Re: PROPOSAL: Procedure to Promote Progress With Accessibility Issues in HTML5

On Sun, 19 Jul 2009, Laura Carlson wrote:
> 
> To that end, we propose that the HTML working group adopt the following 
> statement as an official procedure and publish it in HTML working group 
> Web space.
> 
> Procedure to Promote Progress With Accessibility Issues in HTML5
> 
> Procedure Overview:
> 
> The HTML WG will look to the W3C WAI groups for guidance, listen to 
> their advice, and collaborate with them to reach mutually agreeable 
> accessibility solutions. Furthermore, collaboration will be promoted in 
> a pro-active manner, i.e., whenever possible, design features known or 
> foreseen to have an impact on accessibility will be explored and 
> discussed with the Protocols and Formats Working Group (PFWG) [2] prior 
> to decisions in order to ensure mutually beneficial resolution of 
> issues.

Laura, in the interests of the collaboration you espouse, could you reply 
to the e-mail I wrote to you last month?

   http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html/2009Jun/0669.html


> Collaboration Framework:
> 
> 1. Approach issues on the basis of the shared goal of making HTML 5
> the best solution for everyone, including people with disabilities.

This should mean working for accessibility as a whole, not working for 
specific features. For example, in the context of tables, it should mean 
focusing on making tables accessible, not focusing on the summary="" 
attribute to the exclusion of discussion of other solutions. (I have been 
informed that in fact the WAI groups are more interested in voting on 
whether summary="" is in or out than on voting on what accessibility 
solutions should be used to make tables accessible, for instance.)

Can we get a commitment from members of the WAI to approach issues on the 
basis of the shared goal of making HTML 5 the best solution for everyone, 
including people with disabilities and people without disabilities?


> 2. Work from concrete issues as to what in HTML 5 needs to be improved 
> by asking PFWG to clearly identify accessibility functional requirements 
> and provide rationale.

I most recently tried to approach the WAI on the topic of <canvas>:

   http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/wai-xtech/2009Jun/0093.html

I've yet to receive any concrete functional requirements suggestions for 
changes to the specification on this topic from the WAI (although I have 
received several suggestions from members of the HTMLWG who are not 
members of the WAI). I am still hopeful that the WAI will clearly identify 
accessibility functional requirements and provide rationale. Is there any 
chance the WAI could provide an ETA for such advice on this topic?


> 3. Listen to their input, ask for clarification, and work together to
> devise solutions to satisfy accessibility requirements.

I have asked for clarifications, for example in June, regarding tables:

   http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html/2009Jun/0173.html

I received an official reply to the effect that my questions were not 
welcome because they were not from a group:

   http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html/2009Jul/0260.html

...and my reply to that, asking about which groups would qualify to get a 
reply, received no replies at all:

   http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html/2009Jul/0262.html


> 4. Ask PFWG if proposed solutions meet accessibility requirements.
>   * If they say no, ask what functionality is still needed and
> continue the collaboration.

As noted above, I did this with <canvas>, and received no concrete 
replies. (I received many thanks, but no technical replies.)


I look forward to further collaborations with the WAI, and hope that 
concrete advice such as the advice you suggest that we ask for will be 
forthcoming.

Cheers,
-- 
Ian Hickson               U+1047E                )\._.,--....,'``.    fL
http://ln.hixie.ch/       U+263A                /,   _.. \   _\  ;`._ ,.
Things that are impossible just take longer.   `._.-(,_..'--(,_..'`-.;.'

Received on Sunday, 19 July 2009 11:39:48 UTC