Thread Subject: Re: 1194.22(b) in Group A: Re: Peter Korn'scomment about StickyKeys

From: Gani, Dewi
Date: Fri, Oct 20 2006 5:10 AM

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Peter's comment on:

'I would not explicitly require in 508 that all OSes must include
StickyKeys, even though the three most popular desktops (Windows, Mac,
UNIX) already do.'

To make the user's life easier, I would suggest to have a global setting
in this case. Thus, I think Oses shall provide this StickyKeys feature
and I propose to have this information mentioned in Section 508.

Best Regards,

Dewi Gani


-----Original Message-----
From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
[mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Peter
Korn
Sent: Donnerstag, 19. Oktober 2006 19:53
To: TEITAC Web/Software Subcommittee
Subject: [teitac-websoftware] 1194.22(b) in Group A: Re: Jim Tobias'
commentabout requiring AT

Jim's comment on 1194.22(b) is:

'Jim Tobias: Going beyond this provision, how about requiring
operating systems to include certain accessibility features? The major
operating systems do have such features. The list of required features
would
have to be decided upon, and even more difficult, an agreement as to
what
constitutes an "operating system".'

I am a bit concerned with this. While I'm delighted to see what appears

to be actual competition among OS vendors in bundling AT with their OSes

(as we now have competition in car manufacturers as to how may air bags
they have), I do not think we should require that. I think it is wrong
to place a barrier to entry in the OS market saying that you have to
provide specific AT with your OS, or specific "accessibility features".

I believe we should have outcomes-based requirements (e.g. "a user must
be able to operate all keyboard functions with a single keypress"), and
then recommend specific guidance as to how to accomplish thing (e.g.
"cf. StickyKeys capabilities for latching keyboard modifiers"), and the
finally ensure that we don't foreclose innovation (by maintaining 1194.5

Equivalent facilitation "Nothing in this part is intended to prevent the

use of designs or technologies as alternatives to those prescribed in
this part provided they result in substantially equivalent or greater
access to and use of a product for people with disabilities.").

I would not explicitly require in 508 that all OSes must include
StickyKeys, even though the three most popular desktops (Windows, Mac,
UNIX) already do.


Regards,

Peter Korn
Accessibility Architect,
Sun Microsystems, Inc.

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