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<h1 class="notoc">Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines "Wombat"</h1>

<h2 class="notoc">W3C Working Draft 21 December 2001</h2>
<dl>
  <dt>This version:</dt>
    <dd><a
      href="http://www.w3.org/TR/2001/WD-ATAG-wombat-20011221/">http://www.w3.org/TR/2001/WD-ATAG-wombat-20011221</a></dd>
  <dt>Latest version:</dt>
    <dd><a
      href="http://www.w3.org/TR/ATAG-wombat">http://www.w3.org/TR/ATAG-wombat</a></dd>
  <dt>Latest group draft:</dt>
    <dd><a
      href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/AU/wombat/">http://www.w3.org/WAI/AU/wombat</a></dd>
  <dt><acronym title="Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines">ATAG</acronym>
  1.0 Recommendation:</dt>
    <dd><a
    href="http://www.w3.org/TR/ATAG10">http://www.w3.org/TR/ATAG10</a></dd>
</dl>
<dl>
  <dt>Editors:</dt>
    <dd>Jutta Treviranus - <abbr
      title="Adaptive Technology Research Center">ATRC</abbr>, University of
      Toronto</dd>
    <dd>Charles McCathieNevile - <a href="/"><abbr
      title="the  World Wide Web Consortium">W3C</abbr></a></dd>
    <dd>Jan Richards - University of Toronto</dd>
</dl>

<p class="copyright"><a
href="http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Legal/ipr-notice-20000612#Copyright">Copyright</a>
©2001<a href="http://www.w3.org/"><abbr
title="World Wide Web Consortium">W3C</abbr></a><sup>®</sup> (<a
href="http://www.lcs.mit.edu/"><abbr
title="Massachusetts Institute of Technology">MIT</abbr></a>, <a
href="http://www.inria.fr/"><abbr xml:lang="fr" lang="fr"
title="Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et Automatique">INRIA</abbr></a>,
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<div>
<h2 class="nonb"><a name="abstract" id="abstract">Abstract</a></h2>

<p>This specification provides guidelines for Web authoring tool developers.
Its purpose is two-fold: to assist developers in designing authoring tools
that produce accessible Web content and to assist developers in creating an
accessible authoring interface.</p>

<p>Authoring tools can enable, encourage, and assist users ("authors") in the
creation of accessible Web content through prompts, alerts, checking and
repair functions, help files and automated tools. It is just as important
that all people be able to author content as it is for all people to have
access to it. The tools used to create this information must therefore be
accessible themselves. Adoption of these guidelines will contribute to the
proliferation of Web content that can be read by a broader range of readers
and authoring tools that can be used by a broader range of authors.</p>

<p>This document is part of a series of accessibility documents published by
the <abbr title="the World Wide Web Consortium">W3C</abbr> <a
href="/WAI/">Web Accessibility Initiative</a> (<abbr>WAI</abbr>).</p>
</div>

<div>
<h2 class="nonb"><a name="status" id="status">Status of this document</a></h2>

<p><em>This section describes the status of this document at the time of its
publication. Other documents may supersede this document. The latest status
of this document series is maintained at the <abbr
title="the World Wide Web  Consortium">W3C</abbr>.</em></p>

<p>This document has been produced by the <a href="/WAI/AU/">Authoring Tool
Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (<abbr
title="Authoring  Tool Accessibility Guidelines Working Group">AUWG</abbr>)</a>,
part of the <a href="/WAI">Web Accessibility Initiative (<abbr
title="Web  Accessibility Initiative">WAI</abbr>)</a>. The goals of the
Working Group are discussed in the <a href="/WAI/AU/charter.html"><abbr
title="Authoring  Tool Accessibility Guidelines Working Group">AUWG</abbr>
charter</a>.</p>

<p>This document has been made available to the WAI Interest Group for
review, but is not endorsed by them. This is a working draft, and it is not
endorsed by the W3C or its members. It is inappropriate to refer to this
document other than as "work in progress".</p>

<p>This is the first Public Working Draft of a document which <em>may</em>
eventually supersede the W3C Recommendation <a
href="http://www.w3.org/TR/ATAG10">Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines
1.0</a> [<a href="#ref-ATAG10">ATAG10</a>]. The Working Group has made it
available for review by W3C Members and other interested parties, in
accordance with W3C Process.</p>

