Web Content Accessibility Guideines WG Meeting

18 November, 1999
4:00 - 5:00 PM EDT
Longfellow Bridge: (617-252-1038)

Attendees

Charles McCN
Phill Jenkins
Wendy Chisholm
Jason White

Regrets:

Gregg Vanderheiden
Check Letourneau
Ian Jacobs

Agenda

Reports on action items from last meeting.
Charter

Reports on action items from last meeting.

ij: restructure techniques. but won't happen until UA goes to last call. either end of october, or mid-november.
Status: Not done. Will work with Wendy + Charles - hope to release it
cmn: work on techniques once it is re structured.
Status: Not done.
Editors need to fix examples of the use of null alt-text and spaces in alt-text.
WC: Not easy while no consensus. Coming to it...

PJ When I have a space and I have a visual browser it pops up a blank tooltip, unlike when ther is a null alt. I'll post to list.

WC Maybe we should leave it to authors. Problem is that ER group wants to know what to check for.

PJ And developers don't know what to put into tools.
CMN find out which user agents do not separate links with a space or which ATs read links together. Status: test case posted, some results are in.
PJ Someone put a break element(<br>) in the middle of a link as a test case. HPR reads it as one, but it looks like two characters
WC: See how XML is handling whitespace. If they are not, get them thinking about it. Status: done.
Action Charles: Create a schema for conformance (with Dan Brickley).
CMN There is a PICS schema that Daniel Dardailler created. I would like to work on a checkpoint by checkpoint schema (since that would also be useful for AU to check relative priority checkpoints)

WC Have you seen Schematron?

CMN Yes, but I have used a different artchitecture (RDF, instead of XSLTs) for my complex version. I will send reference to PICS scheme - I suggest people use that for now.
Action Editors (and announce results to list).
1. Clarify in errata that 11.2 says "avoid" and that in some cases it may not be possible to avoid.
2. In techniques, add MAP as a means to identify navigations structures. Adopt Wendy's proposal to use icons, etc.
3. Resurrect how 11.1 serves as an umbrella for the other checkpoints.
Not done yet
Action Wendy: Clean up the open issues list.
Not done yet
Action Wendy: Add to erratum /techniques that for raster-based, absolute dimensions ok. For scalable vector graphics percentages may be useful.
Note sent to GL list today to confirm consensus
Action Editors: Add to erratum that the Note after 10.2 only applies to text controls (not checkboxes or radio controls).
Action Chuck: Draft a first draft of report with Gregg by next Wednesday.

Charter

WC Have people looked at the "wish list? People should also look at UA charter, and I would like to make the process of how we work clearer. I would like to release monthly drafts, and want to find ways to get people more involved.

CMN I have got some potential contacts in the deafness community. They are unlikely to enjoy teleconferences. IRC may be an option

JW I haven't used it, but I have used talk and found it difficult

WC IRC is probably better than talk

CMN There is an emacs IRC client - we should look at using it.

WC WebCT has worked with University of Toronto to make accessible chat

JW I noly have Unix system

WC We should look for more developers, better variety of disabilities, XML, RDF, etc

JW In looking at XML it is easy to say that it must be possible to satisfy WCAG in any new XML language (although that would need some refinement).

WC That's an interesting idea. I wonder if we should schedule face 2 face with PF so we can get together and get crossover. I think Techniques are becoming outdated because they are so focussed on HTML

JW I think you'll find most PF participants are in this working group already.

WC Does all the information flow between the two groups?

JW I think it tends to unless there is mewmber-confidential work being done by PF.

WC e.g. all the work on SVG

CMN I'll post the reference tonight *grin*

WC We have had a problem getting flow from PF into the techniques document.

CMN It is unclear how the techniques document is updated.

WC We need people involved for editing.

PJ Is there a public mailing list, or can I write to the website, or how is it organised?

CMN It is possible to give write access to the document, but it is generated by some tools.

PJ Is this in the charter?

WC No, but I would like to put some of it there. I would like to use ETA (A W3C tracking tool) to maintain the open issue list. (for example)

JW improving the system for maintaing the issues list would help

WC I would like to get a lot more of the work happening on the list too.

/* discussion of process. For Process details see the Process Document.

JW Should we write a requirements document?

WC Yes, that makes sense.

CMN There is a balance to strike between writing clearly what we are doing and spending too much time talking about talking.