1. ® IBM Software Group © 2007 IBM Corporation Web 2.0 Mashup Accessibility CSUN 2008 Rich Schwerdtfeger IBM Distinguished Engineer Peter Parente Software Engineer Emerging Technologies

2. IBM Software Group Agenda  State of Web 2.0 Accessibility  Quick look WAI-ARIA  Introduction to the Programmable Web and Mashups  IBM Mashup Accessibility Analysis  Short Term Solutions  Long Term: Flexible, Personalized Web

3. IBM Software Group State of Accessibility for Web 2.0  Tremendous progress on Web 2.0 Application accessibility  IBM led W3C Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA)  Reusable, Accessible RIAs springing up: (Dojo AJAX Toolkit, JQuery)  IAccessible2, Gnome ATK/ATSPI Allows ATs full access to RIAs through the browser  AccProbe Test Tool, (Firefox, Opera, IE) browser support under way  ATV support: Window-Eyes, JAWS, ZoomText, Orca, NVDA  WAI ARIA – Allows for  Full interoperability with ATs  Keyboard usability of the desktop  Semantics for content adaptation  Accessibility of all applications has its limitations  One size fits all  Great if you control all the content/code  The web is becoming programmable and distributed

4. IBM Software Group Quick Look at WAI-ARIA  Extends and fills gaps in (X)HTML to support accessibility  Uses Meta data found in Rich Desktop Applications to provide for full interoperability with assistive technologies  Role, state, property information for widgets  Identify Drag and Drop information  Defines relationships between UI components  Provides information to handle live regions  Provides navigational landmarks  Allows Web authors to provide desktop keyboard navigation  Tab to significant areas and arrow within the widget  All HTML keyboard accessible  Allows all items to be focusable without impacting the tab order  Is cross-cutting and helps all users

5. IBM Software Group The programmable web Companies making Web 2.0 API public as a service API – Fragments, data, reusable widgets – programmableweb.com > 660 APIs RSS and Atom Data Feeds made public Opportunity for rapid Web 2.0 application development *RSS – Real Simple Syndication

6. IBM Software Group What is a Mashup?  A mashup is a web application combining data or capabilities from more than one source into an integrated experience  Popular on the consumer web - over 3.45 new mashups/day are appearing: ZillowSeatSnapper  What typically characterizes a mashup?  Lightweight integration of applications (enables rapid development)  “Widgets” that make up a mashup are often developed and deployed independently without knowledge of each other  Widgets can be mashed and wired together in the browser  Utilize web technologies like HTTP, **JSON, XML, JavaScript, Atom, RSS  Often incorporates one or more public API and online services  Often, mashups can be customized by the end user Pageflakes.com **JSON – JavaScript Object Notaton

7. IBM Software Group What is a Widget?  A widget is a portable chunk of code that can run in any web application without requiring separate compilation  How is a widget different than a portlet?  Widgets are URL addressable fragments and can be written in any language (Java,.NET, PHP, etc.). Portlets are Java code.  Widgets can be as simple as an HTML fragment, so they don’t have to involve any server side code (but they can).  Simplicity of model enables developers to learn how to create widgets in a matter of hours versus days.  Widgets don’t have a complex packaging structure or require a complex deployment model.  >> A simple “hello world” widget can be written in a tool like Dreamweaver, and the file can copied into the file structure on the server. A “hello world” portlet would require a Java-based tool and also consists of multiple files, packaging, and deployment.  No widget standards and many vendors have created their own names: gadgets, blocks, flakes, etc.

8. IBM Software Group Mashups are Catching on in the Enterprise, But Why?  Lightweight integration enables rapid development and lowers skill set requirements  Enables the creation of applications that were previously too costly to build (like situational applications)  Extends web app development beyond IT – out to even knowledge workers  Reduces IT backlog  Availability of many widgets and gadgets allows organizations to assemble applications at a lower cost  Once a component is developed, it can be easily reused across different applications, regardless of the underlying technology .NET and J2EE and PHP widgets can communicate together on a page .NET + PHP widgets can be mashed into a J2EE-based app (and vice versa)  Wire up for interoperability Gartner: By 2010, more than 30% of Global 2000 organizations will enter a new era of end-user computing via user-assembled, composite applications created with enterprise mashup environments.

9. IBM Software Group Examples of Enterprise Mashups Competition Tracker / Web SiteSales – Customer Trip Prep Data Center Administrator MashupCollaborative Web App for Project Teams

10. IBM Software Group Mashup Example

11. IBM Software Group Accessibility/Usability Wild Wild West - issues from content aggregation are extensive  Is the resource accessible?  Will the accessible resource meet my needs (WAI-ARIA is new)?  Can the resource be adapted to fit my needs?  If the resource cannot meet my needs is there an equivalent alternative?  Will the Mashup have consistent keyboard support?  Is the end solution too cluttered to assist all users?  Will restructuring the mashup produce a more usable solution?