<p>This draft refers to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
(<acronym>WCAG</acronym>) 1.0 for specification of accessible content. It is
expected (but not guaranteed) that if <span
title="Web Content Accessibility Guidelines">Web Content Accessibility
Guidelines</span> 2.0 [<a href="#ref-WCAG20">WCAG20</a>] (currently in
Working Draft status) becomes a W3C Recommendation, the Authoring Tool
Accessibility Guidelines "Wombat" document will refer to WCAG 2.0 and become
Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines version 2.0.</p>

<p>The Working Group expects the current "Wombat" draft to be
backwards-compatible with <acronym
title="Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines">ATAG</acronym> 1.0, or at
most to make only minor changes in requirements. Before this document reaches
last call, the Working Group will publish a detailed analysis of the
differences in requirements. This version is expected to be easier to use. It
results from experience with <acronym
title="Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines">ATAG</acronym> 1.0, and
working group review of previous versions of this draft, and is intended to
fulfill the <a href="/WAI/AU/wombat/reqs.html">requirements for a new
version</a> set by the Working Group.</p>

<p>As an initial internal draft, this document still refers (non-normatively)
to the Techniques for Authoring Tool Accessibility1.0 [<a
href="#ref-ATAG10-TECHS">ATAG10-TECHS</a>]. As part of development of this
draft, it is expected that the working group will draft a matching version of
the Techniques information.</p>

<p>Please send general comments about this document to the public mailing
list: <a href="mailto:w3c-wai-au@w3.org">w3c-wai-au@w3.org</a> (<a
href="http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-au">public archives</a>).
Outstanding issues identified by the Working group are marked within this
document, and the Working Group particularly welcomes comment on those.
Issues which are under consideration and those which have been resolved by
the working group are listed in the document <a
href="/WAI/AU/wombatissues.html"><acronym
title="Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines">ATAG</acronym> "Wombat"
Issues</a>. A <a href="/WAI/AU/changes.html">log of changes between
successive Working Drafts</a> is available.</p>

<p>A list of current W3C Recommendations and other technical documents
including Working Drafts and Notes can be found at <a
href="http://www.w3.org/TR">http://www.w3.org/TR</a>.</p>
</div>
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<div class="toc">
<h2 class="notoc"><a name="toc" id="toc">Table of Contents</a></h2>
<ul class="toc">
  <li class="tocline2"><a href="#abstract" class="tocxref">Abstract</a></li>
  <li class="tocline2"><a href="#status" class="tocxref">Status of this
    document</a></li>
  <li class="tocline2"><a href="#Introduction" class="tocxref">1.
    Introduction</a>
    <ul class="toc">
      <li class="tocline3"><a href="#organized" class="tocxref">1.1 How the
        Guidelines are organized</a></li>
      <li class="tocline3"><a href="#priorities" class="tocxref">1.2
        Checkpoint Priorities</a></li>
      <li class="tocline3"><a href="#conformance" class="tocxref">1.3
        Conformance to these Guidelines</a></li>
    </ul>
  </li>
  <li class="tocline2"><a href="#guidelines" class="tocxref">2.
    Guidelines</a>
    <ul class="toc">
      <li class="tocline3"><a href="#gl-access-support" class="tocxref">1.
        Support accessible authoring practices.</a></li>
      <li class="tocline3"><a href="#gl-language-support" class="tocxref">2.
        Generate standard markup.</a></li>
      <li class="tocline3"><a href="#gl-prewritten-descs" class="tocxref">3.
        Support the creation of accessible content.</a></li>
      <li class="tocline3"><a href="#gl-identify-markup" class="tocxref">4.
        Provide ways of checking and correcting inaccessible content.</a></li>
      <li class="tocline3"><a href="#gl-integrate-naturally"
        class="tocxref">5. Integrate accessibility solutions into the overall
        "look and feel".</a></li>
      <li class="tocline3"><a href="#gl-provide-help" class="tocxref">6.
        Promote accessibility in help and documentation.</a></li>
      <li class="tocline3"><a href="#gl-make-accessible" class="tocxref">7.
        Ensure that the authoring tool is accessible to authors with
        disabilities.</a></li>
    </ul>
  </li>
  <li class="tocline2"><a href="#definitions" class="tocxref">3. Glossary of
    Terms and Definitions</a></li>
  <li class="tocline2"><a href="#acknowledgments" class="tocxref">4.
    Acknowledgments</a></li>
  <li class="tocline2"><a href="#references" class="tocxref">5.
  References</a></li>
</ul>
</div>

