Guideline 2: Generate standard markup.
ATAG
Checkpoint 2.1: Use the latest versions of W3C Recommendations when
they are available and appropriate for a task. [Priority 2]
Techniques:
When creating documents or markup languages, make full use of W3C Recommendations. For example, use MathML
for mathematical Web content and XHTML, MathML, and DOM scripting to implement
dynamic-interactive spreadsheets. [T0082]- In some cases a W3C Recommendation formatted version may be offered
in addition to a proprietary format. Tools that dynamically generate Web content
may use HTTP content negotiation to facilitate this. [T0084]
- Do not publish Web content in markup languages that do not allow
for equivalent alternative information to be included for media-specific presentations
(such as images or video, sound, etc.). Where this cannot be avoided, make
the information directly available from the content generated. For example,
convert the text equivalent of an image to a caption for the image, or provide
a "base" page that includes links to alternative versions of content. [T0083]
- Although markup languages and formats that become W3C Recommendations
after an authoring tool's development cycle permit input are not considered
"available" in time, modular design of tools provides for new markup languages
and formats to be supported late in the development cycle or even after deployment.
[T0085]
Reference:
ATAG
Checkpoint 2.2: Ensure that markup which the tool automatically generates
is valid for the language the tool is generating. [Priority 1]
Techniques:
- Ensure that the markup produced by the tool, in any of its supported
languages, is valid. [T0086]
- Publish proprietary language specifications or DTD's on the Web,
to allow documents to be validated. [T0087]
- Use namespaces and schemas to make documents that can be automatically
transformed to a known markup language. [T0088]
- If markup produced by the tool does not conform to W3C specifications,
inform the author. (e.g. statement on the saving dialog, an alert that is
displayed following a save or inline highlighting through the use of style
sheets, etc.). [T0089, T0090] @@New
technique made from ATAG1 2.3@@
- If the tool produces inaccessible markup, whether it is valid or
not, see the checking Techniques
for ATAG checkpoint 5.1. [T0091] @@New
technique made from ATAG1 2.3@@
Guideline 3: Support accessible authoring practices.
Techniques:
-
Ensure the tool supports all the structural features
of the supported languages. [T0001]
- Allow the author to directly edit the source markup (so knowledgeable
authors can ensure accessible content). [T0002]
- When an extended (superset) or simplified (subset) markup language is
supported, ensure that the accessibility features in the base language are
still available. [T0003]
- Allow the addition of equivalent alternatives for
all supported image formats that allow text content, including PNG, SVG, WebCGM,
JPEG, and GIF. [T0004]
- Enable the author to produce metadata that can
be used to construct an accessible version of the output. For example, when
producing image formats that do not allow the inclusion of alternative information
within them, use Dublin Core metadata to incorporate description, title information,
or "foaf" metadata to identify people depicted in images. [T0400]@@new
category and T####@@ @@CMN Proposal@@
- Notify the author, if a given output format is
not accessible (so they can decide to use a different format). [T0401]
@@new category and T####@@ @@CMN
Proposal@@
Reference:
Techniques:
- This checkpoint covers systems that digest documents and reconstitute
them in standardized formats. [T0427] @@new
category and T####@@ @@F2F Proposal@@
- Ensure that the tool preserves all the elements
and attributes defined in the relevant specification(s) even if it is unable
to render them in a publishing view or preview mode. [T0005]
- Allow the author to decide whether or not to preserve
unrecognized markup (since it might be related to accessibility). [T0006]
@@from ATAG1 4.3@@
- If changes to markup that is not recognized by
the tool are necessary for the tool to further process the document (for example,
a tool that requires valid markup when a document is opened), inform the author.
[T0203] @@from ATAG1 4.3@@
- Provide options for the author to confirm or override
removal of markup on a change-by-change basis or as a batch process. [T0204]
@@from ATAG1 4.3@@
- Do not change the DTD without notifying the author.
