Thread Subject: Re: "Content" in our subcommittee

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From: Hoffman, Allen
Date: Wed, Nov 01 2006 12:05 PM

Jim Tobias wrote:
"1. The tool itself should be accessible to operate. (This would apply
to all software, not just content-producing software).
2. The content produced by the tool should be able to support all the
relevant features for accessible content.
And the following requirement should apply to the federal entity
producing the content:
3. The content should contain all the relevant features for accessible
content."

Allen hoffman wrote:
"5. How should content be addressed better?
To address this fundamental gap, or obstacle, it is important to develop
specific EIT content production systems functionality standards first.
Possible
functionality might include the ability for content production
mechanisms to programmatically review user-developed content for missing
accessibility attributes,
guide users to include accessibility attributes during the development
process by default, and allow interactive remediation for missing
accessibility
attributes. I think these requirements would fall into the web or
software categories that exist now, or would fall into a new category
specifically related
to content that might include content production mechanisms, and content
requirements together. new general content requirements might be based
from the
existing web standards, and may include, text alternatives for non-text
elements, visual reading order is available to assistive technology,
tabular header
and cell associations, alternate or additional representation of color,
etc. I feel that form elements are strictly web or software-based, and
if provided
via a plug-in (ahem PDF), should be tested based upon software
requirements."

I am not certain Jim's summary includes some of mine. I just don't
think we can move into the vast content area without sufficient
technical support and not impose a huge cost. Without spell check,
spelling would go down for government documents. Without "access
check/repair" content accessibility will not improve quickly in my
opinion. At least most folks understand that they should spell words
correctly, but this is not the case, as far as I can tell, for the
majority of documents writers out there.

Allen Hoffman
Department of Homeland Security
Office on Accessible systems & technology

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