Comment Response 20 March 2015

UAWG sent out requests for acceptance of the UAAG changes based on comments on the 25 September 2014 working draft (which was meant to be a stabilization draft for comments from the Last Call WD of 7 November 2013). The requests for accepting the comments spawned new comments which are being tracked on this page.

Comments from Shawn 20 March 2015

From the [email] to UAWG in response to UAWG's request for her approval of changes as a result of her previous comments. This page has been edited to remove extraneous information from past email threads.

1. SLH: [in response to SH01]
   • I note 1.4.1 says:
     • Line spacing, choosing from a range with at least three values up to at least 2 times the default
     • Text style, choosing to turn on/off underline, italic, bold
   • and 1.4.2 says:
     • Line spacing, choosing from a range with at least three values
     • Text style (underline, italic, bold)
   • Should these be the same or is there a reason that they are different?
   • UAWG agreed to standardize on 1.4.1 wording.
2. SLH: [minor] "When it comes to magnification, size, or spacing, the optimum value for a given user would vary based on their visual impairment..." limits users who need this to people with visual impairment; however, many people with cognitive impairments also need uncommon text size and spacing especially. An idea to make it more broadly encompassing and simple is to replace the first sentence with: "Users have varying needs for text size and spacing."
   • UAWG agrees.
   • Proposal for UAWG response
3. SLH: [in response to SH02] I agree that most UAs today provide zoom at any increment - yeah! I do still think it is *very important that the standard include what users need*, even if it is already implemented in today's UAs -- to ensure that it is included in future UAs.
   • (fyi, A common UA today provides the following zoom options in its interface: 10, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 2400, 3200, 6400. So between 150% and 400% --probably the most commonly-needed range-- there is only one option: 200%, which leaves out a lot of users' needs.)
   • UAWG agreed to add the following sentence to the Intent of 1.8.5: "The commonly needed range is between 150-400%. A user agent could provide 6 steps in that range, or let the user set their own exact percentage.".
4. SLH: [in response to SH06] In the latest Editor's draft, I am still not able to find the following for element-level:
   • Margins
   • Borders
     • (fyi, These seem to be commonly-used ways to help indicate different heading levels by advanced user stylesheet users, e.g., see <http://www.tader.info/ex-displays.html>)
   • UAWG moved Margins to 1.4.3 and Borders to 1.4.6
   • [SLH 9 April] 1.4.3 and 1.4.6 are global. Most of the use of borders especially and also margins that I've seen has been needed at the element level.
5. I will send a separate e-mail on a new issue that I see from the recent changes in the latest draft.

New comment from Shawn on 1 April 2015

Previous version had:

"1.8.7 Reflow Text: The user can specify that text content in a graphical top-level viewport reflows so the text forms a single column that fits within the width of the viewport. (Level A) Note 1: Reflow applies even when text is rescaled or zoomed."

...

"Current Editor's Draft has:

"1.8.13 Multi-Column Text Reflow: The user can specify that recognized multi-column text blocks each be reflowed into a single column. (Level AA)

Note: Some layouts may become unusable if author-specified layout is overridden. In this case, the user can turn linearization off and try another strategy. It is recommended that user agents provide a convenient way for the user to turn this behavior on and off.

1.8.14 Ignore Fixed Unit Dimensions: The user can have the user agent override author-specified unit dimensions. (Level AA)

1.8.15 Linearize Content: The user can have recognized content rendered as a single column, overriding author-specified formatting of columns, tables, and positioning. (Level AA)

Note: Some layouts may become unusable if author-specified layout is overridden. In this case, the user can turn linearization off and try another strategy. It is recommended that user agents provide a convenient way for the user to turn this behavior on and off."

...

It seems the idea of "text... fits within the width of the viewport" is missing. Is this supposed to be covered in 1.8.14? If so, can you add that wording, e.g,. "The user can have the user agent override author-specified unit dimensions, so the text fits within the width of the viewport." ?

UAWG split the original 1.8.7 because it was too broad for testing. The 3 success criteria work together to provide the functionality of the old 1.8.7. UAWG noted that specific callout of horizontal scrolling was dropped as a result of the split and added a sentence to the Intent of 1.8.13-15 "SC 1.8.13 through 1.8.15 work together to allow users to work with enlarged text without having to scroll horizontally"

Follow up comment from Joseph from 1 April 2015

4.1.6

I would make changing states/values level A.
Consider any interactive UI such as a combobox, or a slider, or a live region. Surely it's a basic (level A) requirement that if the value of slider changes, or if a chat log changes (live region), then the AT is notified. Accessibility APIs support a whole raft of accessibility events. They don't just store role, states, and properties; they also send out notifications whenever these change. Here are links to changes supported by a11y API event systems:

http://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-implementation/#focus_state_event_table

http://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-implementation/#mapping_events_state-change

http://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-implementation/#mapping_events_visibility

http://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-implementation/#mapping_events_selection

http://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-implementation/#mapping_events_menus

http://w3c.github.io/aria/accname-aam/accname-aam.html#events (this one is pending).

Any UA that has a complete implementation of some a11y API service MUST have implemented the event model thereof. Of course, it's up the AT to decide which events it wants to pay attention to, but these 4.1.x rules apply to the UA.

UAWG agreed and moved the notification to 4.1.2 which is level A.

Comment from Shawn on 9 April, 2015

Shawn's Email shawn: 1.4.3 and 1.4.6 are *global*. Most of the use of borders especially and also margins that I've seen has been needed at the *element* level." UAWG agreed to add borders and margins to 1.4.2 which is by element.