# Presentation: 542645

## Web and Software Subcommittee Report

- Andi Snow-Weaver
- September 4, 2007

## Agenda

- Changes since August 17th Draft
- New provisions since July
- Harmonization
- Outstanding Issues
- Remaining Work

## Changes since August 17th Draft

## Non-text Content

- Non-text Content: All non-text content must have a text alternative that presents equivalent information, except for the situations listed below.
- Controls-Input: If non-text content is a control or accepts user input, then it must have a name that describes its purpose. (See also User Interface Components provisions)
- Media: If non-text content is multimedia, live audio-only or live video-only content, then text alternatives at least identify the non-text content with a descriptive text label. (For multimedia, see also Audio and/or Video provisions)
- Test: If non-text content is a test or exercise that must be presented in non-text format, then text alternatives at least identify the non-text content with a descriptive text label. (For multimedia, see also Audio and/or Video provisions)
- Sensory: If non-text content is primarily intended to create a specific sensory experience, then text alternatives at least identify the non-text content with a descriptive text label. (For multimedia, see also Audio and/or Video provisions)
- CAPTCHA: If the purpose of non-text content is to confirm that content is being accessed by a person rather than a computer then text alternatives that identify and describe the purpose of the non-text content must be provided and alternative forms in different modalities must be provided to accommodate different disabilities.
- Decoration, Formatting, Invisible Content: If non-text content is pure decoration, or used only for visual formatting, or if it is not presented to users, then it is implemented such that it can be ignored by assistive technology.
- Re-word “non-text content” to “non-text objects that are presented to the user”
- Replace “multimedia” with “synchronized media”
- audio or video displayed at the same time as other time-based content which is required for the understanding of the complete presentation. The other content that the audio or video is synchronized with to meet this definition does not include equivalents such as captions, subtitles, or video description.

## Human Language (New in August draft)

- When presentation of electronic documents supports it, the default human language of electronic documents can be programmatically determined.
- TBD: platform option for specifying document language should be okay
- Concern has been withdrawn

## Consistent Identification 

- August 17th: Components that have the same functionality within a set of Web units must be identified consistently.
- Now: Components that have the same functionality must be identified consistently.
- Update: Components that have the same functionality within a product must be identified consistently.

## Repeated Blocks 

- On Web pages, a mechanism must be available to bypass blocks of content that are repeated on multiple Web pages.
- Recommendation:
- Remove this requirement
- Providing structure that allows user agents and assistive technologies to provide efficient keyboard navigation is a better, more reliable method.
- Visible structure must be programmatically determinable per the “Information and Relationships” provision.

## Link Purpose 

- On Web pages, it must be possible to determine the purpose of each link from the link text or the link text together with its programmatically determined link context.
- This is the only provision that is currently scoped to “Web pages”
- This issue can occur more generally but is not as big of a problem as it is on Web pages.
- More general occurrences may not offer the same capability for programmatically determining the link context
- Subcommittee recommends leaving this provision scoped to Web pages and that no definition of “Web Page” is necessary.

## Accessibility Services (New since August draft)

- Platform software shall provide access to a set of services that enable applications running on the platform to interact with other assistive technology sufficient to enable compliance with the "AT interoperability" and "User Interface Components" provisions.
- Still working on definition of “platform software”

## New Provisions Since July

## Language of parts

- When presentation of electronic documents supports it, the human language of each passage or phrase in electronic documents can be programmatically determined.
*Note: already discussed new “Human language” provision*

## Size, shape, location

- Instructions provided for understanding information and operating user interfaces do not rely on shape, size, visual location, or orientation of components.
- Note: Object information provided per the "Information and Relationships", "User Interface Components", or "AT interoperability" provision that describes the necessary visual cues or relationships is sufficient.

## Audio Turnoff

- If any audio plays automatically for more than 3 seconds, either a mechanism is available to pause or stop the audio, or a mechanism is available to control audio volume which can be set independently of the system volume.

## Advisory – Suppression of unneeded function

- Software should provide a mechanism enabling users to simplify the interface including the modification or hiding of command buttons. If such a function is provided, a mechanism should be provided to reset to the default user interface.
- EXAMPLE 1 A user with a cognitive disability may, when using a given application, change the interface via a “skin” to simplify the application’s look and feel.
- EXAMPLE 2 A word processor allows users to hide menu items and tool bar buttons that they do not find useful.

