standards and future directions - achieve workshop
DESCRIPTION
An overview of current and emerging standards for accessible information in digital formats. Part of a series of workshops jointly organised by RNZFB and ACHIEVE in 2008-2009.TRANSCRIPT
RNZFB
Standards and Future Directions
DAISY
• Open standard for digital books• Digital Accessible Information System• http://www.daisy.org• International consortium of print
disability organisations• Working with International Digital
Publishing Forum to align standards, http://www.openebook.org/
DAISY
• Open standard for digital books
• Based on web standards
• Structured audio, full text, multimedia
• Designed for many ways of access
• Flexibility of reading experience
DAISY at RNZFB
• Recorded talking books as DAISY since 2002
• DAISY Textbook Pilot• Collaboration with NZETC
• Neil Jarvis on DAISY Board• Standards development, software
testing, Global Library, copyright reform, publisher collaboration
Round Table
• Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities
• http://e-bility.com/roundtable/• Australia/ New Zealand• Annual conference• Standards for accessible formats –
braille, e-text, large print, audio, describing visual material, exam guidelines
• E-text and large print guidelines being revised, due early 2009
Round Table e-text
• General principles for digital accessibility
• Guidance for plain text, word processing formats (RTF, Word, OpenDocument)
• Appendices of production tips
Round Table e-text
• Equivalence to print:– Linearisation – Structure and Semantics – Text equivalents for visual elements– Include all meaningful elements of print
document – Accuracy – Metadata – Use correct character sets – Producer's Notes
Round Table e-text
• Clear visual design:– simple and clear typeface – adequately large default text size – good spacing – adequate colour contrast – left-align – avoid italics, underline and block capitals – do not convey information solely through images or
colours – allow user to change defaults– consistent appearance
Round Table e-text
• Follow existing standards:– Semantic HTML– WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines):
http://www.w3.org/WAI/ – DAISY: http://daisy.org/– Unicode: http://unicode.org/
• Customise for an individual:– adaptive technology limitations – software availability – varying levels of computer literacy – reading preferences
Web standards
• HTML designed for universal access
• “The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.” -Tim Berners-Lee
Web standards: HTML
• Structure separated from presentation
• CSS stylesheets for visual appearance
Accessible websites
• Can be designed for all
• Encourage web developers, lecturers, libraries to use accessible electronic systems
Other e-text formats
• Word processing formats: Word, OpenDocument, RTF
• Plain text
• Maths formats: MathML, LaTeX• Can be read electronically or converted
to braille, large print, audio• DAISY incorporates MathML• http://www.daisy.org/projects/mathml/
Accessible PDF
• Electronic text, not scanned images
• “Tagged” for reading order
• Text equivalents available for all images
• Only works with recent adaptive technology
• Not optimal for viewing on screen