Re: Device Specificity Is Lacking In Our Specs

I would expect this to be a user setting in the assistive technology,  
rather than something specified by the author of a web application.


On Dec 3, 2008, at 7:31 AM, Janina Sajka wrote:

>
> As we continue development of Web 2.0 functionality, there's at least
> one key requirement I believe we've left unaddressed. I do not see  
> that
> we've provided for the very real possibility that our user devices  
> might
> have more than one audio device. And, which audio device should be  
> used
> for particular kinds of content is likely to matter a great deal to  
> the
> user.
>
> While I do think this requirement is generalizable to all input/output
> modalities, I want to outline a couple use cases specifically for  
> audio
> device differentiation.  I must also point out that it's not just our
> web specs that don't seem to support directing audio to one particular
> out of several available devices. OS specificity in this regard is  
> also
> less than adequate, in my experience. Of course, for device  
> specificity
> in web specs to succeed, OS support would also need hardening.
>
> 1.)	Vo/IP
>
> Users of Skype, SIP and IAX services are very likely to use a headset
> device. This will often be a second audio device on the host system,
> and not just another input/output option to the default audio device  
> on
> that system (especially when that user relies on a screen reader).
>
> 2.)	High End Media Access
>
> Professional musicians and consumers invested in high quality audio  
> (and
> multimedia) experiences will often add higher quality audio devices to
> their systems with the intention that certain media types be  
> directed to
> those devices.
>
> 	*	The parent setting up a movie for the family to watch
> 	*	will probably not want the screen reader mixed into the
> 	*	movie's audio output. Indeed, some might wish audio
> 	*	description routed to only certain devices, and not
> 	*	others.
>
> 	*	The musician studying (or creating) a particular
> 	*	composition will certainly not want screen reading (or
> 	*	system sonicons) mixed in that composition.
>
> There are other examples, but I expect these will serve to  
> illustrate my
> point. We need the ability to direct certain media types to particular
> devices. When these exist on user systems, they exist for a reason,  
> and
> those reasons must be honored for applications to succeed.
>
> -- 
>
> Janina Sajka,	Phone:	+1.202.595.7777;
> 		sip:janina@CapitalAccessibility.Com
> Partner, Capital Accessibility LLC	http://CapitalAccessibility.Com
>
> Marketing the Owasys 22C talking screenless cell phone in the U.S.  
> and Canada
> Learn more at http://ScreenlessPhone.Com
>
> Chair, Open Accessibility	janina@a11y.org	
> Linux Foundation		http://a11y.org
>
>

Received on Wednesday, 3 December 2008 19:45:19 UTC