W3C

User Agent Implementation Report

12 January 2000

This version:
http://www.w3.org/WAI/UA/2000/01/wai-ua-conformance-20000110
Previous version:
none
Editor
Jon Gunderson, UIUC

Abstract

This report documents the implementation of accessibility features outlined by the W3C WAI User Agent Guidelines by currently available technologies. The report documents the viability of implementing the checkpoints by demonstrating that existing technologies already support the features required to satisfy the requirements of a particular checkpoint.

Status of this Document

This document does not represent consensus of the User Agent Accessibility Guidelines Working Group.

The Working Group intends to make this a support document for the User Agent Accessibility Guidelines as the guidelines advance to Recommendation.

Table of Contents


Introduction

The purpose of this report is to demonstrate that the requirements specified in the guidelines can be implemented in existing and future user agents. The implementation examples indicate a checkpoint has already been fully or partically implemented by some type of user agent. There is no implied or presumed endorsement of one type of implementation or another type of implementation by reference in this document. Inclusion serves only as an example to developers of the viability of satisfying the requirements of a checkpoint. For checkpoints with no known implementation examples the User Agent Techniques Document provides potential solutions and ideas to developers.

Checkpoints that Require Developer Information

The following checkpoints are difficult or potentially impossible for anyone other than the developer to fully verify that the user agent satisfies the requirements of a particular checkpoint. Detailed knowledge of the user agent functionality and the operating system APIs and resources used to implement a feature is typically needed to test these checkpoints. People other than developers maybe able to verify compliance through interaction with native features of the user interface and compatibility testing with assistive technology. But in these cases the person may not have knowledge of all the functionalities of the user agent or be able to test with all assistive technologies. In the case of assistive technologies it may not be clear if the detected problems reside in the user agent using appropriate interfaces to export information or the assistive technology not taking advantage of information that the user agent is making available.

Note: The implementation examples here are not an exhaustive list, but represent user agents known to the working group

Checkpoint 1.1 Ensure that every functionality offered through the user interface is available through every input device API used by the user agent. User agents are not required to reimplement low-level functionalities (e.g., for character input or pointer motion) that are inherently bound to a particular API and most naturally accomplished with that API. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 1.1
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows provide extensive keyboard and mouse support, but do not fully satisfy for all functionalities
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-WIndows provide extensive keyboard and mouse support, but do not fully satisfy for all functionalities
1.2 Use the standard input and output device APIs of the operating system. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 1.2
Implementation Examples:
no information at this time
1.3 Ensure that the user can interact with all active elements in a device-independent manner. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 1.3
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows: links and form controls
Netscape Navigator 4.x for MS-Windows: links and form controls
Operasoft Opera 3.6 for MS-Windows: links and form controls
No known native support for device independent access to elements that can respond to scripting events.
1.4 Ensure that every functionality offered through the user interface is available through the standard keyboard API. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 1.4
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows provide extensive keyboard support, but do not fully satisfy for all functionalities
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-WIndows provide extensive keyboard support, but do not fully satisfy for all functionalities
1.5 Ensure that all messages to the user (e.g., informational messages, warnings, errors, etc.) are available through all output device APIs used by the user agent. Do not bypass the standard output APIs when rendering information (e.g., for reasons of speed, efficiency, etc.). [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 1.5
Implementation Examples:
no information at this time
2.1 Ensure that the user has access to all content, including alternative equivalents for content. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 2.1
Implementation Information:
Operasoft Opera claims to fully implement HTML 4.0, but does not implment accesskeys and not clear if all attribute information is available to users
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 provides access to some element attributes through context menus (TITLE attribute used for tooltops)
5.1 Provide programmatic read and write access to content by conforming to W3C Document Object Model ( DOM) specifications and exporting interfaces defined by those specifications. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 5.1
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows provides access to the DOM through a COM interface, not verified that DOM is fully W3C compliant
5.2 Provide programmatic read and write access to user agent user interface controls using standard APIs (e.g., platform-independent APIs, standard APIs for the operating system, and conventions for programming languages, plug-ins, virtual machine environments, etc.) [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 5.2
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows provides access through support of active accessibility
5.3 Implement selection, content focus, and user interface focus mechanisms and make them available to users and through APIs. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 5.3
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows provides access through support of active accessibility
5.4 Provide programmatic notification of changes to content and user interface controls (including selection, content focus, and user interface focus). [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 5.4
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows provides access through support of active accessibility
5.5 Ensure that programmatic exchanges proceed in a timely manner. [Priority 2]
Techniques for checkpoint 5.5
Implementation Examples:
Rob Relay provided this information on timely access to the DOM for IE 5.0: http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q179/2/30.asp
6.1 Implement the accessibility features of supported specifications (markup languages, style sheet languages, metadata languages, graphics formats, etc.). [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 6.1
Implementation Examples:
none at this time
6.2 Conform to W3C specifications when they are appropriate for a task. [Priority 2]
Techniques for checkpoint 6.2
Implementation Examples:
none at this time
9.1 Provide information about user agent-initiated content and viewport changes through the user interface and through APIs [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 9.1
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows for graphical rendering and to assistive technologies through active accessibility
Netscape Navigator 4.x for MS-Windows for graphical rendering
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows for graphical rendering
11.1 Provide a version of the product documentation that conforms to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 11.1
Implementation Examples:
11.2 Document all user agent features that promote accessibility. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 11.2
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
11.3 Document the default input configuration (e.g., default keyboard bindings). [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 11.3
Implementation Examples:
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
Lynx for UNIX
pwWebSpeak
11.4 In a dedicated section, document all features of the user agent that promote accessibility. [Priority 2]
Techniques for checkpoint 11.4
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows

