[Design] accessibility built-in not added-on.

Mon, 21 Oct 2002 10:06:09 -0400

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Hello:
I work in the US government, and one of my pet peeves is that open source
software which is often times technically superior to non open source
software, is not accessible to people with disabilities.  The government now
has legal requirements to procure and use such software when possible.  So,
for example on a contract for email clients, if Outlook works but costs four
million dollars, and is accessible (it is mostly), and your package doesn't
provide accessibility, than no matter what pricing surrounds a GNU package,
it's not usable in government circles since it doesn't contain
accessibility.

This has to be addressed soon, if momentum toward more generalized
acceptance of open source is to continue.

Projects like the gnome accessibility project are making progress, but won't
work if developers don't take advantage of the accessibility features being
developed--and almost no one does.

The software accessibility provisions of the Section 508 legislation
concerning accessible electronic information technology are in section
1194.21--as listed here:
I'd like to offer testing abilities in this area, as well as development
help--for strategies to include accessibility.  I'm not a coder anymore so
can't provide that assistance, but have been coding for past fifteen years
or so in differing areas.  

Table with 3 columns and 14 rows
Summary: This table provides a more detailed view of Section 1194.21. The
first column contains the lettered paragraphs of the subsection

Section 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems - Detail
Voluntary Product Accessibility Template

Criteria
Supporting Features
Remarks and explanations

(a) 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.

(b) 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.

(c) 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.

(d) 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.

(e) 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.

(f) 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.

(g) Applications shall not override user selected contrast and color
selections and other individual display attributes.

(h) When animation is displayed, the information shall be displayable in at
least one non-animated presentation mode at the option of the user.

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

(j) 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.

(k) 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.

(l) 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.
table end

--
Allen Hoffman
IRS:IRAP:Section 508 Project
Voice: 202-283-4207
email: allen.w.hoffman

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<TITLE>accessibility built-in not added-on.</TITLE>
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<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Hello:</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">I work in the US government, and one =
of my pet peeves is that open source software which is often times =
technically superior to non open source software, is not accessible to =
people with disabilities.&nbsp; The government now has legal =
requirements to procure and use such software when possible.&nbsp; So, =
for example on a contract for email clients, if Outlook works but costs =
four million dollars, and is accessible (it is mostly), and your =
package doesn't provide accessibility, than no matter what pricing =
surrounds a GNU package, it's not usable in government circles since it =
doesn't contain accessibility.</FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">This has to be addressed soon, if =
momentum toward more generalized acceptance of open source is to =
continue.</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Projects like the gnome accessibility =
project are making progress, but won't work if developers don't take =
advantage of the accessibility features being developed--and almost no =
one does.</FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">The software accessibility provisions =
of the Section 508 legislation concerning accessible electronic =
information technology are in section 1194.21--as listed =
here:</FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">I'd like to offer testing abilities in =
this area, as well as development help--for strategies to include =
accessibility.&nbsp; I'm not a coder anymore so can't provide that =
assistance, but have been coding for past fifteen years or so in =
differing areas.&nbsp; </FONT></P>
<BR>

Table with 3 columns and 14 =
rows
 Summary: This table provides a more =
detailed view of Section 1194.21. The first column contains the =
lettered paragraphs of the subsection

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Section 1194.21 Software Applications =
and Operating Systems - Detail</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Voluntary Product Accessibility =
Template</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Criteria</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Supporting Features</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Remarks and explanations</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">(a) 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</FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">the result of performing a function =
can be discerned textually.</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">(b) Applications shall not disrupt or =
disable activated features of other products that are identified as =
accessibility features, where those features are</FONT></P>

developed and documented according to =
industry standards. Applications also shall not disrupt or disable =
activated features of any operating system that

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">are identified as accessibility =
features where the application programming interface for those =
accessibility features has been documented by the =
manufacturer</FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">of the operating system and is =
available to the product developer.</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">(c) A well-defined on-screen =
indication of the current focus shall be provided that moves among =
interactive interface elements as the input focus changes.</FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">The focus shall be programmatically =
exposed so that Assistive Technology can track focus and focus changes.<=
/FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">(d) Sufficient information about a =
user interface element including the identity, operation and state of =
the element shall be available to Assistive Technology.</FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">When an image represents a program =
element, the information conveyed by the image must also be available =
in text.</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">(e) When bitmap images are used to =
identify controls, status indicators, or other programmatic elements, =
the meaning assigned to those images shall be consistent</FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">throughout an application's =
performance.</FONT>
</P>

(f) Textual information shall be =
provided through operating system functions for displaying text. The =
minimum information that shall be made available is

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">text content, text input caret =
location, and text attributes.</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">(g) Applications shall not override =
user selected contrast and color selections and other individual =
display attributes.</FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">(h) When animation is displayed, the =
information shall be displayable in at least one non-animated =
presentation mode at the option of the user.</FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">(i) Color coding shall not be used as =
the only means of conveying information, indicating an action, =
prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element.</FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">(j) 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</FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">be provided.</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">(k) 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.</FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">(l) When electronic forms are used, =
the form shall allow people using Assistive Technology to access the =
information, field elements, and functionality</FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">required for completion and submission =
of the form, including all directions and cues.</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">table end</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">--</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Allen Hoffman</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">IRS:IRAP:Section 508 Project</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Voice: 202-283-4207</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">email: allen.w.hoffman</FONT>
</P>
<BR>

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