## Advisory – Writing Guidelines

- Authors should follow best practices for creating content that is accessible for people with disabilities. These guidelines include:
- Organize the content to serve the reader's needs, considering their tasks and goals.
- Use everyday words that convey meaning clearly and directly.
- Use the present tense and the active voice.
- Use short, simple sentences.
- Include useful headings.
- Use lists and tables to simplify complex material.

## Advisory – Interaction Guidelines

- Applications should design interaction paradigms that are accessible for people with disabilities including:
- Provide a means to undo actions, such as by resetting the form to the original information
- Provide a way to move backwards one step in a process to fix mistakes or check answers
- Provide a way to cancel actions before submitting
*Recommended re-wording:*
- Applications should design user interactions that are accessible for people with disabilities including:
- Providing a means to undo actions, such as resetting to the original state.
- Providing a way to move backwards one step in a process to fix mistakes, check answers, or cancel actions before final submission.

## Authoring Tools – Accessible Output

- For each accessible content format supported, authoring tools must allow the author to produce content, including content derived from programmatic sources, that meets applicable Section 508 provisions.

## Authoring Tools – Preserve Accessibility Information

- Authoring tools must preserve accessibility information necessary to meet applicable Section 508 provisions, unless the user explicitly indicates otherwise.

## Authoring Tools – Prompts

- For authoring tools with a user interface, authoring tools must provide a mode which prompts authors to create accessible content.
- Issues:
- Definition of “authoring tool” is too broad and will trigger this requirement when it shouldn’t
- This requirement for prompts is also very broad. What kind of prompts are required and how much prompting is enough?

## Authoring Tools – Evaluation Support

- For authoring tools with a user interface, authoring tools must either provide a mode which assists authors in checking for accessibility problems, or compatibility with evaluation tools that provide that function.
- Issues:
- Definition of “authoring tool” is too broad and will trigger this requirement when it shouldn’t
- Further specificity of “compatibility with...”

## Authoring Tools – Accessible Templates

- Authoring tools which provide pre-authored content, or templates to facilitate production of content, must provide at least one version that meets applicable Section 508 provisions.

## Removed Provisions

- Animation
- Harmonized with WCAG and ISO (Pausing)
- Bitmap icons
- Not needed because of “Consistent identification” and stronger “AT interoperability” provision
- Text only page
- Not needed – can always provide an alternative version through equivalent facilitation

## Harmonization Issues

## Harmonization Issues Overview

- Goal:
- Harmonization with WCAG 2.0 and ISO 9241 part 171 (Software accessibility)
- At a minimum, there must be no conflicts
- Industry view:
- no country unique requirements
- build products to international standards => will meet country standards
- How are we doing in Web and Software?
- Merged Web and Software
- Some requirements are in both WCAG and ISO – no issue
- Have a few requirements that are either in WCAG or ISO but not in both
- the lines between Web and software are blurring
- industry can look to both WCAG and ISO for international standards
- A few requirements that are not in either WCAG or ISO – US unique

## Color Adjustment and User Preferences 

- When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast settings, at least one color selection capable of producing a minimum luminosity contrast ratio of 7:1 must be provided.
- Applications must provide a mode that utilizes platform settings for color, contrast, font type, font size, and focus cursor. In the absence of platform settings for color and contrast, all text (and images of text) must have a contrast ratio of at least 5:1 except for unavailable items or pure decoration. Large scale text (or images of large scale text) must allow a contrast ratio of at least 3:1.
- Not required in WCAG or ISO.
- Similar “Recommendations” in ISO
- Current 508 requirements

## AT Interoperability

- 3 different provisions around AT interoperability – targeted at different types of developers
- most comprehensive
- for traditional software developers using APIs; harmonized with ISO
- static content authors (HTML, PDF, Word, etc.) and some interactive content authors (HTML forms, DHTML/JafaSCript/AJAX) won’t understand what this means
- Information and Relationships
- for static content authors; harmonized with WCAG 2.0
- User Interface Components
- for interactive content authors (forms, scripts, etc.); harmonized with WCAG 2.0