Checkpoints that do not Require Developer Information

The implementation of the following checkpoints should be verifiable by any user of the user agent by observation of its native behaviors and rendering of information. The user may need to configure the user agent to render some types of information. Some types of information may only be available through user actions to ask for additional information about an element or document (i.e. through a context menu option or tooltips function).

Note: The implementation examples here are not an exhaustive list, but represent user agents known to the working group

2.2 For presentations that require user interaction within a specified time interval, allow the user to control the time interval (e.g., by allowing the user to pause and restart the presentation, to slow it down, etc.). [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 2.2
Implementation Examples:
none at this time
2.3 When no text equivalent has been supplied for an object, make available author-supplied information to help identify the object (e.g., object type, file name, etc.). [Priority 2]
Techniques for checkpoint 2.3
Implementation Examples:
LYNX browser renders the text IMAGE when no alternative text is available for an IMG element.
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows renders the text IMAGE when no alternative text is available for an IMG element.
2.4 When a text equivalent for content is explicitly empty (i.e., an empty string), render nothing. [Priority 3]
Techniques for checkpoint 2.4
Implementation Examples:
none at this time
2.5 If more than one alternative equivalent is available for content, allow the user to choose from among the alternatives. This includes the choice of viewing no alternatives. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 2.5
Implementation Examples:
Real Player G2 supports user selection of language
2.6 Allow the user to specify that captions and auditory descriptions be rendered at the same time as the associated auditory and visual tracks. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 2.6
Implementation Examples:
Real Player G2
Microsoft Media Player
2.7 For author-identified but unsupported natural languages, allow the user to request notification of language changes in content. [Priority 3]
Techniques for checkpoint 2.7
Implementation Examples:
none at this time
3.1 Allow the user to turn on and off rendering of background images. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 3.1
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows
Netscape Navigator 4.x for MS-Windows
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
3.2 Allow the user to turn on and off rendering of background audio. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 3.2
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
3.3 Allow the user to turn on and off rendering of video. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 3.3
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
3.4 Allow the user to turn on and off rendering of audio. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 3.4
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
3.5 Allow the user to turn on and off animated or blinking text. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 3.5
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows does not recognize proprietary markup for blinking text content and does allow the user to turn off scripts that could be blinking text
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows does not recognize proprietary markup for blinking text content and does allow the user to turn off scripts and style sheets that could cause text to be animated
3.6 Allow the user to turn on and off animations and blinking images. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 3.6
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
3.7 Allow the user to turn on and off support for scripts and applets. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 3.7
Implementation Examples:
Netscape Navigator 4.x for MS-Windows
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
3.8 Allow the user to turn on and off rendering of images. [Priority 3]
Techniques for checkpoint 3.8
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows
Netscape Navigator 4.x for MS-Windows
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
3.9 For automatic content changes specified by the author (e.g., content refresh and page forwards), allow the user to slow the rate of change. [Priority 3]
Techniques for checkpoint 3.9
Implementation Examples:
none at this time
4.1 Allow the user to control font family. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 4.1
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows
Netscape Navigator 4.x for MS-Windows
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
pwWebSpeak 2.5 for MS-Windows
4.2 Allow the user to control the size of text. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 4.2
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows
Netscape Navigator 4.x for MS-Windows
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
pwWebSpeak 2.5 for MS-Windows
4.3 Allow the user to control foreground color. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 4.3
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows
Netscape Navigator 4.x for MS-Windows
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
pwWebSpeak 2.5 for MS-Windows
4.4 Allow the user to control background color. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 4.4
