RDIG
Research and Development Interest Group Charter (RDIG)
This charter is written in accordance with
section 4.2.2
of the W3C Process Document.
Table of Contents
-
Mission
-
Scope
-
Duration
-
Deliverables
-
Success
-
Confidentiality
-
Coordination
-
Communication
-
Voting
-
Participants
How to join the RDIG
The mission of the Research and Development Interest Group (RDIG) is
-
to increase the number of Web-related researchers who incorporate accessibility
into their research design,
-
and to identify projects researching Web accessibility, and suggest techniques
that may contribute to new projects.
The desired outcome of more research in Web accessibility and awareness of
accessibility in mainstream Web-related research should decrease the number
of potential barriers in future Web-related technologies.
The work of this group is part of the
WAI International Program
Office.
2.1 Intended audience of deliverables
The primary audience for the RDIG's deliverables is public and private
researchers of Web-related technologies including assistive technologies
for people with disabilities. We expect that this work may also be of interest
to potential funders of Web-related research.
2.2 Focus of activities
Items in the scope of work are:
-
creating a forum, through a mailing list, teleconferences, and face-to-face
meetings, for exchange of information on key areas of Web-related research
and current accessibility trends;
-
identifying and prioritizing areas of research (existing or absent) that
may significantly impact the accessibility of the Web;
-
developing approaches to promote awareness and provide guidance to researchers
in prioritized areas, such as:
-
promoting partnerships between researchers with complementary expertise;
-
compiling accessibility-aware research resources for public reference, including
summaries of the results of forum discussions;
-
posting a prioritized list of research problems that need to be investigated.
-
coordinating with projects external to the W3C.
The RDIG is scheduled for 24 months, from November 2000 through October 2002.
-
Teleconference Calendar. Proposed list of topics with schedule of teleconferences
at which those topics will be addressed. Potential topics include:
-
virtual reality markup languages,
-
e-commerce,
-
digital TV,
-
agents,
-
mobile technologies,
-
intellectual property rights and security issues,
-
affordability,
-
adaptability,
-
internationalization,
-
semantic web,
-
distance learning,
-
collaborative environments,
-
assistive technologies for people with disabilities.
-
Teleconference events. One and one half hour teleconferences, scheduled every
other month (i.e., 6 times per year), to explore a given research topic in
depth. Topics will be nominated and selected by the RDIG members in good
standing. Materials will be available at least one week in advance of the
call and will include:
-
a list of confirmed speakers,
-
Web-based reading materials, including presenter slides if available,
-
and questions from participants.
The following questions will be discussed for each research topic:
-
What are the implications of this area on accessibility?
-
What are the possible coordination points (people, places, projects)?
Other questions will be collected.
Upcoming teleconference will be publicized in such places as:
-
The W3C Advisory Committee Newswire,
-
WAI Calendar,
-
W3C Calendar.
-
Reports. A brief written synopsis of discussion with links to the material
generated for the event such as a reading list, key research projects for
the topic, and audio and text transcripts.
-
Prioritized Research Problems. Prioritized list of research questions that
are not being investigated or are not being sufficiently investigated.
Descriptions and implications of each question or issue will be provided
as well as links to additional information if available.
-
Tips for Accessibility-Aware Research. Start-up tips and very basic guidance
for researchers to help them incorporate accessibility into their research
designs. This is not the comprehensive statement about how to do universal
research design.
-
Research Resources. Web page of reference links to accessibility-based research
resources.
To be considered successful, the RDIG should:
-
hold well-attended teleconference discussions that result in useful reports;
-
involve researchers in discussions who were previously not aware or active
in accessibility issues;
-
increase the number of projects investigating accessibility issues with the
Web (through new projects being launched or otherwise addressing issues from
the prioritized list);
-
deliver the described deliverables.
Group proceedings, e-mail list, archives, charter, and deliverables are all
public.
This group coordinates with other WAI Working Groups through
the WAI Coordination Group
(WAI CG) [Members only].
The RDIG will be identifying future Web access issues and implications for
the other WAI working groups. As potential future barriers are identified,
the WAI CG will be notified if it appears a resolution is within the scope
of a WAI working group. If resolution appears to be outside the scope of
the WAI or W3C, the RDIG will coordinate with the external organization per
their process.
