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WAI Education & Outreach Meeting, December 18, 1998

Last updated: January 14, 1999
Scribe: Brewer
Posted by: Judy Brewer, WAI EOWG Chair

Attendees

Present:
[several people were only present for one topic or part of call] Regrets:

1. Outreach & updates

- JB Minutes from last call are available at <http://www.w3.org/WAI/EO/981211_EOWG_Min.html>
- JB The deliverables page has been updated more <http://www.w3.org/WAI/EO/EO-Deliverables>
- RN www.TVontheWeb.com is doing a lot of interesting work

2. Review & comment RNIB film script

[separate e-mail sent out as background]
JB BK Delong sent some comments by e-mail, [summarized here from BK's e-mail]:
 - Bobby not Booby
 - Industrial Revolution/Victorian reference seems off
 - "twenty-first" needs "century" added after it
 - public library steps reference seems off given ADA in US at least
 - correct "Website Accessibility Initiative" -- should be "Web Accessibility Initiative"
 - needs reference to "at the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
 - suggests adding something about how accessibility is really "good design" and should be an integral part of the Web design process, this is where "Julie" is wrapping up & talking about accessibility not being boring.
KC Yes will relay again the "Bobby" note
AC Something about the tone of the script...can't quite capture it..."_even_ blind people"... sounds patronizing
KC For unfamiliar audience, still takes them forward
JB Any rewording suggestions?
AC "nowadays"
KC Fine
? Reference in title to "physical disabilities" seems out of place
JB The language is used differently in different countries
KC Some people use physical disabilities to encompass everything except learning
JB how about just disabilities
KC yes fine
JB on audio-visual, what about the clip of ET?
WC we use a clip of ET movie that is captioned & described.
KC who has IPR (intellectual property rights) on that?
JB need captioning also, to show someone deaf using the Web with access
GF will check with caption center on IPR also on another clip
JB Wendy & Geoff both check
WC the script says don't use tables, don't use frames, maybe too simplistic, better to say use tables with care, use frames with care
RN how about do not use tables to format text, and how about highlighting client-side image map
JB could show someone with a physical disability trying to use a server side image map unsuccessfully, then a client side image map successfully
RN what about this example...
CMN shows a design flaw in the browser not necessarily just the page
RN person could not identify the context in a table cell
JB sounds far too complex for the time available
KC agreed, far too complex
AC does it talk about alt-tagging? does it give the solution?
KC shows bad site & good site & the transition between them, would include alt-tagging
PB how much explicit guidance? talk about the alt attribute?
AC intent is to label
KC the more technical you make the film, the less it speaks to managers
PB are people happy with balance
All [yes]
JB what about showing testing of the site
AC voice recognition-- what is the direct connection
CMN importance of getting people to wrap their heads around multiple modality
JB any other examples?
WC example: the "really busy page" - showing how if someone shows a really busy page & animation problems, can maybe show cognitive difficulty
JB summarized points, consensus, JB will send to RNIB for input into script

3. WAI home page re-org

Discussion on presentation of WAI EO Resources & reorganization of WAI Home Page <http://www.w3.org/WAI>
 - also, look over materials becoming available through EO
 - how can we get our resources more visible?
RN do we want to approach design companies for assistance
JB may eventually. However right now asking for straightforward input on cleaning up & re-arranging priority information
AC agree that resources should be more readily available
JB don't just want a "resources" link there though, want examples of what's available
HB would re-arrange resources up front, use "barriers" info as a teaser
-- RN & DD have to leave --
CMN Change resources to how/what/why
CMN shift index up above news headline, put resources next
MRK same comment. problems with the mission. too general.
MRK too long, move some stuff off
HB HTML & CSS spec should be nested under the accessibility descriptions of them

4. ATIA Outreach

This topic by request from User Agent Working Group
 - planning some outreach to assistive technology manufacturers
JG it's critical, to improve access, to make sure the manufacturers can provide better access, esp screen reader people & magnification people so that they can provide better access
PB surprised. when following guispeak mailing list, seems like some of the manufacturers are very well aware of the issues & problems
JB but not aware of the solutions such as W3C evolving technologies
JG for instance they're not aware of DOM
PB willing to put them in touch with the right people in W3C, make them aware of how to look ahead.
JG WAI EO should be doing education on this
PB in touch with number of individual companies. Henter-Joyce
JB comes out to be a pointing to resources area
JB what specific things are you most concerned that they don't know about
JG DOM, scripting, WCraig -- raises issues of conformance. specifications are complex & detailed. show real examples of what you can do
JB IDEA about resource page
PB good
MRK sort by users
CMN high level sorting
HB we need pointers to WG's
JB have 'em, but I don't think they work well
AC are you talking about the WAI home page or the W3C home page?
JB WAI home page, but also want to improve pointers to W3C page
JG fine to have home-based
PB run a workshop for them
JG workshop for the ahead conference in July or ATIA conference in October. a workshop before or after the conference, they could adjust their travel plans.
AC on-line workshop?
JB interesting!
JG first thing is to send something out.
HB distance-learning thing that Norm runs is effective way to reach people over a longer period of time. Also Daniel D & HB did a XML Conference outline.
WL Asynchronous opportunities important
JG Microsoft possibly interested in helping & supporting
HB Also need other outreach
JG Yes just the most complete implementation
*JB Will follow up with Wilson Craig

5. Web accessibility certificate program

 JB- possibility of coordinating with a University
 - offering to co-sponsor a training event also
 - our priorities in this would be...?
WL Will any of the NEU people be involved in WAI EO
JB not nec directly here
CMN Raising level of knowledge in the faculty would be really important
JB How could we extend this out to other places
HB Could we get rights to their information
JB How to extend the opportunity
GF Invite those administrators
CMN But there would be a delay. Just bring them in. Send your faculty to Northeastern to learn about it.
[meeting ended here]

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