When an application employs a unique approach to the way it interacts with the Windows environment or the computer, there is no way for access programmers to predict what the application is attempting to do. Also, an application's accessibility for people who have a visual disability depends on how well the programmers of that application have used alternative methods from the graphical interface to present information in a fashion that can be accessed by a screen reading software package. Currently, both Microsoft Inc. and companies working on the X-Windows applications are working to develop accessibility guidelines for others to follow. These guidelines will be used as a measure of systems' accessibility. A distinction should be drawn between evaluating an access package's ability to provide access and its user interface.
User interfaces are often very subjective in their appeal.
While some users may prefer an approach that allows all functions to be initiated from the keyboard, other users may prefer separate keypads or other devices so there is no chance for keyboard conflicts between the access program and the applications being accessed. When evaluating an access product's performance, emphasis should be on what information the product can provide rather than on how it provides that information. Many concerns about this proposal were raised at the GUI conference. In general there does seem to be widespread agreement among all the participants that some type of standards need to be established. The Center for IT Accommodations is moving ahead on this project with assistance from conference attendees.