Transcript Schwerdtfeger_slides

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IBM Software Group
Accessible Rich Internet
Applications and Online Services
First European
e-accessibility Forum
Rich Schwerdtfeger
IBM Distinguished Engineer,
Chair W3C WAI PF ARIA Subteam
© 2007 IBM Corporation
IBM Software Group
Web 2.0 Paradigm Shift in online services
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Static Documents
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New Content = Page Reload
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Navigation limited to
tab and click
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Content aggregation from various
resources (Mashups)
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Poor Usability for PWDs
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Social Collaboration
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Potential for increased usability
for all users
Rich desktop-like experience through
the browser
 AJAX reduces page reloads
 Tie UI to back-end services
News Ltd: “We’re allowing people to digest more information and faster, which I think is vitally important.”
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Online services moving to Rich Internet Applications (RIA)s
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Reduced server loads
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Easy upgrades and deployment
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Ubiquitous access to data
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Platform neutral desktop-like look and feel
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Restrictive Accessibility legislation inadequate for today’s online services
Growth of RIA Based Technology vs. static HTML
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Geos require JavaScript and/or
CSS disabled
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Decisions based on 1999 browser technology
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Restrictions on pervasive RIA
technology will leave people with
disabilities behind
JavaScript
CSS
Iframes
Frames
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New 508/WCAG 2.0 focus on
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Interoperability, usability vs.
technology exclusion
Harmonization between web and software
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Source: Security Space Technology Penetration Report
http://www.securityspace.com/s_survey/data/man.200611/techpen.html
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The Accessibility Problem is not CSS and JavaScript
 Usability problems caused by limited HTML keyboard support
 HTML and other markup does not provide adequate markup to support
accessible dynamic content
 “CSS and JavaScript accessibility problem” occurs when
 JavaScript and CSS are used to create new UI constructs (menu, tabpanel, etc.)
 HTML is repurposed causing interoperability problems with platform *Accessibility APIs
 HTML keyboard focus issues require use of elements which effect tab order
 The solution brings usable access of rich desktop applications to the Web
*Accessibility API – Application Program Interface – How applications provide accessibility information to assistive technologies
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The “Rich Internet Application Accessibility Problem”
RIA Repurposed HTML lacks semantics and ability to give focus
example: simlated pop-up menu
 Accessibility Problems
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Can’t get here effectively with the keyboard
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Don’t know a menu has been activated
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Usability poor as does not behave like a menu
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Usability Problem extends beyond accessibility
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Alternative content is expensive
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Document Navigation Problem
Dependence on excessive tabbing makes keyboard access
unusable
 Accessibility/Usability Problems
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Portal keyboard usability a problem
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To get to Market report you need to tab through
every link on the page
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Alternatives are a hack to code sections as
headers restricting UI or assign access keys
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Alternative is inconsistent across web sites
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Alternative provides little semantic information
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Use of keyboard short cut (Access Key)
introduces device dependencies
IBM Software Group
W3C Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) to the rescue
Providing for accessible convergence of Rich Web And Rich Desktop
• ARIA Roadmap
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Analysis/Plans to fill accessibility deficiencies
Full interoperability with assistive technologies
Accessible desktop-like look and feel
<div tabindex=“-1”
role = “wairole:menuitem”
waistate:selected =“true”>
• ARIA Specifications
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Role *GUI semantics
States GUI semantics
Form properties
AJAX live regions
Relationships
Sort properties
Role navigation landmarks
Fill keyboard gaps in (X)HTML (tabindex)
• Mapped to Accessibility API for ATVs
*GUI – Graphical User Interface
role=“main”
role =“navigation”
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Demo
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Where we are and what’s Hot! Making it real for developers and users
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Reusable, Accessible Component Libraries
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Recent Announcements
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IBM *FSG donation of IAccessible2 for Windows with ARIA support
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Second W3C Working Drafts of ARIA Specifications
Browser support
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Firefox 1.5, 2.0 - partial spec.
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Firefox 3.0 to support full spec. (Windows and Linux)
ARIA early ATV adopters support Firefox 1.5,2.0
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Producing RIAs (Dojo, Rational JWL, Oracle)
W3C has HTML implementation technique for XHTML standard
Window-Eyes, JAWS 1.5/2.0, ZoomText
New Tooling
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University of Illinois Firefox Accessibility Extensions
Model-based authoring tools
IBM Research - RAVEN
*FSG – Free Standards Group
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Questions?
© 2007 IBM Corporation
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References
 W3C Roadmap and Standards
 http://www.w3.org/wai/pf
 Examples
 http://webally.com
 http://www.weba11y.com/AjaxDemo/sample.html
 http://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/Accessible_DHTML
 http://firefox.cita.uiuc.edu/test/dhtml/src/index.php
 Tooling in development
 U. of Illinois extension
http://firefox.cita.uiuc.edu/dhtml/download.php
 RAVEN
http://www.alphaworks.ibm.com/tech/raven
 WAI Role Taxonomy extension tool
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http://test2.ubapps.com/RolesWebApp/roles/start