## Software as platform and application

- Software that is both a 'platform', and an 'application' running on another platform must:
- expose the underlying platform's color, contrast, and other individual display settings to applications running within its platform, so that these applications can meet the “User Preferences” provision.
- define, expose, and translate accessibility service information between applications running within its platform and the underlying platform - so that those applications can meet the “AT Interoperability” provision.
- provide mechanisms for:
- moving the keyboard focus into and out of an application, and
- addressing central conflicts between keyboard mnemonics in the application and the host platform.
- Not required by WCAG. ISO approach: when software is “acting” as a platform, it must meet the platform requirements.
- Remove second sub-bullet and add as a note to the “Accessibility Services” provision
- Moving keyboard focus into and out of an application should be viewed as a requirement for keyboard operability. Could add a note to “Keyboard Operation” provision
- Take another look at ISO standard for the others.

## Remaining Issues

## Focus Indicator 

- Software must support at least one mode that provides a highly visual indication of which user interface object currently has the keyboard focus.
- Note: If the object is a text entry field, a visual indication of the text insertion point is sufficient as a focus cursor.
- Note: A focus cursor that is visually locatable by people with unimpaired vision at 2.5 meters when software is displayed on a 38 cm (15 inch) diagonal screen at 1024 x 768 pixels resolution, without moving the cursor is sufficient.
- TBD: Still working on the sufficient technique for “highly visual” (Note 2)

## Pausing 

- Moving, blinking, scrolling, or auto-updating information must allow pausing by the user unless it is part of an activity where timing or movement is essential. Such content that is pure decoration must at least allow stopping by the user.
- TBD:
- For purely decorative content, hiding should be allowed as well as stopping
- Address exception for progress indicators
- Address 3-second waiver (WCAG 2.0 harmonization)
- Definition of “auto-updating”
*Note that the Animation provision has been removed for hamonization both within the standard (Pausing) and with WCAG and ISO*

## Programmatically Determinable

- Reading Sequence
- Information and Relationships
- User Interface Components
- AT Interoperability
- Issue:
- When IT uses AT supported methods to make information programmatically determinable but the information is not made available by the AT to the user, is the IT compliant with these provisions?

## Reading Sequence 

- When the sequence in which information is presented affects its meaning, a correct reading sequence can be programmatically determined and sequential navigation of interactive components is consistent with that sequence.

## Information and Relationships 

- Information and relationships conveyed through presentation can be programmatically determined or are available in text, and notification of changes to these is available to user agents, including assistive technologies. For example:
- row and column headers are identified for data tables
- markup is used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers.
- markup is used to identify section headings
- markup is used to identify form element labels

## User Interface Components 

- For all user interface components, including form elements and those generated by scripts
- the name and role must be programmatically determined
- states, properties, and values that can be set by the user must be programmatically determined and can be programmatically set, and
- notification of changes to these items is available to user agents, including assistive technologies.
-    For example: Frames must be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation.

## AT Interoperability

- On platforms that support AT interoperability, software that provides user interface objects must either use the accessibility services provided by platform software or other services to cooperate with assistive technologies when such services allow the software to meet the accessibility provisions of this standard. Using such services, software must:
- provide assistive technology with object information including but not limited to:
- role, state(s), boundary, name, and description
- the row and column an object is in, and the headers for the row and column for that object if it is in a table that has row or column headers.
- current value and any minimum or maximum values, if the object represents one of a range of values
- relationship this object has as a label for another object, or being labeled by another object
- parent or containing element, and any children objects
- text contents, text attributes, and the boundary of text rendered to the screen
- provide assistive technology with a list of actions that can be executed on an object and allow assistive technology to programmatically execute any of those actions;
- allow assistive technology to track and modify focus, text insertion point, and selection attributes of user interface objects;
- provide assistive technology with notification of events relevant to user interactions, including but not limited to changes in the object's state(s), value, name, description, or boundary
- Note: This provision applies to forms in the software.

## Remaining Work

- Definitions
- Application software and platform software, authoring tools, auto-updating
- Editorial suggestions
- Consider additional WCAG 2.0 provisions
- Access to remote systems
- Review all provisions for applicability to software on non-PC types of platforms
- Second Life
- Economic assessment