>
>Request For Comments
> >From the Open A11y Workgroup
>Linux Foundation
>June 5, 2008
>
>The Open A11y Workgroup in the Linux Foundation works to develop free
>and open standards supporting comprehensive access to information and
>user interfaces for persons with disabilities. Our standards process
>is open to interested members of industry, developer, and consumer
>communities. Obtaining public comment on our proposed standards before
>they are finalized is one of the most important steps in our process.
>Public review helps ensure our standards are relevant and complete.
>
>DETAILS:
>
>We are now requesting comment on the following specification produced
>by our IAccessible2 team. This specification is expected to become a
>Linux Foundation standard this year.
>
>IAccessible2
>HTML - http://www.linux-foundation.org/~ptbrunet/ia2/docs/html/
>IDL - http://www.linux-foundation.org/~ptbrunet/ia2/api/
>
>Overview
>
>IAccessible2 is a set of Windows accessibility interface definitions
>which complements Microsoft's earlier work on MSAA. The IAccessible2
>interfaces fill critical accessibility gaps in the MSAA offering.
>IAccessible2 is an engineered accessibility interface allowing
>application developers to leverage their investment in MSAA while also
>providing an Assistive Technology (AT) access to content in rich document
>applications and web browsers. The additional function includes support
>for rich text, tables, spreadsheets, Web 2.0 applications, and other rich
>content often found in large, complex applications.
>
>IAccessible2 is implemented by application developers to allow Assistive
>Technology, such as a screen reader used by someone who is blind, access to
>an application's components, e.g. a table in a word processor. IAccessible2
>has been implemented in applications such as IBM Lotus Symphony and Mozilla
>Firefox 3. It has also been implemented in the leading Windows screen
>readers,
>e.g. JAWS from Freedom Scientific and Window-Eyes from GW Micro.
>
>Developers of complex applications benefit because they can provide
>accessibility to complex components well beyond what is possible with MSAA.
>Application developers also benefit because screen readers already support
>applications that implement IAccessible2. IAccessible2 was a joint effort
>with
>the leading AT vendors. These vendors saw the need for an enhancement to
>MSAA and worked closely with IBM accessibility architects and engineers
>during the definition and implementation of the API.
>
>Users benefit because they have full access to complex applications such
>spread sheets in IBM Lotus Symphony and ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet
>Applications) in Firefox 3.
>
>It is also important to note that IAccessible2 has been harmonized with the
>UNIX accessibility APIs to allow for efficient multi-platform development.
>This was done through close collaboration with accessibility architects who
>have intimate knowledge of the UNIX accessibility APIs.
>
>For more information please visit the IAccessible2 web site at:
>
>http://a11y.org/ia2
>
>or equivalently
>
>http://www.linuxfoundation.org/en/Accessibility/IAccessible2
>
>HOW TO SEND FEEDBACK:
>
>You may respond through Bugzilla using the URI below, or by sending email
>to the special RFC address below. Bugzilla is our preferred method for
>receiving feedback because it automatically logs your feedback in our
>tracking system without additional human intervention. If possible, only
>use the email method if you have difficulty using Bugzilla. When using
>Bugzilla be sure to select IAccessible2 from the list of components.
>
>Bugzilla - http://bugs.linux-foundation.org/
>email - accessibility-rfc<at>a11y.org
>
>REVIEW TIME PERIOD:
>
>Please provide your comments on these draft specifications no later than
>midnight, 24:00 UTC, Monday, June 30, 2008.
>
>Please feel free to forward this announcement wherever you deem appropriate.
>
>On behalf of Open A11y, and especially the IAccessible2 team, we thank
>you for your assistance.
>
>Pete Brunet, IAccessible2 Team Chair
>brunet<at>us.ibm.com
>
>Janina Sajka, Open A11y Chair
>janina<at>a11y.Org
>
>Gregory J. Rosmaita, Open A11y Vice-Chair
>gregory<at>linux-foundation.org
David Andrews and white cane Harry.
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