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| ajay |
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Gold Member
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November-09-2004
167 Posts |
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Have been looking into the W3C standards which will apply to all government departments in uk by 2006.
Sent the following e mail to Browsealoud:
"Thank you for enabling my website on a test basis.
I create Virtual Tours for clients using Java technology and Easypano & QuickTime software. I am particularly interested in whether the Browsealoud technology can be applied to such tours? You will see examples on my website. I am currently looking at the W3C principles and how they can be applied to Virtual Tours.
Regards"
Received the following answer which I thought might be interesting:
"Hi Alan,
Thanks for the email.
At present we cannot read Java unless it's accessible Java http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/docs/guide/access/ At present we cannot read Easypano and QuickTime, and do not have any plans to do so.
Something that could be of interest to you re W3C and accessibility of images, is the current problem faced by local government.
All local authorities websites in England are required to have their websites conforming to the W3C AA (Double A) Guidelines by March 2006. Problem is, due to another initiative, local authorities are also required to have a GIS (Geographical Information System), or map, on their website. Currently GIS providers do not provide their maps in accessible format, and therefore any local authorities that have a GIS map on their website fail W3C AA.
A workaround which the RNIB are happy with, is having the local authority website provide a text description of the map located below the graphical image. This workaround is currently being accepted by government, and the W3C are reviewing their guidelines in respect of this.
So the long and the short of it. If you have an non-accessible graphical image/ tour on your website then the argument is there should be a text description close by. I suppose the detail which the text description should go into would be up to the website owner...
Hope this helps, and sorry for being a bit long winded.
Kindest regards
Oliver"
Sure this is not only applicable in UK - so something that EP really should take into account whilst developing TW2 - otherwise working with government depts or others who are into this accessibility issue will be very difficult in future whether we like it or not!
Alan
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aj
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| BigGreenFurryTh |
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Standard Member
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United Kingdom
January-07-2005
49 Posts |
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I have similar problems with a few of my clients.
However, provided the site owners can demonstrate that they have taken reasonable steps to make all content accessible then the spirit of the Act is adhered to.
Workaround is as, you pointed out, a text only area of the site duplicating or describing the graphic TW / content.
The major problem is that, the W3C standards and UK legislation do not take into account extant graphics technologies. As far as I know none of the major web software user groups in the UK were consulted prior to this Act going on the statute books.
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Cheers,
Mark
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| RuddersUK |
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Platinum Member
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United Kingdom
July-16-2004
372 Posts |
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Would it be a good idea to do a text only version of the sites to comply with the W3C standards?
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| rfh12002 |
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Platinum Member
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July-07-2005
770 Posts |
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Hey there - just wondered if anyone had any updates to this issue?
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sales@actualeducation.co.uk
www.actualeducation.co.uk
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Tourweaver
Topic: Accessibility
