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

This proposal is a suggestion for the "HTML5 WG". Seeing as a good number of the members of the HTML5 WG are already doing all of the things listed here, I do not see the point of this. In fact, my observation is that the members of this group for whom accessibility is a primary concern are the most vocal and active members of this group. While a number of folks may not be happy with the end result (the HTML5 spec itself) with regards to accessibility, I think that anyone who believes that the "HTML5 WG" as an entity is not concerned with accessibility is misinformed. Indeed, as far as I know, almost all of the signers of this proposal are *extremely* active members of the HTML5 WG.

Unless, of course, "HTML5 WG" is being used by this proposal as a euphemism for "Ian Hickson". In which case, I think that we would all be better served by just saying, "Ian Hickson". If the objection here is that you do not feel that Ian is doing enough to solicit input from various accessibility experts (or that he ignores what advice he is given), could we simply lay that on the table and discuss it?

J.Ja

> -----Original Message-----
> From: public-html-request@w3.org [mailto:public-html-request@w3.org] On
> Behalf Of Laura Carlson
> Sent: Sunday, July 19, 2009 7:03 AM
> To: Sam Ruby; Chris Wilson; HTML WG
> Cc: W3C WAI-XTECH; wai-liaison@w3.org; Janina Sajka; Michael(tm) Smith;
> Dan Connolly; Michael Cooper; Gez Lemon; Robert J Burns
> Subject: PROPOSAL: Procedure to Promote Progress With Accessibility
> Issues in HTML5
> 
> To the HTML WG Co-Chairs and Working Group members:
> 
> The HTML5 Charter [1] states, "The HTML Working Group will cooperate
> with the Web Accessibility Initiative to ensure that the deliverables
> will satisfy accessibility requirements."
> 
> However, lack of collaboration with WAI groups to reach mutually
> agreeable solutions has impeded making satisfactory accessibility
> design decisions in the specification. To fulfill the Charter's
> mandate and facilitate progress, the aforementioned statement must be
> enacted.
> 
> 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.
> 
> 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.
> 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.
> 3. Listen to their input, ask for clarification, and work together to
> devise solutions to satisfy accessibility requirements.
> 4. Ask PFWG if proposed solutions meet accessibility requirements.
>   * If they say no, ask what functionality is still needed and
> continue the collaboration.
>   * If they say yes, incorporate text for the mutually agreed upon
> solution into the specification.
> 
> Collaboration Tools:
> 
> Tools to facilitate the procedure include but are not limited to:
> 
> * WAI XTECH Mailing List [3]
> * PF's Caucus on HTML Issues Weekly Teleconference [4]
> * Joint Task Forces/Ad Hoc Groups
> * Joint Sessions at Face-to-Face Meetings
> * HTML WG Teleconferences [5]
> * W3C ESW Wiki [6]
> * Tracker [7]
> 
> All interested parties, in particular HTML WG editors, are encouraged
> to make use of these collaboration tools and opportunities.
> 
> Respectfully,
> 
> Laura L. Carlson <laura.lee.carlson@gmail.com>
> Bruce Lawson <bruce@brucelawson.co.uk>
> Catherine Roy <ecrire@catherine-roy.net>
> Debi Orton <oradnio@gmail.com>
> Gez Lemon <gez.lemon@gmail.com>
> Jason White <jason@jasonjgw.net>
> John Foliot <jfoliot@stanford.edu>
> Leif Halvard Silli <lhs@malform.no>
> Robert J Burns <rob@robburns.com>
> Steve Faulkner <sfaulkner@paciellogroup.com>
> 
> [1] http://www.w3.org/2007/03/HTML-WG-charter.html#wai
> [2] http://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/
> [3] http://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/participation.html#Subscribin
> [4] http://esw.w3.org/topic/PF/XTech/HTML5/Caucus
> [5] http://esw.w3.org/topic/HTML/Teleconferences
> [6] http://esw.w3.org/topic/HTML
> [7] http://www.w3.org/html/wg/tracker
> 
> A copy of this proposal is also in the ESW Wiki at:
> http://esw.w3.org/topic/HTML/AccessibilityIssueProcedure
> 
> --
> Laura L. Carlson

Received on Sunday, 19 July 2009 14:53:56 UTC