EWG:Draft Oct 26 Visual Information

1.2-G - Visual Information

This page is the text proposed in the Nov Plenary Meeting.

Go to the Oct 26 Draft of this Provision

Go to the Sandbox of this Provision

Proposed text in Oct 26 draft:
All information that is needed for operation and use that is provided in visual form must also be available in audio form and, where appropriate, in tactile form, either directly or via assistive technology.

Note: Visual content that includes text and that is closed due to DRM such that it cannot be rendered in audio form by AT and other players must include an audio form that can be.

Comment from ITI
This provision requires products that are not compatible with assistive technology (closed products) to include audio output and, where appropriate, tactile markings. Currently, there are few mainstream E&IT products that offer built-in audio output to fully operate the product. Adding this feature would significantly increase the E&IT cost. It may also limit product availability for federal and state agencies if, due to the expense, manufacturers only incorporate audio into a select number of models. Allowing audio or tactile forms to share visual information provides more cost effective options for both the manufacturer and the customer.

This is not a testable provision. It belongs in the Functional Performance Criteria section rather than here.

Comments from ITAA
a. The provision must clarify “operation and use” of WHAT? A product? A system of products to solve a business problem of an agency?

b. The provision must make clear if this means BOTH audio AND tactile, or just tactile, “where appropriate?”

c. The provision must make clear what “where appropriate” means?

Comment from IBM
Visual content is covered thoroughly by section 6 for content and section 3 for products that are intended to be compatible with AT. If there is something additional that is required by this provision it needs to be clarified. If this provision is only meant for closed products, it needs to be scoped or moved to a separate section. Also, the phrase "where appropriate" raises testability issues.

Comment by Karen PS
A similar edit to the changes proposed for section 1.1, to delete the phrase: "either directly or via assitive technology"

Comments from CSD/Trace Center

1. This is easily tested. Remove all visual input from user (e.g. using mask) and see if they can use the product successfully. If so then all visual information needed to use product is available in audio form.
2. There are many products with audio output. Those products where there is not audio output or tactile output of key information would indeed fail this provision. That is the purpose of the provision, to identify products that cannot be used for this group of users.
3. change "operation and use" to "product operation and use" [addresses ITAA comment]