Thread Subject: Re: Gaps in Web Requirements -keyboardoperation

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From: Robinson, Norman B - Washington, DC
Date: Mon, Feb 05 2007 7:03 AM

Travis,

I'd say the definition of keyboard needs elaboration. For me any
key - only one for instance - is a keyboard. With that in mind, things
such as the ezaccess keys on kiosks, buttons on PDAs, etc. seem to be
covered. The only issue I see as problematic is software keyboards, when
used as a replacement for designing accessible keys (physical keys that
is).

The key phrase is "WHERE THE FUNCTION CAN BE DISCERNED..." not
"we didn't design it to be used..." So if the developer continued to
insist they didn't design it that way, I'd say they weren't Section 508
compliant.

Regards,


Norman B. Robinson
Section 508 Coordinator
IT Governance, US Postal Service
phone: 202.268.8246


-----Original Message-----
From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
[mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Travis
Roth
Sent: Friday, February 02, 2007 12:40 PM
To: 'TEITAC Web/Software Subcommittee'
Subject: Re: [teitac-websoftware] Gaps in Web Requirements
-keyboardoperation


Andi Snow-Weaver wrote:
"For Web content or applications that are 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."

I understand the intent of this is to get keyboard access to work when
the
hardware system has a keyboard.
The phrase "designed to run on a system that has a keyboard" concerns me
though in that what happens if an aplication is designed that may
function
on a system that may or may not have a keyboard, e.g., a PDA?

Another example. If a website is designed to be displayed and used on a
mobile device and the interface is not operable via keyboard. Can the
developer come back and say "We did not design this to work on a mobile
device with a keyboard, only those without keyboards." Even though both
types are able to access the application? Would there be a way to handle
this?

Or are these concerns not valid?

Thanks.

--
Travis Roth
Production Manager
TecAccess, LLC
(804) 749-8646 (office)
(402) 466-0907 (direct)
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
www.TecAccess.net
Experts in Section 508 Compliance & Accessibility

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