7.1 Education and Outreach
Since the RDIG will be focusing its efforts on researchers willing to participate
in discussions, to reach other researchers it will have to create educational
materials to educate policy makers, researchers not reached by the RDIG,
students, and other people interested in the work of this group. The
Education & Outreach Working Group
will advise this group on creating materials to reach these audiences.
7.2 External organizations
Currently, the type of research this group will investigate does not occur
at the W3C, thus the RDIG will coordinate with other groups, worldwide who
perform the research and development or who coordinate research and development
in their geographical region or topic area. For example:
-
COST 219 bis works to increase
the availability of telecommunications products, including the Web, for people
with disabilities and the elderly. They accomplish this by creating industry
guidelines, disseminating research results, surveying the practical needs
of disabled people and elderly and evaluating the future possibilities of
Information Technologies.
-
The Web3D Consortium provides a forum
for the creation of open standards for 3D specifications to be used on the
Web, and to accelerate the worldwide demand for products based on these standards
through the sponsorship of market and user education programs. This community
created the VRML 1.0 and 2.0 specifications.
7.3 Mobile and Internationalization
As mobile applications and internationalization of products drive the development
of Web applications over the next few years, key research contacts and topics
will come from these developments. The RDIG will coordinate with the W3C
activities on Mobile Access,
Internationalization,
Voice Browsing, and
TV to maintain awareness of key developments,
researchers, and projects.
-
Primary communication mechanisms: w3c-wai-rd@w3.org mailing list and RDIG
home page.
-
Phone meetings: Teleconferences every month alternating each month between
an "event" and a planning and discussion call.
-
Face-to-face meetings: Every 6 months. We may also try to schedule:
-
"Birds of a Feather" ("BOF") sessions in conjunction with heavily attended
research-type conferences
-
A yearly panel session at the WWW series of conferences.
-
Communication with W3C: WAI CG.
-
Communication with disability community: direct involvement in the RDIG (invited
experts).
-
Communication with research community: direct involvement in the RDIG (invited
experts).
-
Communication with W3C Member organizations: Member newswire, calendar, &
newsletter
-
Communication with the public: Education & Outreach WG, participant
presentations, and the RDIG home page.
The RDIG will follow the
W3C
Process for consensus and votes (as described in the 11 November 1999
version). In case the RDIG is required to vote on a particular issue, each
Member organization or technical expert's organization will have one vote.
Membership in the RDIG is open to the public. All subscribers to the mailing
list w3c-wai-rd-ig@w3.org are RDIG members. Members in good standing are
those who:
-
regularly attend teleconference and face-to-face meetings;
-
assist in organizing and publicizing teleconference events with speakers,
as well as writing or editing the resulting reports from the discussions.
10.1 W3C Members
Participation in the RDIG is open to all employees of W3C member organizations.
10.2 Invited Experts
People who may not be employees of a W3C Member organization are invited
to participate if involved in some area of research that is related to the
Web such as:
-
new Web applications and user interfaces;
-
usability studies of Web usage and tools;
-
studies of Web accessibility issues;
-
development of Web architecture;
-
investigating future applications of Web or Internet technologies
(telecommunications, Web appliances, etc.).
10.3 W3C Team
-
30% Wendy Chisholm
-
10% Judy Brewer
-
15% Marja-Riitta Koivunen
The purpose of the RDIG is to discuss future Web issues based on current
research and development. Public documents will accompany these discussions
and will be made available royalty-free to everyone, following W3C standard
IPR terms. Therefore, anyone commenting in the RDIG will be considered to
offer these ideas as contributions to the RDIG documents. Organizations with
IPR in areas related to the RDIG must disclose IPR as described in the W3C
Process regarding IPR and W3C's IPR fact sheet. Invited experts are required
to disclose IPR claims in the same manner as individuals from W3C Member
organizations.
10.5 How to join
How to join the RDIG.
$Date: 2001/06/18 22:03:08 $ Judy Brewer,
Wendy Chisholm
Copyright
© 2000 W3C
(MIT,
INRIA,
Keio ), All Rights Reserved. W3C
liability,
trademark,
document
use and
software
licensing rules apply. Your interactions with this site are in accordance
with our
public
and
Member
privacy statements