RE: [SEC508] Two questions

["Erika Noll Webb" <ewebb@quintusdesign.com>]

Yup, you are hitting the problem I have with it -- it might technically meet the standards, but it lacks a goodness aspect that makes it work well.  However, I could play devil's advocate and point out that in my example, the keyboard access to the information is no worse for a blind user than for the power user, who would be irritated that the keyboard access to screen elements was in a logical tab order.  In a sense, the blind user is inconvenienced in the same way as the power user, making it more a usability than an accessibility issue.

 

My inclination is to help them write their VPAT but make it clear that these issues need to be put into the development cycle for the part of the law you cite.  No one wants to be the test case!

 

Erika

---

From: sec508-admin@trace.wisc.edu [mailto:sec508-admin@trace.wisc.edu] On Behalf Of Mark D. Urban
Sent: Monday, November 14, 2005 10:25 AM
To: 'Barrett, Don'; sec508@trace.wisc.edu
Subject: RE: [SEC508] Two questions

Just to stir the pot a bit:

 

Remember the law requires access that is “comparable to the access to and use of the information and data by such… [persons] … who are not individuals with disabilities”.

 

While conformance to the Access Board standards is generally thought of as meeting this requirement, an employee or member of the public will make a complaint based on the Law, not conformance to the Regulations. 

 

If given your situation, Erika, I would pass the application only upon receipt of a written commitment to address comparable access issues such as you cite by a date certain. 

 

O – Remember – I am not a lawyer.  This is my un-humble opinion.

 

Regards,

-Mark D. Urban

919-395-8513 (cell)

 

Chair, North Carolina Governor's Advocacy Council for Persons with Disabilities

Keep up with the latest in worldwide accessibility at (http://www.icdri.org/)

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: sec508-admin@trace.wisc.edu [mailto:sec508-admin@trace.wisc.edu] On Behalf Of Barrett, Don
Sent: Monday, November 14, 2005 12:08 PM
To: sec508@trace.wisc.edu
Subject: RE: [SEC508] Two questions

 

We stress usability as being extremely critical even though these issues fall outside 508; we always ask vendors to fix usability issues, but can't demand it.

 

Don Barrett

Section 508 Coordinator

U.S. Department of Education

(202)-205-8245

don.barrett@ed.gov

 

 

-----Original Message-----

From: sec508-admin@trace.wisc.edu [mailto:sec508-admin@trace.wisc.edu]On

Behalf Of Erika Noll Webb

Sent: Monday, November 14, 2005 12:00 PM

To: 'Jim Tobias'; sec508@trace.wisc.edu

Subject: RE: [SEC508] Two questions

 

 

While I'm worried about starting a fire storm with this one, I'm facing some

interesting issues on an evaluation I'm doing right now.  Normally, I'm

working with a development team in process, but now I'm working with a group

that needs a fast hit 508 review.  There are some things that I think

technically pass, but aren't great.  For example, in a particular window,

everything on the screen is accessible from the keyboard, but the order

isn't the same as the visual representation.  All the elements that are

supposed to be clustered together (e.g. like a series of radio buttons), but

the order of the options isn't the same. 

 

How do you approach a client on things like this?  Technically it passes,

but I want them to fix it later.  I remember another "technical pass" issue

came up recently and I'm curious now what others do.  My recollection was

that someone (maybe Don?) said that he'd pass something, but I wonder if you

go back and tell them it should still be fixed later.

 

     

Regards,

Erika

 

Erika Noll Webb, Ph.D.

ewebb@quintusdesign.com

www.quintusdesign.com

office:  303.449.5020

mobile: 720.319.2145

fax:     303.449.7045

     

 

 

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