Action Item Rich: Alternative text proposal

[Richard Schwerdtfeger <schwer@us.ibm.com>]

An accessibility gap in the ODF specification is alternative text support for non-text objects. This is also a key accessbility requirement in the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. In order to address this, the subteam has decided we need provisioning for alternative text and long descriptions for these types of ODF elements. To minimize the impact to the ODF 1.0 specification we will attempt to use the <draw:name> property for alternative text and <svg:desc> element, from SVG for the long description. We have also decided that ODF captions do not follow standard XML in that the captioning <text:sequence> does not show a normative relationship, in the specification, to the drawing object being captioned. As a result we will be introducing a new describedBy attribute to apply to objects being captioned.

Furthermore, we will be asking that the appropriate text be added to the ODF specification to indicate how this accessibility meta data is mapped by the authoring tool to platform accessibility API as well as their accessibility applicability in the specification.

Requirements:

1.0 image-map elements
The <draw:name> attribute must be provided as an optional attribute to the following:

draw:area-rectangle
draw:area-circle
draw:area-polygon

Text should be added as follows:

for the name attribute,

<draw:name> is used as a short accessible name for alternative text. When transcoding from another document format to ODF the alt text shall be mapped to the <draw:name> attribute.

<svg:desc> Is used for the long description in support of accessibility.

2.0 3D Shapes

The <draw:name> attribute, and <svg:desc> attribute must be provided as an optional attribute to the <dr3d:scene>. Note: draw:name is provided and stored by both IBM Workplace and Open Office 2.0 for presenatations (Impress). However, the name attribute does not appear in the ODF specification. These attributes must apply to all ODF document formats for which <dr3d:scene> is used. Note: It may mean that common-draw-shape-with-text-and-styles-attlist needs to be added to its attribute list

Text should be added as follows:

for the name attribute,

<draw:name> is used as a short accessible name for alternative text. When transcoding from another document format to ODF the alt text shall be mapped to the <draw:name> attribute.

<svg:desc> Is used for the long description in support of accessibility.
Note: when transcoding from another document format to ODF the alt text shall be mapped to the <draw:name> attribute.

3.0 Drawing layer

The <svg:desc> attribute must be provided as an optional attribute to the <draw:layer>. This attribute must apply to all ODF document formats for which <draw:layer> is used.

for the name attribute,

<draw:name> is used as a short accessible name for alternative text. When transcoding from another document format to ODF the alt text shall be mapped to the <draw:name> attribute.

<svg:desc> Is used for the long description in support of accessibility.

Note: when transcoding from another document format to ODF the alt text shall be mapped to the <draw:name> attribute.

4.0 General wording to be added

Where <draw:param> is specified it should be indicated that neither <draw:name> or <svg:desc> are to be used for accessibility.

3.0 Drawing shapes (line 5926 of spec.)

The <draw:name> attribute, and <svg:desc> attribute must be provided as an optional attribute to all drawing shapes. Note: draw:name is provided and stored by both IBM Workplace and Open Office 2.0 for presenatations (Impress). However, the name attribute does not appear in the Writer application. These attributes must apply to all ODF document formats for which these elements are used.

The following are the drawing shape elements:

<draw-rect>
<draw:line>
<draw:polyline>
<draw:polygon>
<draw:regular-polygon>
<draw:path>
<draw:circle>
<draw:ellipse>
<draw:g>
<draw:page-thumbnail>
<draw:frame>
<draw:measure>
<draw:caption>
<draw:connector>
<draw:control>
<dr3d:scene>
<draw-custom-shape>

Add svg:desc

The <svg:desc> attribute must be provided as an optional attribute to all drawing shapes. Note: draw:name is provided and stored by both IBM Workplace and Open Office 2.0 for presenatations (Impress). However, the name attribute does not appear in the ODF specification. These attributes must apply to all ODF document formats for which <dr3d:scene> is used.

Text should be added as follows:

for the name attribute,

<draw:name> is used as a short accessible name for alternative text. When transcoding from another document format to ODF the alt text shall be mapped to the <draw:name> attribute.

<svg:desc> Is used for the long description in support of accessibility.
Note: when transcoding from another document format to ODF the alt text shall be mapped to the <draw:name> attribute.



Rich Schwerdtfeger
Distinguished Engineer, SWG Accessibility Architect/Strategist
Chair, IBM Accessibility Architecture Review Board
blog: http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/blogs/dw_blog.jspa?blog=441

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