Request for comment on IAccessible2
- From: Jamal Mazrui <empower@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, program-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2008 13:34:33 -0400 (EDT)
Request For Comments
From the Open A11y Workgroup
Linux Foundation
June 5, 2008
The Open A11y Workgroup in the Linux Foundation works to develop free and
open
standards supporting comprehensive access to information and user
interfaces
for persons with disabilities. Our standards process is open to interested
members of industry, developer, and consumer communities. Obtaining public
comment on our proposed standards before they are finalized is one of the
most
important steps in our process. Public review helps ensure our standards
are
relevant and complete.
DETAILS:
We are now requesting comment on the following specification produced by
our
IAccessible2 team. This specification is expected to become a Linux
Foundation
standard this year.
IAccessible2
HTML - http://www.linux-foundation.org/~ptbrunet/ia2/docs/html/
IDL - http://www.linux-foundation.org/~ptbrunet/ia2/api/
Overview
IAccessible2 is a set of Windows accessibility interface definitions which
complements Microsoft's earlier work on MSAA. The IAccessible2 interfaces
fill
critical accessibility gaps in the MSAA offering. IAccessible2 is an
engineered
accessibility interface allowing application developers to leverage their
investment in MSAA while also providing an Assistive Technology (AT)
access
to content in rich document applications and web browsers. The additional
function includes support for rich text, tables, spreadsheets, Web 2.0
applications, and other rich content often found in large, complex
applications.
IAccessible2 is implemented by application developers to allow Assistive
Technology, such as a screen reader used by someone who is blind, access
to
an application's components, e.g. a table in a word processor.
IAccessible2
has been implemented in applications such as IBM Lotus Symphony and
Mozilla
Firefox 3. It has also been implemented in the leading Windows screen
readers,
e.g. JAWS from Freedom Scientific and Window-Eyes from GW Micro.
Developers of complex applications benefit because they can provide
accessibility to complex components well beyond what is possible with
MSAA.
Application developers also benefit because screen readers already support
applications that implement IAccessible2. IAccessible2 was a joint effort
with
the leading AT vendors. These vendors saw the need for an enhancement to
MSAA and worked closely with IBM accessibility architects and engineers
during the definition and implementation of the API.
Users benefit because they have full access to complex applications such
spread sheets in IBM Lotus Symphony and ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet
Applications) in Firefox 3.
It is also important to note that IAccessible2 has been harmonized with
the
UNIX accessibility APIs to allow for efficient multi-platform development.
This was done through close collaboration with accessibility architects
who
have intimate knowledge of the UNIX accessibility APIs.
For more information please visit the IAccessible2 web site at
http://www.linuxfoundation.org/en/Accessibility/IAccessible2
or equivalently
http://a11y.org/ia2
HOW TO SEND FEEDBACK:
You may respond through Bugzilla using the URI below, or by sending email
to
the special RFC address below. Bugzilla is our preferred method for
receiving
feedback because it automatically logs your feedback in our tracking
system
without additional human intervention. If possible, only use the email
method
if you have difficulty using Bugzilla. When using Bugzilla be sure to
select
IAccessible2 from the list of components.
Bugzilla - http://bugs.linux-foundation.org/
email - accessibility-rfc<at>a11y.org
REVIEW TIME PERIOD:
Please provide your comments on these draft specifications no later than
midnight, 24:00 UTC, Monday, June 30, 2008.
Please feel free to forward this announcement wherever you deem
appropriate.
On behalf of Open A11y, and especially the IAccessible2 team, we thank you
for
your assistance.
Pete Brunet, IAccessible2 Team Chair
brunet<at>us.ibm.com
Janina Sajka, Open A11y Chair
janina<at>a11y.Org
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