12. IBM Software Group Accessibility Study QED Wiki  No Accessibility Assessment of Data Feeds (RSS/Atom)  Keyboard problems  Conflicting accelerator keys, tab ordering, IDs, etc.  Content from a remote service traps input focus  Dynamic content inappropriately grabs focus  Inaccessible services  No WAI-ARIA support  No keyboard support  Fixed sizes, styles, and layout (Can’t respond to system settings –font/color)  Interaction inconsistencies  Different defaults  Different paradigms  Disrespect for local user settings  Invisible relationships  Missing status indicators for widgets  Missing controller-controlled by relations among widgets  Drag/Drop Layout construction problems

13. IBM Software Group Near term solutions  Mashup runtime environment must take responsibility for exposing relations among widgets.  Use WAI-ARIA relationships (controls, flowto, labelledby)  Use WAI-ARIA to mark regional landmarks (main, secondary, contentinfo, etc.)  Mashup runtime should attempt to repair any problems it can.  Compute a global tab ordering by inspecting explicit tabindex in widgets.  Fix overlapping IDs. (Store Widgets in IFrames where possible)  Override widget styling.  Mashup designer tooling must support creation of accessible mashups.  Provide reusable accessible widgets when available  Prompt user for WAI-ARIA information when possible  Ultimately, must address the accessibility of the original widget content.  Services providers must adopt WAI-ARIA

14. IBM Software Group Near Term solutions for Mashup construction  Layout grid templates for widgets  Allows all users to use keyboard to navigate pre-designed template  Use WAI-ARIA to apply keyboard navigation/semantics to the grid  Provide accessible utilities to wire up widgets  Ensure mashup UI consists of accessible WAI-ARIA enabled components (Dojo Toolkit)

15. IBM Software Group Aggregation issues expose bigger problems which also create business opportunity  One size fits all approach  Usable access may require equivalent alternatives  Content Aggregators: Unaware if a resource is accessible (Web 2.0 mashups)

16. IBM Software Group Problems with one-size fits all  Learning disabilities needs vary greatly  Managing content density, highlighting specific text, providing different color schemes, use of symbols, etc.  Complex visualizations may require equivalent alternatives for blind consumers  Use of closed captioning or transcripts depends on the language spoken by the consumer  Restructuring content may benefit mobility impaired user  Does not adapt to the environment the user is operating in  High background noise, low light, temporary mobility impairment, etc.

17. IBM Software Group Basis for the solution resides in the learning space  IMS Access For All Specifications (Version 2 under development now)  ISO JTC1 SC36 Standard nearly final http://www.imsglobal.org/accessibility *DC – **LOM – Learning Object Metadata

18. IBM Software Group Access for All Standards  A description of the user’s personal needs and preferences (*ACCLIP)  A description of a digital resource (**ACCMD)  Can be used with or without other personal profiles and other resource metadata *ACCLIP – Accessibility Learner Information Package **ACCMD – Accessibility Meta Data

19. IBM Software Group Business Value  Personalization  How much business is lost when people walk away from an online purchase?  What additional revenue could search companies realize if results were easier to use (advertising service contracts)?  Aging workforce, with cash, don’t want to show they have a disability  Service opportunity for ATVs and accessibility consulting  Corporations improve effectiveness of e-training  When does a person’s environment make the IT unusable?  Resource Metadata  Lawsuits: How does the content aggregator show they did not produce the inaccessible resource?  System Admin: What accessibility standards did the resource comply to and can I deploy it?

20. IBM Software Group Strategy Moving Forward – Demands Personalization  Address accessibility of resource content  Continue to evangelize and drive industry toward WAI-ARIA adoption  Develop Best Practices for addressing accessibility Merge Issues  Perform accessibility study of data feeds (RSS, ATOM, others)  Identify transformations needed (Fluid Project)  Develop “flexible internet highway infrastructure” map user preferences with the appropriate resource and adapt the resource where necessary  Develop standards for resource meta data and user preferences (IMS AccessForAll)  Work with W3C/**OMA Deliver user preferences over *DPE?  Deliver Accessibility Preferences from identity brokers?  Potential – Fluid Project  Drive Industry Adoption of flexible highway  Providing resource meta data (catalog of accessibility capabilities and equivalent resources  Drive understanding of business value *DPE – Device Profile Evolution **OMA – Open Mobile Alliance

21. IBM Software Group Take advantage of ability to:  Transform the user interface of resources (display and control)  Re-aggregate resources  Configure tools to meet user needs

22. IBM Software Group On-Demand Personalization Broad Network RSS/Atom Blogsearch Aggregating server (search, mashup, etc.) *DPE Server Content and ACCMD Device, User Agent, Environment, ACCLIP *DPE – Device Profile Evolution

23. IBM Software Group On-Demand Personalization Local Network RSS/Atom Blogsearch Aggregating server (search, mashup, etc.) Identity Broker Content and ACCMD ACCLIP

24. IBM Software Group Summary  Mashups are in the early stages of addressing accessibility  Like WAI-ARIA, IBM is leading to get us ahead of the curve  WAI-ARIA places usable access on equal playing field with desktop but Mashups could undo the good work  Reusable WAI-ARIA enabled toolkits, like Dojo, are on the rise – Use them  The advancement of the Web mandates an Open Accessibility Strategy  Open architectures  Open standards  Open Source  Leverage social collaboration!  Proprietary creates barriers!  The time is now to move to a more flexible, accessible web  Critical for content aggregation  Essential for addressing learning and cognitive accessibility  Addressing broader accessibility issue will generate significant business value

25. ® IBM Software Group © 2007 IBM Corporation For a copy of the presentation or more information, contact: Rich Schwerdtfeger at schwer@us.ibm.com Questions?schwer@us.ibm.com