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows
Netscape Navigator 4.x for MS-Windows
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
pwWebSpeak 2.5 for MS-Windows
4.5 Allow the user to slow the presentation rate of audio, video, and animations. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 4.5
Implementation Examples:
none at this time
4.6 Allow the user to start, stop, pause, advance, and rewind audio, video, and animations. [Priority 2]
Techniques for checkpoint 4.6
Implementation Examples:
Real Player G2
Microsoft Media Player
4.7 Allow the user to control the audio volume. [Priority 2]
Techniques for checkpoint 4.7
Implementation Examples:
Real Player G2
Microsoft Media Player
4.8 Allow the user to control the position of captions on graphical displays. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 4.8
Implementation Examples:
none at this time
4.9 Allow the user to control synthesized speech playback rate. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 4.9
Implementation Examples:
Henter-Joyce Jaws 3.31 for MS-Windows
GW-Micro WIndoweyes 3.0 for MS-Windows
AI-Squared Zoomtext 7.0 Level 2 for MS-WIndows
4.10 Allow the user to control synthesized speech volume. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 4.10
Implementation Examples:
Henter-Joyce Jaws 3.31 for MS-Windows
GW-Micro WIndoweyes 3.0 for MS-Windows
AI-Squared Zoomtext 7.0 Level 2 for MS-WIndows
4.11 Allow the user to control synthesized speech pitch, gender, and other articulation characteristics. [Priority 2]
Techniques for checkpoint 4.11
Implementation Examples:
Henter-Joyce Jaws 3.31 for MS-Windows
GW-Micro WIndoweyes 3.0 for MS-Windows
AI-Squared Zoomtext 7.0 Level 2 for MS-WIndows
4.12 Allow the user to select from available author and user style sheets or ignore them. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 4.12
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows
Operasoft 3.60 for MS-Windows
4.13 Allow the user to control how the selection is highlighted (e.g., foreground and background color). [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 4.13
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows allows inherits Windows 9x setting for highlight which can be set by the user
4.14 Allow the user to control how the content focus is highlighted (e.g., foreground and background color). [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 4.14
Implementation Examples:
Operasoft 3.60 for MS-Windows
4.15 Allow the user to control user agent-initiated spawned viewports. [Priority 2]
Techniques for checkpoint 4.15
Implementation Examples:
non at this time
5.6 Follow operating system conventions and accessibility settings. In particular, follow conventions for user interface design, default keyboard configuration, product installation, and documentation. [Priority 2]
Refer also to checkpoint 10.5.
Techniques for checkpoint 5.6
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows inherits Windows 9x system and accessibility settings
7.1 Allow the user to navigate viewports (including frames). [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 7.1
Implementation Examples:
Lynx for UNIX for frames
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows for frames
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows for frames
7.2 For user agents that offer a browsing history mechanism, when the user returns to a previous viewport, restore the point of regard in the viewport. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 7.2
Implementation Examples:
Lynx for UNIX for frames
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows for frames
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows for frames
7.3 Allow the user to navigate all active elements. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 7.3
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows for only links and form controls
Netscape Navigator 4.x for MS-Windows for only links and form controls
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows for only links and form controls
7.4 Allow the user to navigate just among all active elements. [Priority 2]
Techniques for checkpoint 7.4
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows for only links and form controls
Netscape Navigator 4.x for MS-Windows for only links and form controls
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows for only links and form controls
7.5 Allow the user to search for rendered text content, including text equivalents of visual and auditory content. [Priority 2]
Techniques for checkpoint 7.5
Implementation Examples:
Productivity Works pwWebSpeak 2.5 for MS-Windows will search alternative text
Most user agents do not include searching alternative text in their search functions
7.6 Allow the user to navigate according to structure. [Priority 2]
Techniques for checkpoint 7.6
Implementation Examples:
W3C Amaya for MS-WIndows
7.7 Allow the user to configure structured navigation. [Priority 3]
Techniques for checkpoint 7.7
Implementation Examples:
none at this time
8.1 Convey the author-specified purpose of each table and the relationships among the table cells and headers. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 8.1
Implementation Examples:
Henter-Joyce JFW 3.5 with Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows for table header information
8.2 Indicate whether a link has been marked up to indicate that following it will involve a fee. [Priority 2]
Techniques for checkpoint 8.2
Implementation Examples:
none at this time
8.3 Provide information to help the user decide whether to follow a link. [Priority 3]
