- From: Charles McCathieNevile <charles@w3.org>
- Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2002 11:32:57 -0400 (EDT)
- To: WAI Cross-group list <wai-xtech@w3.org>
Hi, I would like to propose that we add the following section to the introductory material. All except the final two paragraphs are copied verbatim from Ian's proposed text at http://www.w3.org/2002/04/25-xag Chaals Relationship to other WAI Guidelines "XML Accessibility Guidelines 1.0" is part of a series of accessibility guidelines published by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). The documents in this series reflect an accessibility model in which Web content authors, format designers, and software developers have roles in ensuring that users with disabilities have access to the Web. In this model: + Format specifications (e.g., HTML, XHTML, SVG, SMIL, MathML, etc.) include features that support accessibility, such as elements and attributes for alternative text, navigation tools, semantics that respect user control over presentation, etc. The current document (XAG 1.0) explains how to design XML formats that include features to benefit accessibility. The principles of this document apply for the most part to non-XML formats as well. + Authors make use of these features when creating Web pages and Web applications. The "Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0" [WCAG10] explains how to create more accessible content through features offered by formats, and also through consistent design, clear writing, use of multimedia, and more. + Authoring tools help authors create more accessible content through support of formats with accessibility features, and through interactive and automatic assistance (e.g., prompts for accessibility features, validity checking, reuse of accessible content, etc.). The "Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 1.0" [ATAG10] explains the responsibilities of authoring tool developers. ATAG 1.0 addresses the accessibility of authored content but also the accessibility of the tool's user interface. + User agents promote accessibility by implementing formats with accessibility features, and by providing an accessible user interface, allowing communication with assistive technologies, documenting accessibility features, following operating environment conventions, etc. The "User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 [UAAG10] explains to user agent developers how to create more accessible browsers, multimedia players, and other user agents. The requirements of making the Web accessible to actual users do not always match this model perfectly. In all the guidelines there are cases where there is a need for overlapping requirements to ensure that people can in fact use the Web. These are sometimes due to particular problems in widely implemented and used technology, and sometimes are provided as a "safety net". There are also cases where guidelines rely on each other in what seems to be a circular dependency. For example, these guidelines require that documentation conforms to WCAG, and WCAG suggests that content (i.e. the documentation) is written in a format that can conform to XAG. Rather than attempt to reproduce every requirement of WCAG as requirements in the XAG document for documentation, we feel that it is easier to make these references. In any case, we feel that to implement XAG it is important to have enough familiarity with the other guidelines to recognise a mutual dependency and be able to apply the requirements successfully.
Received on Monday, 17 June 2002 11:32:57 UTC