Web and Software Subcommittee Report

Andi Snow-Weaver

May 22, 2007

Recommendations for Software

1194.21

1194.21(a)

· Current: When software is designed to run on a system that has a
keyboard, product functions shall be executable from a keyboard where
the function itself or the result of performing a function can be
discerned textually.

· Proposed: All functionality of the user interface is operable through
a keyboard interface without requiring specific timings for individual
keystrokes, except where the underlying function requires input that
depends on the path of the user\'s movement and not just the endpoints.

· Note: This exception relates to the underlying function, not the input
technique. For example, if using handwriting to enter text, the input
technique (handwriting) requires path dependent input but the underlying
function (text input) does not.

· Note: This does not forbid and should not discourage providing mouse
input or other input methods in addition to keyboard operation.

1194.21(b)

· Current: Applications shall not disrupt or disable activated features
of other products that are identified as accessibility features, where
those features are developed and documented according to industry
standards. Applications also shall not disrupt or disable activated
features of any operating system that are identified as accessibility
features where the application programming interface for those
accessibility features has been documented by the manufacturer of the
operating system and is available to the product developer.

· Proposed: *Still under debate within the subcommittee*

1194.21 (c)

· Current: A well-defined on-screen indication of the current focus
shall be provided that moves among interactive interface elements as the
input focus changes. The focus shall be programmatically exposed so that
assistive technology can track focus and focus changes.

· Proposed: Software shall provide a visual indication of which user
interface object currently has the keyboard focus. If the object is a
text entry field, a visual indication of the text insertion point shall
be provided, and is sufficient.

· *Programmatic exposure of the keyboard focus is covered under new
wording for 21(d).*

1194.21 (d)

· Current: Sufficient information about a user interface element
including the identity, operation and state of the element shall be
available to assistive technology. When an image represents a program
element, the information conveyed by the image must also be available in
text.

· Proposed: Software that provides user interface objects shall 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 shall:

· provide assistive technology with object information including but not
limited to:

· role, state(s), boundary, name, and description

· any table row & column, and row & column headers (if the object is in
a table)

· current value and any minimum or maximum (if the object represents one
of a range of values)

· relationship this object has as a label for another, or being labelled
by another

· 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

1194.21 (e)

· Current: When bitmap images are used to identify controls, status
indicators, or other programmatic elements, the meaning assigned to
those images shall be consistent throughout an application\'s
performance.

· Proposed: *No change. Critical for assistive technologies.*

1194.21 (f)

· Current: Textual information shall be provided through operating
system functions for displaying text. The minimum information that shall
be made available is text content, text input caret location, and text
attributes.

· Proposed: *Delete this provision as it is covered by the proposed
re-wording of 21(d)*

1194.21(g)

· Current: Applications shall not override user selected contrast and
color selections and other individual display attributes.

· Proposed: *Still under debate within the subcommittee*

1194.21(h)

· Current: When animation is displayed, the information shall be
displayable in at least one non-animated presentation mode at the option
of the user.

· Proposed: When an informational animation is displayed that will last
for more than three seconds, software shall give the user a means to
pause and restart the animation. When a decorative animation is
displayed that will last for more than three seconds, software shall
give the user a means to stop the animation.

1194.21(i)

· Current: Color coding shall not be used as the only means of conveying
information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or
distinguishing a visual element.

· Proposed: *No change.*

1194.21(j)

· Current: When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast
settings, a variety of color selections capable of producing a range of
contrast levels shall be provided.

· Proposed: 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 n:1 shall be provided. Default combinations
of foreground and background colors (hue and luminance) should produce a
minimum luminosity contrast ratio of n:1

· *Subcommittee has to revisit and harmonize with Web provision*

1194.21(k)

· Current: Software shall not use flashing or blinking text, objects, or
other elements having a flash or blink frequency greater than 2 Hz and
lower than 55 Hz.

· Proposed: Software shall not use flashing or blinking text, objects,
or other elements that flash more than three times in any one second
period, or the flash is below the general flash and red flash
thresholds.

1194.21(l)

· Current: When electronic forms are used, the form shall allow people
using assistive technology to access the information, field elements,
and functionality required for completion and submission of the form,
including all directions and cues.

