Thread Subject: Harmonization - "Both platform and application"

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From: Andi Snow-Weaver
Date: Fri, Sep 21 2007 12:45 PM

I have an action item to try to resolve our harmonization issues with the
"Both platform and application" provision which is not in either the ISO
software accessibility standard or WCAG 2.0.

Here's the current provision:

Software that is both a 'platform', and an 'application' running on another
platform must:

1. expose the underlying platform's color, contrast, and other
individual display settings to applications running within its platform, so
that these applications can meet the User Preferences provision.
2. define, expose, and translate accessibility service information
between applications running within its platform and the underlying
platform - so that those applications can meet the AT Interoperability
provision.
3. provide mechanisms for:
* moving the keyboard focus into and out of an application, and
* addressing central conflicts between keyboard mnemonics in the
application and the host platform.

I think we can resolve it by moving bullet #1 to "User Preferences" as a
note, removing bullet #2 and adding a sentence to "Accessibility Services",
and deleting bullet #3 as most of it is covered by "Keyboard Operation".
Details below:

Add a note to User Preferences

Current: Applications must provide a mode that utilizes platform settings
for color, contrast, font type, font size, and focus cursor. In the absence
of platform settings for color and contrast, the content must have a
contrast ratio of at least 5:1 except for unavailable items or pure
decoration. Large scale text (or images of large scale text) must allow a
contrast ratio of at least 3:1.

Add note: Application software that is is also a platform must expose the
underlying platform's color, contrast, and other individual display
settings to applications running within its platform, so that these
applications can meet the User Preferences provision.

Add a sentence to the Accessibility Services provision:

Proposed (add 2nd sentence based on the latest ISO draft): Platform
software must provide access to a set of services that enable applications
running on the platform to interact with other assistive technology
sufficient to enable compliance with the "AT interoperability" and "User
Interface Components" provisions. If accessibility services are provided by
the platform on which they are run, software toolkits and applications that
are also platfomrs must make these services available to their client
software.

With regard to bullet #3, a platform fails the Keyboard Operation provision
if it does not provide a way to navigate in and out of applications via the
keyboard. The last part of bullet #3, about resolving keyboard mnemonic
conflicts, would be a unique US requirement. I believe it should be
removed. It is generally considered an application responsibility to avoid
conflicts with platform keyboard mnemonics.

Comments?

Andi

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