least
one must conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 [WCAG10]."

New:

"11.1 Provide a version of the product documentation that conforms to
level-A of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 [WCAG10]. [Priority 1] 
Note: User agents may provide documentation in many formats, but at least
one must conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 [WCAG10]."


Note that I have only required level-A conformance. I don't think that level
triple-A is appropriate at all; Priority 3 checkpoint "may" help people with
disabilities. Double-A conformance might be warranted.

I think that we need to minimize such interpendencies.

===========================
Eric G. Hansen, Ph.D.
Development Scientist
Educational Testing Service
ETS 12-R
Princeton, NJ 08541
609-734-5615 (Voice)
E-mail: ehansen@ets.org
(W) 609-734-5615 (Voice)
FAX 609-734-1090

Received on Thursday, 17 August 2000 16:52:53 UTC