web 2.0 & universal desig n

Introduction From then to now Layers of change Accessible for whom? Web 2.0 and accessibility What is Universal Design? Looking to the future

1. From then to now

a vintage year Ted Henson releases JAWS (Job Access With Speech) Tim Berners-Lee’s original proposal for the web

Universality and accessibility "The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.” Tim Berners-Lee

WCAG 1 May, 1999 – WCAG 1 released Adopted widely

The modern web Inclusive/open Collaborative Interactive/Rich user experience New jargon (web 2.0, mashups) Rapid growth in online communities

Back to the future The accessibility message is slipping - we seem to be going backwards Hostility towards legislation of accessibility - “How dare they tell us we have to do this” Arguments in the web community - such as the Target, Flickr and CAPTCHA

2. Layers of change

The PDF story 1993 – release of PDF 1 Moving to the Web Early PDF not accessible Accessibility gradually improves

The Flash story Demand for the “TV experience” Macromedia release Flash 1 Poor accessibility Flash MX and Player 6 released JAWS 4.5 released (with MSAA support)

The AJAX story Jesse James Garret introduces AJAX What is AJAX? AJAX inaccessible under WCAG JAWS 7.1 released with some support for AJAX JAWS 8 released - better support

Stimulus and process Initial stimulus for PDF and Flash Improvements filter down Reflected in guidelines Process slow AJAX - process quick

About Pace layering Stuart Brand introduces “Pace Layering” in his book “How Buildings Learn” At the core level change happens slowly At the surface level change happens rapidly Change often causes tension and friction between layers

Pace layering - key elements Changes that happen at one layer filter down Differing rates of change cause friction between layers The different rates of change are beneficial "The fast parts learn, propose, and absorb shocks; the slow parts remember, integrate, and constrain. The fast parts get all the attention. The slow parts have all the power.” Steward Brand, The Long Now Foundation

Pace layering and the web When considering the question of Web 2.0 accessibility, we decided to take a Pace Layering look at the development of the web.

Pace layering and the web

AJAX and pace layering

Image replacement

3. Accessibility for whom?

Web accessibility 1.0 Vision impairment to where?

Is Flash a valid tool? high impact visual websites can be accessible can also be used to present complex ideas in simple ways ideal for cognitive and learning difficulties – – very few websites in this area - why?

Dissin’ Flash Text and non-text alternatives Who’s afraid of Flash

Is Second Life accessible? Not for screen reader users How about people with other disabilities? Video

4. Web 2.0 and accessibility

Web 2.0 accessibility Are we more inclusive than before? Is it getting easier?

Are we more inclusive? The web has become more inclusive in publishing - blogging, flickr, youtube, facebook, myspace But what about accessing this new content?

Is it getting easier? Should users or applications be responsible for accessibility? Ideally tools/applications should carry the burden Flickr default alt

5. What is universal design?

The right model? Universality & Accessibility camps One-web?

One site doesn’t fit all Different disabilities – different audiences Text only Different presentation - same CONTENT Different content - same CONCEPT One site does not fit all

Ghettos or narrow- casting Ghettoisation Is “text-only” the way to go? The brain machine Narrow-casting

6. Looking to the future

W3C and WAI Limited opportunities for participation WCAG 2 Last Call Draft (April 2006) What about people with cognitive and learning difficulties Baseline hostility – why?

Pace layering done right

Core driven change

? ?

HTML5 Baseline

7. Conclusion

Thank you