· Proposed: *No change.*

Authoring Tools

· *Subcommittee is still debating the idea of including some provisions
targeting authoring tools to facilitate the creation of accessible
content.*

Recommendations for Web

1194.22

1194.22(a)

· Current: A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be
provided (e.g., via \"alt\", \"longdesc\", or in element content).

· Proposed: Except for the situations listed below, a text alternative
that presents equivalent information shall be provided for all non-text
content.

· Controls-Input: If non-text content is a control or accepts user
input, then it has a name that describes its purpose. (See also \<new
provision on user interface components\>)

· Media-Test-Sensory: If non-text content is multimedia , live
audio-only or live video-only content, a test or exercise that must be
presented in non-text format, or 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 1194.22 (b))

· CAPTCHA\*: If the purpose of non-text content is to confirm that
content is being accessed by a person rather than a computer, then a
descriptive text label describing its purpose is provided and different
forms are provided to accommodate different disabilities.

· Decoration-Formatting-Invisible: 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.

1194.22(b)

· Current: Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall
be synchronized with the presentation.

· Proposed: *Pick up wording from A/V subcommittee or refer to it.*

1194.22(c)

· Current: Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed
with color is also available without color, for example from context or
markup.

· Proposed: *No change.*

1194.22(d)

· Current: Documents shall be organized so they are readable without
requiring an associated style sheet.

· Proposed: *Delete this provision. Style sheets are well-supported. New
provision recommended on reading order.*

1194.22(e)

· Current: Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region
of a server-side image map.

· Proposed: *Delete this provision. Text links are one way to make
server side image maps accessible but there are other ways. New
provision recommended on keyboard operability.*

1194.22(f)

· Current: Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of
server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with
an available geometric shape.

· Proposed: *Delete this provision. Since there is no area than cannot
be defined with an available geographic shape, this provision
essentially prohibits the use of server side image maps. But they can be
accessible as long as keyboard alternatives are provided.*

1194.22(g)

· Current: Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables.

· Proposed: *Delete this provision as it is technology specific.
Recommending new provision from WCAG 2.0 on information and
relationships with row and column headers called out as a specific
example.*

1194.22(h)

· Current: Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells
for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column
headers.

· Proposed: *Delete this provision as it is technology-specific.
Recommending new provision from WCAG 2.0 on information and
relationships with specific example derived from the current provision.*

1194.22(i)

· Current: Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame
identification and navigation.

· Proposed: *Delete this provision as it is technology-specific. Frame
titles to be included as an example for the new provision on role,
state, and name.*

1194.22(j)

· Current: Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to
flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.

· Proposed: Content does not contain anything that flashes more than
three times in any one second period, or the flash is below the general
flash and red flash thresholds.

1194.22(k)

· Current: A text-only page, with equivalent information or
functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the
provisions of this part, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any
other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever
the primary page changes.

· Proposed: *Still under debate in the subcommittee*

1194.22(l)

· Current: When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or
to create interface elements, the information provided by the script
shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive
technology.

· Proposed: *No change.*

1194.22(m)

· Current: When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other
application be present on the client system to interpret page content,
the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with
§1194.21(a) through (l).

· Proposed: *Delete this provision. For harmonization with WCAG 2.0,
1194.22 should cover requirements for all types of Web content,
including applets, without having to reference back to 1194.21. Several
new provisions are proposed below to ensure that none of the 1194.21
provisions are lost.*

1194.22(n)

· Current: When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line,
the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the
information, field elements, and functionality required for completion
and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.

· Proposed: *Delete this provision. This provision is no longer needed.
Forms are covered under 3 new proposed provisions that are more
testable. *

· information and relationships

· focus cursor

· user interface components

1194.22(o)

· Current: A method shall be provided that permits users to skip
repetitive navigation links.

· Proposed: A mechanism shall be available to bypass blocks of content
that are repeated on multiple Web pages.

1194.22(p)

· Current: When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted
and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.

