Internet Imaging III

Research and Improving
Web Accessibility in JAPAN21 January 2002

Masaya Ando
Allied Brains, Inc., Tokyo JAPANOutline of this presentation
The purpose of this presentation is to report ondevelopment of web accessibility evaluation andrepairing system to solve unique difficulties inJapan“ J-WAS ” ProjectJapan Web contents Accessibility improving System development Project

1. Background in J-WAS Project
2. Developing web accessibility
evaluation and repairing system
3. Plan for J-WAS Project from now

Web Contents Accessibility
Each individual who access to the web
has equal access to information that isprovided without any barrier caused byphysical or mental condition.
（Assurance in information convey）
In the US, arise of Rehabilitation Act Section 508
has put this issue under public attention.

Web Contents Accessibility Guideline (WCAG)• WCAG1.0 was released by World Wide
Web Consortium (W3C) ‘s
Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
Abstract information on WCAG1.0• WCAG1.0 explain how to make Webcontent accessible to people with disabilities.
• The guideline is intended for all Web
content developers (page authors and sitedesigners) and for developers of authoringtools.

1. Background in J-WAS ProjectBackground in J-WAS Project Almost all Japanese websites including
national public sector websites are very poorin accessibility
 Japanese government has been discussing on
policies or legislations to improve thissituation
 J-WAS project was started under initiative ofSoumu-syo Ministry. Because accessibility
evaluation tool that is available to Japanese
language did not exist.

Assuring Accessibility of Japanese Website
The Results of Accessibility for major Japanese Websites(average-points/top pages)

250

priority-1

priority-2

priority-3

11.2

200
19.5
150

7.2

100

147.4
104.3

105.4
50
0

8.6
57.5

18.745.0

government and local self-governingmunicipal offices
bodies(36 sites)(14 sites)

51.4

15.4
universities(10 sites)

private enterprises(94 sites)
Sep.2001※Count the number of obvious errors on WCAG1.0

History of policies and legislations
1999

Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications andMinistry of Health and Welfare declared a guideline
regarding web contents accessibility (almost thesame content as WAI)

2000

November, the government demanded every
ministry and national public sector to improveaccessibility to its website

2001

March, Government IT Strategy Headquarters
included a statement to enhance improvement ofinformation accessibility in “e-japan Priority Policy
Program”

History of policies and legislations
2001~• Under influence of US Rehabilitation Act
section 508, Japanese government is
discussing the possibility of enforcing
same sort of policy or legislation• JSA (Japanese Standards Association) is
also in discussion in order to set JIS(Japanese Industrial Standards) for webaccessibility

About J-WAS Project
The purposes of this project are…
1. To develop a tool that is available for Japanesewebsites to evaluate and repaire, and report
the test result in Japanese
2. To spread the concept of web accessibility byusing evaluation and repairing toolAbout J-WAS Project J-WAS project was started under
initiative of Soumu-syo Ministry.
Soumu-syo ministry:
The Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs,Posts and Telecommunications

 Allied Brains,Inc., supports this project
mainly2. Developing web accessibility
evaluation and repairing system

System requirements
1.

Web-based tool2.

Validates the conformation of WAI guideline(WCAG1.0)

3.

Provide easy repairing instruction (or repairingform) to introductory level users who are notfamiliar with ＨＴＭＬ4.

Solve accessibility difficulties that are unique inJapanese language

5.

Provide a function that instructs accessibility
concept easily

6.

Available for contents targeted for Web-phone

Accessibility difficulties that are unique in Japanese language
1. It is very hard for speech sensor topronounce Japanese web page contents
correctly
2. It is hard to complete a sentence withcharacters that are pronouce-able toeveryone
3. There are some WCAG criteria that does not
apply well to Japanese writing system

Cause of mis-pronounciation by speech sensor• One KANJI (Chinese character) has
multiple ways of pronunciationEx) ”方” can be pronounced “hou” and “kata”,

both are different meanings• It is possible to change line even in theamidst of a word
– Speech sensor does not recognize a wordwhen spacing or changing of line takes
place in the amidst of a word

Reason why it is hard to complete a sentence withKanji that are pronouce-able to everyone• Japanese language consists of threedifferent kind of characters– Kanji(Chinese character), Katakana and Hiragana• In Japan, KANJI (Chinese character) isranked in difficulty level– There is a standard for Kanji that is used ineveryday life basis– However, individual Kanji comprehension levelvaries due to age, generation and education

An example of criterion that does not apply
well to Japanese writing system• Adjacent link need to be separated[WCAG checkpoint-10.5]

Until user agents render adjacent links distinctly,
printable characters (surrounded by spaces) between
adjacent links. [Priority 3]– In Japanese writing system, words are notseparated by spacing– Speech sensor does not pronounce correctly
when space exists in a wordAn example of criterion that does not apply
well to Japanese writing system• Link additional information of Non-text
elements with “D” [HTML Techniques 7.2]
When a short text equivalent does not suffice toadequately convey the function or role of an image,provide additional information in a file designated bythe "longdesc" attribute. For user agents that don't
support "longdesc", provide a description link ( [D] )– “D” stands for “Description,” but it is not clear forJapanese people– This needs to be revised in appropriate Japaneseexpression

How to realize the system• Add following items to system inexperiment
1. Show a warning sign when using non-daily
life based Kanji
2. Show a list of replacing words for foreign
words that are not easy to understand
3. Make the user check himself/ herself if there
is any spacing or changing line
4. Revise part of WAI guideline in regard toJapanese writing system

“Ruby Annotation”• There is possibility for XHTML “RubyAnnotation” technology to solve
difficulties derives from Kanji– Ruby Annotation can make anyone readKanji, which has difficult pronounce– However, very few people start to use thistechnology– Need to discuss for the use of Ruby
Annotation for Web accessibility

J-WAS URL• http://www.jwas.gr.jp/ (Japanese Only)3. Plan for J-WAS Project from now

J-WAS Project schedule in timeline
2001
Phase-1：

2002

Sep.

Phase-2：

Mar.

Phase-3：

Developing
J-WAS System

Testing
Effectiveness ofJ-WAS System

Function development
Present a complete
systemDevelopment of system
which is adopted toJapanese accessibility
difficulties

Actual testing in usage by
Web Authors

Develop developable
aspects that are found in
actual testing in usage byWeb authors【Currently on going】

Crucial points from this presentation• The purpose of this presentation is to report on
development of web accessibility evaluation andrepairing system to solve unique difficulties in Japan
In order to spread the concept of webaccessibility…
– Web is a media consisting of letters. Therefore, itneeds to be localized according to language
characteristics– Internet using environment for people withdisabilities varies greatly in each country. It is
important to take local situation into accountInternet Imaging III

Research and Improving
Web Accessibility in JAPAN21 January 2002

Masaya Ando
Ando@a-brain.com