[Accessibility] Sec 2b Draft -- For today's call

[Bill Haneman]

Hi all, sorry I could not attend yesterday.

I have more comments later, but for the moment I will make one...
Janina wrote, about 'Structured Navigation':
> 	12.)	Structured Navigation
> 
> It should be possible for users to navigate the user desktop, applications, 
and individual documents in a straight-forward and consistant manner,
> especially where a hierarchical organization is available. This project 
will develop an API to expose structures to user agents.

I guess I still do not understand what this item is about - or, more
precisely, how it differs from AT-SPI.  AT-SPI already exposes the
desktop, applications, and document content in a hierarchical manner via
uniform APIs, and we try to make the implementation of those APIs as
uniform as practical across these cases.  

If what we are looking for however is broader or deeper in scope; e.g. a
universal user-interface structuring API or description language on the
lines of UIML, then I don't it's appropriate to attempt to create or
require such a standard since, to date, noone has achieved much success
in this area.  Similarly I do not think we can be so aggressive about
forcing existing interfaces to be as consistent as might be implied by
the paragraph below referring to learning disabilities.  Modified
screenreader technology, highlighting for dyslexia, etc. is achievable
and proven, but going beyond that is out of scope for us I believe.

regards,

- Bill
 
> Persons who have various learning disabilities will particularly benefit from this API because developers will be able to create taylored, even
> individualized interfaces that present information, available applications, documents, and media presentations that can be started, stopped, and used in
> a consistant manner appropriate to the individual user.
> 
> 
> 	13.)	Voice I/O
> 
> 
> -- 
> 	
> 				Janina Sajka, Director
> 				Technology Research and Development
> 				Governmental Relations Group
> 				American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
> 
> Email: janina at afb.net		Phone: (202) 408-8175
> 
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