Hi Christian, > Just clear up my understanding, folks; is Internet Explorer accessible > because Microsoft builds the accessibility features
The short answer is yes Details of the accessibility of internet Explorer can be found in the VPAT (voluntary product accessibility template) supplied by Microsoft: (http://download.microsoft.com/download/c/2/3/c23bc250-5f80-4d0c-a29d-877355ff91e8/IE7_VPAT%20version%201%200.doc) - word doc and the VPAT for Firefox 3 is available here: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/vpat-3.html I have reproduced the relevant VPAT info for Internet Explorer 7 below: Section 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems - Detail Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (a) When software is designed to run on a system that has a keyboard, product functions shall be executable from a keyboard where the function itself or the result of performing a function can be discerned textually. Supported with Exceptions: Windows Internet Explorer 7 supports all standard keyboard features of the user interface. Windows Internet Explorer 7 provides Help functionality that includes easily accessible reference guides for keyboard shortcuts. In addition, documentation on Keyboard Shortcut keys are available online: http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/fe192a3f-1401-4233-919e-cae97eca4c0c1033.mspx More documents on this subject can be found at: http://www.microsoft.com/enable/products/keyboard.aspx Windows Internet Explorer 7 provides a new user interface; keyboard users can use the Alt key to activate the classical menu. Exceptions: Windows Internet Explorer 7 browser arbitrary text content cannot be selected by the keyboard. Text can be selected by using a mouse or other pointing device. Windows Internet Explorer 7 supports all standard keyboard operation of the user interface. Java and in-page plug-ins for content such as Flash cannot be used with the keyboard so they must not be installed for keyboard-only users. The tab order skips over in-page objects completely, so form controls within them cannot be used without a mouse. (b) Applications shall not disrupt or disable activated features of other products that are identified as accessibility features, where those features are developed and documented according to industry standards. Applications also shall not disrupt or disable activated features of any operating system that are identified as accessibility features where the application programming interface for those accessibility features has been documented by the manufacturer of the operating system and is available to the product developer. Supported with Exceptions: Windows Internet Explorer 7 supports system StickyKeys, FilterKeys, MouseKeys, SerialKeys and ToggleKeys. Exceptions: Windows Internet Explorer 7 does not use the cursor width from the system setting. (c) A well-defined on-screen indication of the current focus shall be provided that moves among interactive interface elements as the input focus changes. The focus shall be programmatically exposed so that Assistive Technology can track focus and focus changes. Supported with Exceptions: Windows Internet Explorer 7 uses programming interfaces to expose the location of the focus indicator and Microsoft Active Accessibility(R) to expose its interface elements to assistive technologies. Microsoft Active Accessibility is a COM-based technology that improves the way accessibility aids work with applications running on the Microsoft Windows operating systems. It provides dynamic-link libraries that are incorporated into the operating system, as well as a COM interface and application programming elements that provide reliable methods for exposing information about user interface elements. Exceptions: The caret indication is neither visible nor programmatically exposed in read-only fields. (d) Sufficient information about a user interface element including the identity, operation and state of the element shall be available to Assistive Technology. When an image represents a program element, the information conveyed by the image must also be available in text. Supported: Windows Internet Explorer 7 user interface elements are exposed programmatically through native object models and programming interfaces such as Microsoft Active Accessibility. Standard Windows controls and interface elements automatically expose this information through Microsoft Active Accessibility. Labels are associated with controls, objects, icons and images in Internet Explorer user interface. (e) When bitmap images are used to identify controls, status indicators, or other programmatic elements, the meaning assigned to those images shall be consistent throughout an application's performance. Supported: Windows Internet Explorer 7 utilizes standard and consistent images throughout. (f) Textual information shall be provided through operating system functions for displaying text. The minimum information that shall be made available is text content, text input caret location, and text attributes. Supported with Exceptions: Windows Internet Explorer 7 provides textual information through Microsoft Active Accessibility. Microsoft Active Accessibility is a COM-based technology that improves the way accessibility aids work with applications running on Microsoft Windows operating systems. It provides dynamic-link libraries that are incorporated into the operating system, as well as a COM interface and application programming elements that provide reliable methods for exposing information about user interface elements. Exceptions: Windows Internet Explorer 7 does not provide free cursor navigation within the web content. However, standard text navigation and selection are supported in the INPUT element of the TEXT, TEXTAREA, FILE, and PASSWORD types. (g) Applications shall not override user selected contrast and color selections and other individual display attributes. Supported with Exceptions: Windows Internet Explorer 7 not only respects the user's settings, but also allows the user to override the display settings of web-page authors who have used inaccessible font colors and sizes. Exceptions: The Internet Explorer 7 setup screen does not obey the system font size. Once installation is complete this is no longer an issue for end users. (h) When animation is displayed, the information shall be displayable in at least one non-animated presentation mode at the option of the user. Supported: Windows Internet Explorer 7 provides user the option to turn on/off animation in images in web content via Internet Options >> Advanced >> Multimedia >> Play animation in web pages. (i) Color coding shall not be used as the only means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element. Supported: Windows Internet Explorer 7 does not use colors as the only way to convey information, indicate an action, prompt a response, or distinguish a visual element. For instance, the golden bar alert clearly conveys the message in text in addition to its color. (j) When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast settings, a variety of color selections capable of producing a range of contrast levels shall be provided. Supported: In Windows Internet Explorer 7, users can customize the link color, which then may be used by other applications as well. In addition, users can create cascading style sheets that can predefine the look and feel of their pages. (k) Software shall not use flashing or blinking text, objects, or other elements having a flash or blink frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz. Supported: Windows Internet Explorer 7 does not use flashing or blinking text in its user interface. Windows Internet Explorer 7 has a security feature that blinks the border of an overlapping popup window. This behavior is presented on the web content when there is any security concern. The blink frequency is greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz. (l) When electronic forms are used, the form shall allow people using Assistive Technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues. Supported: Windows Internet Explorer 7 allows access via assistive technology to information, field elements and functionality required for completion and submission of the form. 2008/9/5 Christian Montoya <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > On Fri, Sep 5, 2008 at 3:33 AM, Keryx Web <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> Adam Martin skrev: >>> >>> Hey guys... it is great that talk about accessibility and chrome has been >>> raised - but I do think that we need to wait until it is out of beta. >> >> A beta is supposed to be feature complete. otherwoise it's an alpha. >> > > Just clear up my understanding, folks; is Internet Explorer accessible > because Microsoft builds the accessibility features, or because a > third-party software vendor builds the features? I know Microsoft has > been very good about building a number of user-friendly features into > Windows, like the on-screen keyboard and OS-level magnifying tool, but > I thought that all the screen readers and similar assistive devices > were developed by third parties. > > If Google Chrome is really open source, then it seems that the same > could be done for it, with a lot less expense than designing assistive > software/devices for a proprietary browser. > > -- > -- > Christian Montoya > christianmontoya.net > > > ******************************************************************* > List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm > Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm > Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ******************************************************************* > > -- with regards Steve Faulkner Technical Director - TPG Europe Director - Web Accessibility Tools Consortium www.paciellogroup.com | www.wat-c.org Web Accessibility Toolbar - http://www.paciellogroup.com/resources/wat-ie-about.html ******************************************************************* List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *******************************************************************