· Proposed: For each time limit that is set by the content, at least one
of the following is true:

· Deactivate: the user shall be allowed to deactivate the time limit; or

· Adjust: the user shall be allowed to adjust the time limit over a wide
range that is at least ten times the length of the default setting; or

· Extend: the user shall be warned before time expires and given at
least 20 seconds to extend the time limit with a simple action (for
example, \"hit any key\"), and the user is allowed to extend the time
limit at least ten times; or

· Real-time Exception: the time limit is an important part of a
real-time event (for example, an auction), and no alternative to the
time limit is possible; or

· Essential Exception: the time limit is part of an activity where
timing is essential (for example, competitive gaming or time-based
testing) and time limits can not be extended further without
invalidating the activity.

New Web Provision -- keyboard operability

· All functionality of the user interface is operable through a keyboard
interface without requiring specific timings for individual keystrokes,
except where the underlying function requires input that depends on the
path of the user\'s movement and not just the endpoints.

· Note: This exception relates to the underlying function, not the input
technique. For example, if using handwriting to enter text, the input
technique (handwriting) requires path dependent input but the underlying
function (text input) does not.

· Note: This does not forbid and should not discourage providing mouse
input or other input methods in addition to keyboard operation.

New Web Provision -- information and relationships

· Information and relationships conveyed through presentation shall be
programmatically determinable, 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

· Programmatically determinable: can be determined by software from data
provided in a user-agent-supported manner such that various user agents
including assistive technologies can extract and present this
information to users in different modalities.

New Provision -- focus cursor

· A focus cursor shall be provided that visually indicates which user
interface element currently has the keyboard input focus, as well as the
focus location within that element when one exists. The focus cursor
shall be programmatically determinable so that assistive technology can
track focus and focus changes.

New Web Provision -- user interface components

· For all user interface components, the name and role shall be
programmatically determinable, states, properties, and values that can
be set by the user shall be programmatically determinable and can be
programmatically set, and notification of changes to these items is
available to user agents, including assistive technologies. For example:

· Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification
and navigation.

New Web Provision -- consistent identification

· Components that have the same functionality within a set of Web units
shall be identified consistently.

New Web Provision -- Moving Content

· Content shall be capable of being paused by the user unless the timing
or movement is part of an activity where timing or movement is
essential.

New Web Provision - Contrast

· Text (and images of text) have a contrast ratio of at least 5:1,
except if the text is pure decoration. Larger-scale text or images of
text can have a contrast ratio of 3:1.

Accessibility Features & User Display Preferences

· *Subcommittee is still discussing 21(b) \[non-interference with
accessibility features\] and 21(g) \[not overriding user's display
preferences\] as they relate to Web content and applications.*

Content

Recommendation for New Section on Content Formats

· Content formats must have certain features to enable the creation of
accessible content

· Recommend adding a section that defines these features to assist
agencies in:

· Choosing accessible content formats

· Choosing authoring tools that support accessible content formats

New Section -- Content Formats

· When a content format supports non-text objects, an encoding mechanism
shall be provided to associate non-text objects with textual
descriptions displayable by a user-agent.

· When a content format supports multimedia, an encoding mechanism shall
be provided to include synchronized text of verbal content, and audio
descriptions of critical nonverbal activity displayable by a user-agent.

· When a content format supports 2 dimensional display of information,
an encoding mechanism shall be provided to identify the logical linear
reading order of the content displayable by a user-agent.

· When a content format supports row and column headers in data tables,
an encoding mechanism shall be provided to identify row and column
headers for data tables displayable by a user-agent.

New Section -- Content Formats (cont.)

· When a content format supports data tables that have two or more
logical levels of row or column headers, an encoding mechanism shall be
provided to associate row and column headers with data cells,
displayable by a user-agent.

· When a content format supports interactive elements, an encoding
mechanism shall be provided to identify name, operation, and state, of
any interactive elements displayable by a user-agent.

· When a content format supports links, an encoding mechanism shall be
provided to identify link text displayable by a user-agent.

· When a content format supports embedded comments, an encoding
mechanism shall be provided to identify embedded comments and associate
those comment locations within the document.

New Section -- Content Formats (cont.)

· When a content format supports scanned images of text, an encoding
mechanism shall be provided to identify text of scanned images of text,
displayable by a user-agent. Note, this means allowing for inclusion of
the text of a scanned image of text.

· When a content format supports dynamic presentations, graphs, or other
extracted information, an encoding mechanism shall be provided to
include data used for any dynamic presentations, graphs, or other
extracted information displayable by a user-agent.