[T0206] @@from ATAG1 4.3@@
- Consider explaining automatic changes made by the
tool to the author. [T0402]
@@new category and T####@@ @@F2F Proposal@@
- Allow authors to edit document conversion templates
to specify the way presentation conventions should be converted into structural
markup. [T0008]
- Ensure that changes to a document's graphical layout
do not reduce readability when rendered serially. For example, confirm the
linearized reading order with the author. [T0012]
- Some examples of conversion best practices include:
@@Use of "conversion best practice"@@
- Avoid transforming text into images. Use style sheets for presentation
control, or use an XML application such as Scalable Vector Graphics [SVG] that keeps the text as text.
If this is not possible, ensure that the text is available as equivalent
text for the image. [T0010]
- When importing images with associated descriptions into a markup document,
make the descriptions available through appropriate markup. [T0009]
- When transforming a table to a list or list of lists, ensure that table
headings are transformed into headings and that summary or caption information
is retained as rendered content. [T0007]
- When converting linked elements (i.e. footnotes, endnotes, call-outs,
annotations, references, etc.) provide them as inline content or maintain
two-way linking. [T0013]
- When converting from an unstructured word-processor format to markup,
ensure that headings and list items are transformed into appropriate structural
markup (appropriate level of heading or type of list, etc.). [T0011]
- When generating a natural language translation of text, produce the
simplest and clearest possible use of the new language. [T0403]
@@new category and T####@@ @@CMN
Proposal-LN believes this needs more clarification@@
ATAG Checkpoint
3.3: Ensure that when the tool automatically generates markup it conforms
to WCAG 2.0 [WCAG20].
[Relative Priority]
Techniques:
- Ensure that when the tool automatically generates
content and markup @@Does this cover content other
than tagging?@@ (e.g. the author has not specifically specified the
markup to be used), that markup conforms to the following WCAG 2.0 checkpoints.
(Note: An asterix (*) denotes those WCAG 2.0 checkpoints that involve the
inclusion of equivalent alternative information. For these WCAG 2.0 checkpoints,
see the Techniques for ATAG checkpoint
4.3 for restrictions on automatically generating equivalent alternatives
and the Techniques for ATAG
checkpoint 4.1 for prompting guidance) [T0014]:
- List of Relevant WCAG 2.0 checkpoints.@@waiting
for WCAG 2.0 to be more stable@@
ATAG Checkpoint
3.4 : Ensure that all pre-authored content for the tool conforms to WCAG
2.0 [WCAG20].
[Relative Priority]
Note: Pre-authored content refers to markup content, images,
multimedia, applets, scripts, etc. Including pre-written descriptions for all
multimedia files (e.g., clip-art) packaged with the tool will save authors time
and effort, cause a significant number of professionally written descriptions
to circulate on the Web, provide authors with convenient models to emulate when
they write their own descriptions, and show authors the importance of description
writing.
Techniques:
- For tools that allow authors to create their own
templates, advise the author that templates should be held to a high accessibility
standard, since they will be repeatedly reused. Help the author reach this
goal by making an accessibility check mandatory before saving as a template.
[T0080]
- Provide pre-authored content in formats that allow for accessible
annotation to be included in the files, such as SMIL, PNG, and SVG. [T0428]
@@new category and T####@@
- Ensure that all pre-authored content provided by
the tool conform to the following WCAG 2.0 checkpoints [T0081]:
- List of Relevant WCAG checkpoints.@@waiting
for WCAG 2.0 to be more stable@@
Samples:
- The following are examples of accessible templates (Note: not all the features
of these templates are supported by all browsers):
ATAG Checkpoint 3.5
: Allow the author to preserve markup not recognized by the
tool. [Priority 2]
Note: The author may have included or imported markup that
enhances accessibility but is not recognized by the tool.
Techniques:
- If possible, preserve all unrecognized markup, since it might be
related to accessibility (See Techniques
for ATAG Checkpoint 3.2). [T0202]
- If changes to markup that is not recognized by the tool are necessary
for the tool to further process the document (for example, a tool that requires
valid markup when a document is opened), inform the author. [T0203]
- Provide options for the author to confirm or override removal of
markup on a change-by-change basis or as a batch process. [T0204]
- Do not change the DTD without notifying the author.[T0206]
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