Contents | Guideline 1 | Guideline 2 | Guideline 3 | Guideline 4 | Glossary | References

W3C

Implementation Techniques for
Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 2.0:

Guideline 2: Enable the production of accessible content.

Working Group Draft 20 January 2004

This version:
http://www.w3.org/WAI/AU/2004/WD-ATAG20-20040120/tier2
Latest version:
http://www.w3.org/TR/ATAG20/tier2
ATAG 1.0 Recommendation:
http://www.w3.org/TR/ATAG10
Editors of this chapter:
Jutta Treviranus - ATRC, University of Toronto
Jan Richards - ATRC, University of Toronto
Matt May - W3C

Generate standard markup:

Support accessible authoring practices:


Generate standard markup:

Tools conformant [@@] with standards enable [@@] content to be rendered more reliably by more user agents, including assistive technologies used by people with disabilities. The checkpoint requirements for this section include ensuring valid markup (Checkpoint 2.1) and using formats that have been formulated to enable accessible content (Checkpoint 2.2).

ATAG Checkpoint 2.1: Ensure that markup which the tool automatically generates is valid for the language the tool is generating. [Priority 1]

Techniques for Success Criteria 1: All markup strings written automatically by the tool (i.e. not authored "by hand") must conform to the applicable markup language specification.
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Content tools technique Programming tools technique Technique 2.1.1: Ensure that the markup produced by the tool, in any of its supported languages, is valid.
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Content tools technique Technique 2.1.2: Publish proprietary language specifications or DTD's on the Web, to allow documents to be validated.
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Content tools technique Technique 2.1.3: Use namespaces and schemas to make documents that can be automatically transformed to a known markup language.
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Content tools technique Technique 2.1.4: 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.). @@New technique made from ATAG1 2.3@@
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Content tools technique Technique 2.1.5: If the tool produces inaccessible markup, whether it is valid or not, see the checking Techniques for ATAG checkpoint 5.1. @@New technique made from ATAG1 2.3@

 

ATAG Checkpoint 2.2: Give priority to formats that enable the creation of WCAG-conformant content. [Priority 2]

Techniques for Success Criteria 1: In order to give priority to a format, [@@] that format must have a published techniques document for meeting each WCAG checkpoint.
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Content tools technique Programming tools technique Technique 2.2.1: 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.
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Content tools technique Programming tools technique Technique 2.2.2: 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.
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Content tools technique Programming tools technique Technique 2.2.3: 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.
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Content tools technique Programming tools technique Technique 2.2.4: 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.
  Technique 2.2.5: Consult the following references:

 


Support accessible authoring practices.

ATAG checkpoint 2.3: Ensure that the author can produce accessible content in the markup language(s) supported by the tool. [Priority 1]

Techniques for Success Criteria 1: Tools must always meet at least one of the following: (1) generate accessible content automatically, (2) provide a method for authoring "by hand", (3) provide the author with accessible options for every authoring task.
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Content tools technique Programming tools technique Conversion tools technique Technique 2.3.1: Ensure the tool supports all the structural features of the supported languages.
Markup tools technique Technique 2.3.2: Allow the author to directly edit the source markup (so knowledgeable authors can ensure accessible content).
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Content tools technique Technique 2.3.3: When an extended (superset) or simplified (subset) markup language is supported, ensure that the accessibility features in the base language are still available.
Multimedia tools technique Technique 2.3.4: Allow the addition of equivalent alternatives for all supported image formats that allow text content, including PNG, SVG, WebCGM, JPEG, and GIF.
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Content tools technique Conversion tools technique Technique 2.3.5: 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. @@new category and T####@@ @@CMN Proposal@@ [@@I think this should be more like - add metadata to the object providing Dublin Core type, format, title and description metadata - Liddy@@@ ]
  Technique 2.3.6: Notify the author,@@@no comma here, I think@@@if a given output format is not accessible (so they can decide to use a different format). [T0401] @@new category and T####@@ @@CMN Proposal@@
  Technique 2.3.7: Consult the following references:

 

ATAG checkpoint 2.4: Ensure that the tool preserves all accessibility information during transformations, and conversions. [Priority 1]

