[Kde-accessibility] Fwd: Re: Accessibility for persons with disabilities

[Gary Cramblitt]

Hmm, can anyone say "synchronicity"?  See my message yesterday in this mailing 
list concerning the VPAT.  David, are you subscribed to 
kde-accessibility at kde.org?  If not, I'll forward you a copy of the draft VPAT 
for KDE 3.4.1.

Since these guys are in the U.S., compliance with Section 508 of the U.S. 
Rehabilitation Act is a big concern for them.  That's what the VPAT is all 
about.  Its a way for software "vendors" to voluntary assess their own 
compliance with 508.  If a product is fully compliant, its an easy way for 
software selection bodies to just point to the VPAT and check the 508 
compliance check box.  If they choose software that is not compliant, they 
risk being sued.

How we answer Mr. Lazarro's inquiry is important because Massachusetts is 
pushing hard for software that uses open standards.

The bad news is that KDE 3.4/3.5 is not fully 508 compliant, especially for 
the blind, without resorting to Harald Fernengel's experimental AT-SPI 
bridge.  KDE/Qt 4 will change that drastically.  Its my goal for KDE 4 to be 
fully 508 compliant.

I'm reluctant to speak for the KOffice folks, as I'm not fully informed.  My 
guess is that KOffice "inherits" most of the KDE VPAT, but it would be best 
if a KOffice specific VPAT were prepared.  For instance, if there are places 
in KOffice that use hard-coded colors, these should be enumerated as 
exceptions (and fixed).  Also, obviously Krita (and Karbon?) are exceptional 
applications for the blind as these apps are intended for sighted users.

So how should we proceed to answer Mr. Lazzaro's inquiry?  Is there someone 
within the KOffice community willing to prepare a VPAT?  I guess I could take 
a shot at it, but I'd need some help from the KOffice developers.

BTW, the VPAT is a very crude way to assess accessibility capabilities.  A 
separate guide (or part of the application Handbook), would be much better 
way to convey accessibility information for applications, and software 
distributors will want such information anyway.

On Monday 12 September 2005 09:23 am, David Faure wrote:
> Can someone answer this?
>
> ----------  Forwarded Message  ----------
>
> Subject: Re: Accessibility for persons with disabilities
> Date: Monday 12 September 2005 13:39
> From: Michael Brauer <Michael.Brauer at sun.com>
> To: "Lazzaro, Joseph (MCB)" <Joseph.Lazzaro at state.ma.us>
> Cc: David Faure <faure at kde.org>, Nathaniel S Borenstein
> <nborenst at us.ibm.com>, Robert Weir <robert_weir at us.ibm.com>, Yue MA
> <mayue at cn.ibm.com>
>
> Dear Mr. Lazzaro,
>
> the OpenDocument TC members of IBM are Nathaniel Borenstein, Robert Weir
> and Yue MA. The TC member of KOffice is David Faure. I believe they can
> answer the questions regarding the accessibility of their products better
> than me.
>
> I've put all four on copy of this mail.
>
> Best regards
>
> Michael Brauer
>
> OASIS OpenDocument TC chair
>
> Lazzaro, Joseph (MCB) wrote:
> > Dear Mr. Brauer,
> >
> > I'm responsible for assistive technology for the Massachusetts
> > Commission for the Blind, and am trying to research the accessibility
> > implications for converting to XML based office software products such
> > as: OpenOffice.org, StarOffice, KOffice, and IBM Workplace. Can you
> > provide me with information regarding the accessibility of these
> > products for persons with disabilities?
> >
> >
> > Sincerely,
> >
> > Joseph J. Lazzaro
> > Technology for the Blind Program
> > Massachusetts Commission for the Blind
> > 48 Boylston Street
> > Boston, MA 02116
> > 617-626-7575
> > http://www.mass.gov/mcb
> > Joseph.Lazzaro at State.MA.US
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Joseph J. Lazzaro
> > Technology for the Blind Program
> > Massachusetts Commission for the Blind
> > 48 Boylston Street
> > Boston, MA 02116
> > 617-626-7575
> > http://www.mass.gov/mcb
> > Joseph.Lazzaro at State.MA.US
>
> --
> Michael Brauer                                Phone:  +49 40 23646 500
> Technical Architect Software Engineering      Fax:    +49 40 23646 550
> StarOffice Development
> Sun Microsystems GmbH
> Sachsenfeld 4
> D-20097 Hamburg, Germany                e-mail: michael.brauer at sun.com
>
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------------

-- 
Gary Cramblitt (aka PhantomsDad)
KDE Text-to-Speech Maintainer
http://accessibility.kde.org/developer/kttsd/index.php