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Re: Naming and labeling tables in Word

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From: Jonathan Avila
Date: May 29, 2014 1:30PM

> this is the biggest shortcoming in WCAG - it tends to create stagnation
and to block innovation. This will improve only if either WCAG adjust
their guidelines

This challenge isn't that much different than other industries. For
example, say I sell you a eco-friendly car that runs on a clean fuel --
but the fuel isn't sold anywhere. I'm claiming my car is affordable and
good for the environment but if the car doesn't move it's of no real use
other than for sitting in. A person wouldn't buy a vehicle without source
of energy -- just like an author shouldn't be able to claim a piece of
software is accessible even though it doesn't work with assistive
technology. There's clearly a balance between enough support to call
something accessible and requiring everything support it. I think the
authors of the WCAG conformance requirements left enough room in the
criteria to allow for this.

Jonathan

-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED>
[mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Olaf Drümmer
Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2014 1:53 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Naming and labeling tables in Word

On 29 May 2014, at 14:20, Jonathan Avila < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
wrote:

> While we should NOT be testing for conformance to any assistive
> technology we must keep in mind that WCAG conformance can only be met
> through techniques that are accessibility supported.

In addition what others already stated around this aspect:

this is the biggest shortcoming in WCAG - it tends to create stagnation
and to block innovation. This will improve only if either WCAG adjust
their guidelines (everybody in the food chain must work against applicable
standards), or we find a better set of guidelines that furthers rather
than slows down much needed developments in the field of accessibility.
WCAG is historically very valuable, but counter productive for the near
and not so near future.


Olaf

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