Thread Subject: Color Provision - Harmonizing with WCAG

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From: Andrew LaHart
Date: Wed, Jun 20 2007 7:35 AM

We never came to an agreement last week to harmonize the 1194.22(c) Color
provision with WCAG 2. For a detailed recap of the 1194.22(c) discussion,
please see the notes from last weeks meeting
(http://teitac.org/wiki/Web_and_Software:_June_13).

Our current wording of the Color provision from the May Plenary Meeting
Draft says: "Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed
with color is also available without color, for example from context or
markup. "

The WCAG 2 May 17 Working Draft says "Any information that is conveyed by
color differences is also simultaneously visually evident without the
color differences."

During the discussion, harmonizing with ISO was also suggested as an
option. ISO says "Software shall not use colour alone as the only way to
convey information or indicate an action."

On the call last week, the following comment was made:
Question on the difference between "color" and "color differences"? Color
differences came up due to confusion with the page printing with blue
text. Conveying information with color in text makes no difference if your
not conveying information using color. This term was used because people
were concerned with using colored text.

I agree with this comment and I would still recommend we harmonize with
WCAG. I think the term "color differences" is clear and understandable.
However, it needs more discussion. Thoughts?

Thanks,
Drew

Andrew LaHart
IBM Human Ability and Accessibility Center
w3.ibm.com/able

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