Techniques for checkpoint 8.3
Implementation Examples:
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
8.4 Provide a mechanism for highlighting and identifying (through a standard interface where available) the current viewport, selection, and content focus. [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 8.4
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows
Netscape Navigator 4.x for MS-Windows
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
8.5 Provide a "outline" view of content, built from structural elements (e.g., frames, headers, lists, forms, tables, etc.) [Priority 2]
Techniques for checkpoint 8.5
Implementation Examples:
W3C Amaya for MS-Windows
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows with style sheets
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows with style sheets
8.6 Allow the user to configure the outline view. [Priority 3]
Techniques for checkpoint 8.6
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows with style sheets
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows with style sheets
8.7 Allow the user to configure what information about links to present. [Priority 3]
Techniques for checkpoint 8.7
Implementation Examples:
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
8.8 Provide a mechanism for highlighting and identifying (through a standard interface where available) active elements. [Priority 3]
Techniques for checkpoint 8.8
Implementation Examples:
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows allows for controlling link styles
none at this type for elements that can respond to scripting events
9.2 Ensure that when the selection or content focus changes, it is in a viewport after the change. [Priority 2]
Techniques for checkpoint 9.2
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows
Netscape Navigator 4.x for MS-Windows
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
9.3 Prompt the user to confirm any form submission triggered indirectly, that is by any means other than the user activating an explicit form submit control. [Priority 2]
Techniques for checkpoint 9.3
Implementation Examples:
none at this time
9.4 Allow the user to configure notification preferences for common types of content and viewport changes. [Priority 3]
Techniques for checkpoint 9.4
Implementation Examples:
none at this time
9.5 When loading content (e.g., document, video clip, audio clip, etc.) indicate what portion of the content has loaded and whether loading has stalled. [Priority 3]
Techniques for checkpoint 9.5
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows
Netscape Navigator 4.x for MS-Windows
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
9.6 Indicate the relative position of the viewport in content (e.g., the percentage of an audio or video clip that has been played, the percentage of a Web page that has been viewed, etc.). [Priority 3]
Techniques for checkpoint 9.6
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows
Netscape Navigator 4.x for MS-Windows
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
RealPlayer G2
Microsoft Media Player
10.1 Provide information directly to the user and through APIs about current user preferences for input configurations (e.g., keyboard or voice bindings). [Priority 1]
Techniques for checkpoint 10.1
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Word for Windows 97 (not a WWW browser, but demonstrates concept)
10.2 Provide information directly to the user and through APIs about current author-specified input configurations (e.g., keyboard bindings specified in content such as by "accesskey" in HTML 4.0). [Priority 2]
Techniques for checkpoint 10.2
Implementation Examples:
none at this time
10.3 Allow the user to change and control the input configuration. Allow the user to configure the user agent so that some functionalities may be activated with a single command (e.g., single key, single voice command, etc.). [Priority 2]
Techniques for checkpoint 10.3
Implementation Examples:
none at this time can do this natively
10.4 Use operating system conventions to indicate the input configuration. [Priority 2]
Techniques for checkpoint 10.4
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows
Netscape Navigator 4.x for MS-Windows
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
10.5 Avoid default input configurations that interfere with operating system conventions. [Priority 2]
Techniques for checkpoint 10.5
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows
Netscape Navigator 4.x for MS-Windows
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
10.6 Allow the user to configure the user agent in named profiles that may be shared on systems with distinct user accounts. [Priority 2]
Techniques for checkpoint 10.6
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows can for some information that can be contained in user style sheets
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows can for some information that can be contained in user style sheets
10.7 Provide default input configurations for frequently performed tasks. [Priority 3]
Techniques for checkpoint 10.7
Implementation Examples:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for MS-Windows
Operasoft Opera 3.60 for MS-Windows
10.8 Allow the user to configure the arrangement of graphical user agent user interface controls. [Priority 3]
Techniques for checkpoint 10.8
Implementation Examples:
none at this time

List of checkpoints that currently do not have examples


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