RE: Request for implementer's Guide for ARIA & acid tests

Hi Jim,

Sounds good. I will participate in a call discussing that, but I would 
like if either Marc Silbey (IE) or Simon Pieters (Opera) could be there as 
well.
Marc? Simon? Would you participate in a call on that?

We need to discuss how HTML and ARIA exposed to each platform 
accessibility API that's used widely today. I'm not sure how far we can 
get in one call, so we should also spend some time on how UAWG will help 
lead the effort to provide this information and harmonize it across 
environments as much as possible.

- Aaron





"Jim Allan" <jimallan@tsbvi.edu> 
Sent by: w3c-wai-pf-request@w3.org
03/27/2008 12:35 PM

To
"'Aaron Leventhal'" <aaronlev@moonset.net>, "'WAI-UA list'" 
<w3c-wai-ua@w3.org>
cc
<simonp@opera.com>, <hsivonen@iki.fi>, <marcsil@windows.microsoft.com>, 
<mjs@apple.com>, <w3c-wai-pf@w3.org>
Subject
RE: Request for implementer's Guide for ARIA & acid tests







Aaron,
This is an important issue. UAWG was already planning on reviewing the
document when it is complete. 
UAWG is have a meeting today and will discuss the remaining items. 

I think there will need to be some coordination as UAAG is in transition
from version 1.0 to 2.0. We need to ensure that the guidelines and the
implementation guide are in harmony. One of the area that is under review 
is
Principal 2 Facilitate access by assistive technologies -
http://www.w3.org/TR/2008/WD-UAAG20-20080312/#principle-AT-access which 
has
guideline that cover ARIA. 

It would be useful if you or some other developer of the guide could 
attend
a future UAWG call before the end of April to discuss the guide. I would 
be
happy to coordinate with you. UAWG meets every Thursday at 2 pm Eastern
time.

Jim
-----Original Message-----
From: w3c-wai-ua-request@w3.org [mailto:w3c-wai-ua-request@w3.org] On 
Behalf
Of Aaron Leventhal
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 10:21 AM
To: WAI-UA list
Cc: simonp@opera.com; hsivonen@iki.fi; marcsil@windows.microsoft.com;
mjs@apple.com; w3c-wai-pf@w3.org
Subject: Request for iimplementor's Guide for ARIA & acid tests


Jan & Jim,

The creation and widespread adoption of ARIA have raised questions as to 
how ARIA and the browser, together, provide for interoperability with 
assistive technologies. To web application developers and assistive 
technology vendors this come down to how ARIA is mapped to platform 
accessibility APIs by the browser.

Customer demand for accessible rich internet applications has brought 
the major browser manufacturers, Mozilla, Opera, Microsoft, and Apple 
together to define how we will map WAI-ARIA to platform accessibility 
API. To get the effort jump-started I've created a first WAI-ARIA User 
agent implementers guide 
(http://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/ARIA_User_Agent_Implementors_Guide)
which 
is based on the Firefox Accessibility API mapping. This document is a 
starting point for us browser manufacturers and it is still undergoing 
major revisions. Many of these revisions have to do with varying API 
support. Ultimately, the document should belong to the UAWG working 
group, however after lengthy discussion among us we would ask that you 
allow us to produce a first draft before turning it over to UAWG for 
participation. We feel this could be done by early to mid May.

In creating the first draft we will:

- Work to synchronize accessibility API mapping wherever possible
- Make use of the latest platform accessibility APIs to expose the 
richness of today's web. This was not possible even two years ago.
- Ensure we explain how ARIA relates back to HTML and this will be in 
line with the HTML WG's agenda to clarify HTML.

I would even go further and say that once these mappings are ready, that 
something like the "acid tests" should be implemented for each platform, 
to keep browser implementations of a11y in sync. Getting the API 
mappings right is the hardest part of getting accessibility right in 
browsers, and the most useful information for us. To me, this is what 
UAWG should be working on, if the W3C permits you to deal directly with 
platform-specific technologies. IMO it should, because in the end that 
will produce the biggest benefits for a11y.

We would like to ask that the UAWG take on:
1) Review of 
http://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/ARIA_User_Agent_Implementors_Guide
2) Development of a similar guide for HTML
3) Development of a11y API acid tests to check for errors

Is this acceptable to UAWG?

Aaron