Canadian <Metadata> Forum

Web Accessibility Issues, or,
the "Correct Needle in the Correct Haystack"

Jutta Treviranus
RCAT, Adaptive Technology Resource Centre (ATRC)
University of Toronto

Available also in [PDF 128 KB]

Issue?

• Reduced choices
• Reduced flexibility
• Convenience vs. a "must have"

Like ...

Smorgasbord for-

• Someone with no dietary restrictions - but preferences

• Someone with a severe peanut allergy

Information Technology and Assistive Technology

Constraints:

• Reduced flexibility due to a mismatch between the available resources and the tasks to be accomplished
• Task: Translation of many languages, some secret, with source material in many locations and sometimes hidden.
• Communication and the location of information must be consistent and open.

Accessible Content

Transformation

• Can this transform in the way I need it to transform?

Alternatives or Equivalents

• Is there an alternative but equivalent presentation of this inaccessible information?

IMS Accessibility Working Group

• Learner Information to support accessibility or "ACCLIP"
• Metadata to support accessibility or "ACCMD"
• Soon to address:
  • Learning Design and Content Packaging

ACCLIP

Accessibility for LIP (Learner information Package) or ACCLIP

• How do I want/need things to be displayed?
• How do I want/need things to be controlled?
• What content alternatives, equivalents or helpful tools do I want/need?
• In what context?

Accessibility Metadata (ACCMD)

• Open collaboration with other Metadata specifications groups
• Extensions to existing specifications
• Application Profile for accessibility
  • Including restricted vocabularies

ACCMD

Information about:

1. Conformance to accessibility standards
2. Can it transform? (with specific information about how well)
3. Information that corresponds to ACCLIP
   • What type of content is it?
   • Can it transform in the necessary way?
   • Is there an equivalent for it? Or is it an equivalent?
   • Is it an enabling tool? What kind?

ACCMD

• Specify semantics, syntax and behaviour relative to accessibility metadata to make the work of assistive technologies possible

Authoring of Accessibility Metadata

TILE Project

• Integrated, unconscious authoring
• Automatic authoring
  • Aprompt
  • Generate necessary EARL statement

www.barrierfree.ca/tile