Here is the latest news from Microsoft about a new version of the MS
Internet Explorer which is supposed to incorporate accessibility
functions. As you can see, although they are aware of the problems, and
the solutions to them, they have yet to implement them in full. I give
them credit for trying, remember they only started trying to make this
accessible in the third quarter of last year.
Jim Rebman <jrebman@netcom.com>
Forwarded message:
> From owner-easi@SJUVM.STJOHNS.EDU Thu May 30 17:31:13 1996
> X-Mailer: Microsoft Exchange Server Internet Mail Connector Version 4.0.838.14
> Encoding: 110 TEXT
> Message-ID: <c=US%a=_%p=msft%l=RED-22-MSG-960530232728Z-5552@abash1.microsoft.com>
> Date: Thu, 30 May 1996 16:27:28 -0700
> Reply-To: "EASI: Equal Access to Software and Information"
> <EASI@SJUVM.STJOHNS.EDU>
> Sender: "EASI: Equal Access to Software and Information"
> <EASI@SJUVM.STJOHNS.EDU>
> From: Chris Serflek <t-chrise@MICROSOFT.COM>
> Subject: Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 Beta 1 is released!!
> To: Multiple recipients of list EASI <EASI@SJUVM.STJOHNS.EDU>
>
> 30 May 1996
>
> Greetings,
>
> Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Windows Accessibility teams have been
> working hard to make Internet Explorer 3.0 an accessible World Wide Web
> (WWW) browser. Here is your chance to help us make it even better!
>
> You can download Windows 95 and Windows NT versions of Microsoft
> Internet Explorer 3.0 Beta 1 from the following FTP locations:
>
> The Windows 95 download URL is:
>
> ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/msdownload/ie3b/msie30b1.exe
> (This is a 2,865K self-extracting executable file.)
>
> The Windows NT 4.0 Beta 2 download URL is:
>
> ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/msdownload/ie3b/ntie30b1.exe
> (This is a 2,499K self-extracting executable file.)
>
> Please note that the Windows 95 version only works with Windows 95, and
> will not work with Windows 3.x. The Windows NT version only works with
> Beta 2 of Windows NT 4.0 and will not work with any earlier version.
> There will be Windows 3.x and Macintosh versions of Microsoft Internet
> Explorer 3.0 at a later time.
>
> In order to help us create the highest quality and most accessible
> product, we need your specific feedback on the accessibility features
> that are implemented and enhancements you would like to be considered.
> To send us feedback on the accessibility features of Microsoft Internet
> Explorer 3.0 Beta 1, please email the following address:
>
> abletech@microsoft.com
>
> We are in the process of setting up a public newsgroup for discussions
> on the accessibility of the Microsoft Internet Explorer. When that is
> ready, we will post an announcement.
>
> Please note that all feedback will be considered, however we cannot
> promise implementation or a personal reply. Future versions of
> Microsoft Internet Explorer are in the planning stages and your feedback
> is important.
>
> ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES OF MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER 3.0
>
> TAB Navigation: Pressing the TAB key allows keyboard navigators to
> quickly jump sequentially through a series of hyperlinks, forms,
> client-side image maps, frames, and ActiveX controls. Pressing
> SHIFT+TAB moves the focus in reverse. The order of presentation is
> determined by the HTML source.
>
> Frames: Move forward through frames via CTRL+TAB and backwards via
> SHIFT+CTRL+TAB. The order is determined by the FRAME tags position in
> the HTML document. This feature is currently not working in Beta 1.
>
> ALT Text: The HTML ALT tag allows HTML authors to provide a text
> description to act as an alternative to an image. The display of ALT
> text has been improved to accommodate large amounts of text and large
> text sizes. When a blind or visual impaired person is using a screen
> reader, Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 repositions ALT text to be
> easily read. Portions of this feature are still being worked on and are
> not fully implemented in Beta 1.
>
> Extra-Large Font Size: The current range of font sizes is inadequate
> for users with vision impairments. Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0
> supports an Extra-Large setting. This feature is not yet implemented in
> Beta 1.
>
> High Contrast Display: Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 cooperates and
> respects a High Contrast setting for low-vision users by turning off the
> Internet Toolbar graphic, removing background graphics and other methods
> to improve the readability of the page. This feature is not yet
> implemented in Beta 1.
>
> ALT Text in Property Sheets: If images are displayed, ALT text can
> still be viewed. When a user positions the mouse pointer over an image
> with an ALT tag, a tooltip window is displayed with the text of the ALT
> tag. Over an image hyperlink with focus, press SHIFT+10 or right click
> then select Properties. Not fully implemented in Beta 1.
>
> For more information on the accessibility features of Microsoft Internet
> Explorer 3.0 please browse to the following URL:
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/ie/access/
>
> For more information all the features of the Microsoft Internet Explorer
> 3.0, please browse to the IE Home Page at the following URL:
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/ie/
>
> Please note that IE Home Page uses frames and is currently inaccessible
> via keyboard users without the aid of mouse pointer to give a frame
> focus. This is a known bug and will be resolved for Beta 2 due out
> within a few weeks. In the meantime, we are working on alternatives to
> the IE Home Page.
>
> Please visit Microsoft's accessibility WWW site:
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/windows/enable/
>
> Please email abletech@microsoft.com with your bug reports and
> suggestions.
>
> Thank you,
>
> The Internet Explorer team and the Windows Accessibility Group
>
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