Thread Subject: Jim Tobias Functional Components View

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From: Randy Dipner
Date: Fri, Oct 20 2006 2:40 PM

Jim and Rex,

I hear what Rex is saying about not starting from first principles in
developing the taxonomy for the 508 standards, however, I believe Jim is
onto a very important point. I argued for this position in the first round
of the 508 standards and was not able to prevail. I think time has
definitely shown the error of our ways. Any taxonomy that is based on
product types is doomed to become outdated before it is even adopted.
Technology convergence simply will not allow for products to be the basis of
the taxonomy. The web has become a telecommunication product and a software
application. Cell phones are also portable computers and self contained
products.

I don't think we have a choice. We really need to look at the 508 standards
from a component level so that a product that has a component no matter what
the product is or what combination of products it is, we can assign a
standard to that component and it transcends the particular product label.

I think further that we have an obligation to adhere to good standards
development practices. This certainly would argue against dividing the
standards space by product type.

The future of E&IT will exacerbate this problem. Now is the time to bite the
bullet and fix this problem.

The only question is does this exceed the charter of the TEITAC? If it does,
then I submit that the committee should certainly suggest to the Access
Board that this reorganization should be accomplished as soon as possible.

Randy Dipner
Meeting the Challenge, Inc.
3630 Sinton Road, Suite 103
Colorado Springs, CO 80907
719-444-0252x105 (voice)
719-444-0269 (fax)
719-5102822 (cell)
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = (email)
MTC web site - http://www.mtc-inc.com
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 08:19:50 -0400
> From: "Jim Tobias" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Subject: [teitac-general] Contribution to the General Interface
> Accessibility Subcommittee
> To: < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Message-ID: <00ef01c6f442$0ac50220$6401a8c0@velo>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Hi All,
>
> One of our tasks is to look across the current 508 structure, the 6
product
> categories, to find common elements that could be brought together, or at
> least thought about consistently. One reason is that there is some
> duplication within the current structure. For example, the provisions
about
> "mechanically operated controls and keys" appear in Telecom, Desktop
> Computers, and Closed Products. Another reason is that the product
category
> structure itself is under continual assault by the shifting, morphing,
> converging ICT product ecosystem. It could be argued that all 6
categories
> are less clear and useful than they were a few years ago.
>
> In fact, the initial Access Board NPRM included provisions stated this
way,
> under several functional categories in addition to the product categories.
>
> I have put together a spreadsheet entitled "TEITAC - Functional Components
> View", which demonstrates one approach to provisions that span several
> product categories. It can be found online at Google's new "Docs and
> Spreadsheets" service:
> http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pE2wBufvE5UKlhZsOZl_aCQ
>
> [Sidenote: All comments on the accessibility of this Google web app are
> welcome, but should be sent directly to me rather than to this list. If
you
> cannot use the spreadsheet online, you may get better results if you
> download it. If downloading it is also difficult, tell me and I will send
> you a copy.]
>
> The spreadsheet has 3 worksheets:
>
> 1. The "current list" worksheet is just the 1194.21 to 1194.26 provisions
in
> their current order, with an additional column indicating how they might
be
> categorized.
>
> 2. The "re-grouped" worksheet moves the provisions into those categories.
> For example, all provisions that refer to color or contrast are placed
> together, regardless of which product category they came from.
>
> 3. The "functional components" worksheet adds columns that indicate what
> kind of product feature or component would be addressed by which
provisions.
> Looking at the relationship the other way, the worksheet shows which
> provisions would be applied to products with which components. The cells
> where there is such a relationship are marked with the letter "Y". For
> example, the provisions on information in color only apply to products
with
> visual displays, and only if those displays use color.
>
> Please understand that this is just an initial attempt, and does not claim
> to be exhaustive.
>
> I would like some time on the upcoming Subcommittee call, Monday 23
October,
> to go over this approach.
>
>
> ***********
> Jim Tobias
> Inclusive Technologies
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> +1.732.441.0831 v/tty
> skype jimtobias
> www.inclusive.com
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 13:43:45 -0400
> From: "Rex Lint" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Subject: Re: [teitac-general] Contribution to the General
> InterfaceAccessibility Subcommittee
> To: "'TEITAC General Interface Accessibility Subcommittee'"
> < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Message-ID: <000f01c6f46f$4e2395e0$640a0a0a@REXLINT>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> "I have put together a spreadsheet entitled "TEITAC - Functional
Components
> View", which demonstrates one approach to provisions that span several
> product categories. It can be found online at Google's new "Docs and
> Spreadsheets" service:
> http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pE2wBufvE5UKlhZsOZl_aCQ "
>
> -------------
>
> Jim,
>
> If we were starting with whole cloth, I think your proposal for a
different
> taxonomy for the provisions for accessibility would be a meaningful
> exercise. As I understand it, you proposed that the provisions should
have
> been sorted according to the attributes:
> . Text info about non-text objects
> . Color and contrast settings
> . Info in color
> . Flashing
> . Timeouts
> . Connectors
> . Audio amplification
> . Mechanical controls
>
> But we're not starting with whole cloth. Since the 508 technical
> requirements were brought to the IT sector, most of the major IT and
Telecom
> suppliers have invested in corporate accessibility programs committed to
> making their products and services accessible.
>
> Likewise, companies and agencies have invested in training for developers
> and purchasers. Some companies have built tools to analyze web pages
> against the relevant provisions, and others have applications to measure
> products against the provisions.
>
> Insofar as possible, I think we should look to use the current framework
as
> the basis for converged and future technologies, so that the return on the
> investment in training and tools can be extended. I propose we first see
if
> we can make incremental changes, rather that wholesale reorganization of
the
> structure. If that's not possible, we can perhaps consider other
> taxonomies, but let's do this planfully, rather than assuming a taxonomy
> without examining its rationale.
>
>
> Rex
>
>
> Rex Lint, Consultant
> Chair, Section 508 Working Group
> Information Technology Association of America
> PH: 603-860-7651, FAX: 603-882-6612
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
>

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