Proposed revision of checkpoint 7.6

I would like to propose five checkpoints that would replace and enhance 
checkpoint 7.6, and hopefully deal with some of the issues raise in the 19 
September telecon [1].

Basically I propose to split 7.6 into explicitly defined and implicitly 
defined structure by the author.  The explicit is through using markup and 
implicit is using style.  Explicit navigation would be priority 2 and 
implicit navigation would be priority 3, explicit could also be considered 
a repair checkpoint.  I also include forward and backward sequential 
navigation as the minimal requirement and lists of important elements as 
informative.  I think the implicit and explicit split of the checkpoint 
helps address the need for different object models to navigate real web 
resources.  I would also add a checkpoint similar to checkpoint 7.7 for 
configuration of what style information would be used to indicate whether 
two elements use the same style (see proposals following for details).  I 
then propose to add two orientation checkpoints that allow the user to find 
out how many other elements are in the resource have the same style or 
element type as the current element at priority 3.  This orientation 
information provides some information on whether this is a useful element 
or style to use to navigate the structure of a resource.  The more times it 
occurs the less likely it will be useful for navigation.

I think this improves the document over the current 7.6 since it emphasizes 
the two main pieces of information we have for navigation: authors use of 
element type and style.

[OLD]
7.6 Allow the user to navigate efficiently to and among important 
structural elements identified by the
               author. For markup languages with known semantics, allow 
forward sequential navigation to important
               structural elements. For other markup languages, allow at 
least forward sequential navigation of the
               document object, in document order. In HTML 4 [HTML4], the 
list of important elements is: A, ADDRESS,
               BUTTON, FIELDSET, DD, DIV, DL, DT, FORM, FRAME, H1-H6, 
IMAGE, INPUT, LI, MAP, OBJECT, OL, OPTGROUP, OPTION, P, TABLE, TEXTAREA, 
and UL. In SMIL 1.0 [SMIL], the list of important elements is: a, anchor, 
par, seq, and
               switch. In SVG 1.0 [SVG], the important elements are a and 
g. [Priority 2]

[/OLD]

[NEW 1]
7.a Allow the user to easily navigate explicitly defined important 
structural elements identified by the author. For markup languages with 
known semantics, allow forward and backward sequential navigation to 
important structural elements. For other markup languages, allow at least 
forward sequential navigation of the document object, in document order. 
[Priority 2]

Note:
In HTML 4 [HTML4], the list of important elements is: A, ADDRESS,BUTTON, 
FIELDSET, DD, DIV, DL, DT, FORM, FRAME, H1-H6, IMAGE, INPUT, LI, MAP, 
OBJECT, OL, OPTGROUP, OPTION, P, TABLE, TEXTAREA, and UL. In SMIL 1.0 
[SMIL], the list of important elements is: a, anchor, par, seq, and switch.

In SVG 1.0 [SVG], the important elements are a and g.
[/NEW 1]

[NEW 2]
7.b Allow the user to easily navigate implicitly defined important 
structural elements identified by the author. Authors may use rendering 
style to implicitly indicate the important structural elements of a 
document.  Allow forward and backward sequential navigation to elements 
with same style as the current element.  [Priority 3]

Note: Could be considered a repair checkpoint for poor authoring practices
[/NEW 2]

[NEW 3]
7.c Allow the user to configure and control the set of run time attributes 
used to determine the same style for navigation in checkpoint 7.b . Include 
options for class, font size, font color, font face, font style (basically 
CSS font properties)[Priority 3]

Note: This checkpoint is an important feature of checkpoint 7.b and is 
similar to the current 7.7
[/NEW 3]

[NEW 4]
8.a Provide the user with information on how many other elements in the 
resource are of the same type as the current element. [Priority 3]
[/NEW 4]

[NEW 5]
8.b Provide the user with information on how many other elements in the 
resource have the same style as the current element. [Priority 3]
[/NEW 5]

[1] http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-ua/2000JulSep/0400.html
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 Wednesday, 20 September 2000 12:17:23 UTC