Table of Contents

Nimble Document Navigation Using Alternative Access Tools

Challenges

Addressed by modifications to:

Access Tools

Browsers

Standards

Accessible Web Documents

Supports in Authoring Tools

Authoring support:

Authoring Support

Barriers Addressed

Barriers addressed

Optional Levels

Prompts and guidelines while authoring

PPT Slide

Accessibility Warning

Accessibility Checker

Accessibility Checker

Accessibility Checker

Text-only Wizard

Exploiting Web Publishing Tools

Constraints when using access tools

Viewing a Document

Publishing/Viewing Tools

Tools include:

Dynamic Tables of Contents

Access

Personal Document Views

Document Annotation

Context Specific Search Tools

Dynamic Information Retrieval Utilities

Conclusions

 

Nimble Document Navigation Using Alternative Access Tools

Jutta Treviranus

Jan Richards

ATRC, University of Toronto

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.utoronto.ca/atrc

Challenges

• obtaining an overview and determining the structure of the document,

• orienting and moving to desired sections of the document or interface, and

• obtaining translations of graphically presented information (i.e., animation, video, graphics).

Addressed by modifications to:

• the access tool (i.e., screen reader, screen magnifier, Braille display),

• the browser, viewers and plug-ins,

• the authoring tools, (e.g., HTML, SGML, plug-in, Java, VRML authoring tools),

• the HTML specifications, HTML extensions, Style Sheets,

• the individual documents, and

• the operating system.

Access Tools

• HTML aware Screen Readers,

  • www.prodworks.com

• macros, setups or profiles for browsers

  • www.utoronto.ca/atrc

Browsers

• keyboard equivalents

• navigating links, input fields, frames

• supporting access related HTML elements

Standards

• HTML 4.0

• Aural Style Sheets

Accessible Web Documents

• published guidelines

  • trace.wisc.edu/world/web/index.html, www.yuri.org/webable/index.html

• advocacy groups

  • webwatch

• accessibililty checkers

  • Bobby

Supports in Authoring Tools

• reach large number of authors

• educate and inform

Authoring support:

• Easy to activate, so that users who are aware of the feature and accessibility issues can easily utilize it.

• Automatic (with an option to deactivate), so that users who are unaware of their mistakes can correct them before the list grows too large.

Authoring Support

• Helpful and non-judgmental, so that people are encouraged to do what they can rather than take the deactivation option.

• Implemented to provide both instance-by-instance prompts that lead into an Accessibility Checker

Barriers Addressed

• missing alternative text for images, buttons or image links
• use of server-side image maps without textual alternatives
• missing alternative text descriptions for applets
• background images
• marquee or blinking text ...

Barriers addressed

• use of inaccessible form elements
• ambiguous link names (e.g., click here)
• non-separated links
• missing descriptive text or captions for an audio file or video file...

Optional Levels

 

Prompts and guidelines while authoring

 

PPT Slide

 

Accessibility Warning

 

Accessibility Checker

Checks:

• new documents

• existing documents

• imported documents

Text-only Wizard

• parrallel text only sites

• frequently not updated

• wizard automates creation and updating of text-only site

Exploiting Web Publishing Tools

 

Constraints when using access tools

• small chunks of information,one at a time

• visually based conventions invisible

• slow navigation

Viewing a Document

• sizing up a document at first glance

• the overall sense

• inventory of content

• what is emphasized

• anything of personal interest

• organization/structure

• where are we

• zero in on item of interest

Publishing/Viewing Tools

• dealing with large documents or sites

• intranet management

Tools include:

• navigators or dynamic, expandable tree views of a document

• dynamic tables of contents

• personal document views

• context sensitive searching

• annotations, and

• on-demand delivery of information.

Dynamic Tables of Contents

• expandable tree view

• local detail

• choice of what will be listed

• TOC of multiple documents

• points of view

Access

• keyboard navigation

• level information

• get overview

• zero in on specifics

Personal Document Views

• different page layout (e.g., no columns)

• more or less detail

• different emphasis

Document Annotation

• hi-lite or mark areas of particular interest

• add text labels where missing

• personalized TOC

Context Specific Search Tools

• search within documents and sites

• results in TOCs

• navigated using keyboard equivalents

• dynamic TOC of areas of interest upon loading

Dynamic Information Retrieval Utilities

• newly posted items of interest automatically delivered

Conclusions

• more accessible documents through authoring tool supports

• exploit mainstream tools for easier information retrieval and document manipulation