Techniques for Success Criteria 1: During all transformations and conversions, any accessibility information must be preserved, unless prevented by limitations of the target format.
Content tools technique Technique 2.4.1: This checkpoint covers systems that digest ingest?@@documents and reconstitute them in standardized formats. @@new category and T####@@ @@F2F Proposal@@
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Programming tools technique Technique 2.4.2: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 [@@what does 'view' mean here?@@] or preview mode.
Conversion tools technique Technique 2.4.3:Allow authors to edit document conversion templates to specify the way presentation conventions should be converted into structural markup. @@from ATAG1 4.3@@
Conversion tools technique Technique 2.4.4: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.
  • When importing images with associated descriptions into a markup document, make the descriptions available through appropriate markup.
  • 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.
  • When converting linked elements (i.e. footnotes, endnotes, call-outs, annotations, references, etc.) provide them as inline content or maintain two-way linking.
  • 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.).
  • When generating a natural language translation of text, produce the simplest and clearest possible @@version of the text-Liddy@@ use of the new language. @@new category and T####@@ @@CMN Proposal-LN believes this needs more clarification@@
Techniques for Success Criteria 2: When accessibility information cannot be preserved during a conversion or transformation, the author must notified beforehand.
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Programming tools technique Content tools technique Conversion tools technique Technique 2.4.5: Allow the author to decide whether or not to preserve unrecognized markup (since it might be related to accessibility). @@from ATAG1 4.3@@
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Programming tools technique Content tools technique Conversion tools technique Technique 2.4.6:If markup that is not recognized by the tool needs changing (for example, a tool that requires valid markup when a document is opened), inform the author of the changes[@@]. @@from ATAG1 4.3@@
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Programming tools technique Content tools technique Conversion tools technique Technique 2.4.7:Provide options for the author to confirm or override removal of markup either [@@]on a change-by-change basis or as a batch process. @@from ATAG1 4.3@@
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Programming tools technique Content tools technique Conversion tools technique Technique 2.4.8:Do not change the DTD without notifying the author. @@from ATAG1 4.3@@
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Programming tools technique Content tools technique Conversion tools technique Technique 2.4.9: Consider providing the author with explanations of automatic changes made by the tool[@@]. @@new category and T####@@ @@F2F Proposal@@
Conversion tools technique Technique 2.4.10:Ensure that changes to a document's graphical layout do not reduce readability when the document is [@@] rendered serially. For example, confirm the linearized reading order with the author.

 

ATAG Checkpoint 2.5: Ensure that when the tool automatically generates markup it conforms to WCAG. [Relative Priority]

Techniques for Success Criteria 1: All markup strings written automatically by the tool (i.e. not authored "by hand") must conform to WCAG.
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Content tools technique Programming tools technique Conversion tools technique Technique 2.5.1: Ensure that when the tool automatically generates content and markup @@Does this cover content other than tagging?-Liddy@@ (e.g. the author has not specifically specified the markup to be used), that markup conforms to the relevant WCAG checkpoints. These include checkpoints that involve the inclusion of equivalent alternative information. See restrictions on automatically generating equivalent alternatives and the techniques for prompting guidance :

 

ATAG Checkpoint 2.6 : Ensure that all pre-authored content for the tool conforms to WCAG. [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 Success Criteria 1: Any Web content (e.g. templates, clip art, multimedia objects, scripts, applets, example pages, etc.) preferentially licensed (i.e. better terms of use for users of tool than for others) for users of the tool, must conform to WCAG.
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Content tools technique Programming tools technique Technique 2.6.1: 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]
Markup tools technique Content tools technique Technique 2.6.2: Provide pre-authored content in formats that allow for accessible annotation to be included in the files, such as SMIL, PNG, and SVG. @@new category and T####@@
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Content tools technique Programming tools technique Technique 2.6.3: Ensure that all pre-authored content provided by the tool conforms [@@] to the relevant WCAG checkpoints :
  Technique 2.6.4: Make use of accessible templates.

Examples: Template 1: Home page, Template 2: News and events page, Template 3: About page, Stylesheet: Used by sample templates

 

ATAG Checkpoint 2.7 : Allow the author to preserve markup not recognized by the tool. [Priority 2]

[@@removed]

Techniques for Success Criteria 1: When unrecognized markup (e.g. external entity, unrecognized element or attribute name) is detected, the tool must query the author for consent to modify the markup. If the author refuses, and the markup cannot be processed, the tool must refuse to open the markup for editing.
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Content tools technique Programming tools technique Technique 2.7.1: If possible, preserve all unrecognized markup, since it might be related to accessibility (See Techniques for ATAG Checkpoint 3.2).
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Content tools technique Programming tools technique Technique 2.7.2: Inform the author 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).
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Content tools technique Programming tools technique Technique 2.7.3: Provide options for the author to confirm or override removal of markup on a change-by-change basis or as a batch process.
Markup tools technique Multimedia tools technique Content tools technique Programming tools technique Technique 2.7.4: Do not change the DTD without notifying the author.

 


Contents | Guideline 1 | Guideline 2 | Guideline 3 | Guideline 4 | Glossary | References