<p>An appendix to this document lists all checkpoints for convenient
reference.</p>

<div class="noprint">
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<div>
<h2>1. <a name="Introduction" id="Introduction">Introduction</a></h2>

<p>In these guidelines, the term "<a href="#def-authoring-tool"
rel="glossary" title="Definition of Authoring Tool"><span
class="dfn-instance">authoring tool</span></a>" refers to the wide range of
software used for creating Web content, including:</p>
<ul>
  <li>Editing tools specifically designed to produce Web content (e.g.,
    WYSIWYG HTML and XML editors);</li>
  <li>Tools that offer the option of saving material in a Web format (e.g.,
    word processors or desktop publishing packages);</li>
  <li>Tools that transform documents into Web formats (e.g., filters to
    transform desktop publishing formats to HTML);</li>
  <li>Tools that produce multimedia, especially where it is intended for use
    on the Web (e.g., video production and editing suites, SMIL authoring
    packages);</li>
  <li>Tools for site management or site publication, including tools that
    automatically generate Web sites dynamically from a database, on-the-fly
    conversion tools, and Web site publishing tools;</li>
  <li>Tools for management of layout (e.g., CSS formatting tools).</li>
</ul>

<p>The goals of this document can be stated as follows: that the authoring
tool be accessible to authors regardless of disability, that it produce
accessible content by default, and that it support and encourage the author
in creating accessible content. Because most of the content of the Web is
created using authoring tools, they play a critical role in ensuring the <a
href="#def-Accessibility" rel="glossary"
title="Definition of Accessibility"><span
class="dfn-instance">accessibility</span></a> of the Web. Since the Web is
both a means of receiving information and communicating information, it is
important that both the Web content produced and the authoring tool itself be
accessible.</p>

<p>To achieve these goals, authoring tool developers must take steps such as
ensuring conformance to accessible standards (e.g., HTML 4), checking and
correcting accessibility problems, prompting, and providing appropriate
documentation and help. For detailed information about what constitutes
accessible content, these guidelines rely on the Web Content Accessibility
Guidelines 1.0 <a href="#ref-WCAG10"
title="Link to reference WCAG10">[WCAG10]</a>. Similarly, rather than
directly reproducing existing specifications that address general accessible
software design, these guidelines rely on other sources. The present
guidelines do address accessible design considerations specific to Web
authoring tools such as providing flexible editing views, navigation aids and
access to display properties for authors.</p>

<p>The principles set forth in these guidelines will benefit many people who
do not have a disability but who have similar needs. This includes people who
work in noisy or quiet environments where the use of sound is not practical,
people who need to use their eyes for another task and are unable to view a
screen, and people who use small mobile devices that have a small screen, no
keyboard, and no mouse.</p>

<p>A separate document, entitled "Techniques for Authoring Tool Accessibility
Guidelines 1.0" <a href="#ref-ATAG10-TECHS"
title="Link to reference ATAG10-TECHS">[ATAG10-TECHS]</a>, provides
suggestions and examples of how each checkpoint might be satisfied. It also
includes references to other accessibility resources (such as
platform-specific software accessibility guidelines) that provide additional
information on how a tool may satisfy each checkpoint. Readers are strongly
encouraged to become familiar with the Techniques Document as well as
"Techniques for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0" <a
href="#ref-WCAG10-TECHS"
title="Link to  reference WCAG10-TECHS">[WCAG10-TECHS]</a> and "Techniques
for User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 1.0" <a href="#ref-UAAG10-TECHS"
title="Link to  reference UAAG10-TECHS">[UAAG10-TECHS]</a>.</p>

<p><strong>Note:</strong> The techniques in <a href="#ref-ATAG10-TECHS"
title="Link to reference ATAG10-TECHS">[ATAG10-TECHS]</a> are informative
examples only. Other strategies may be used to satisfy the checkpoints in
addition to, or in place of, those discussed in <a href="#ref-ATAG10-TECHS"
title="Link to  reference ATAG10-TECHS">[ATAG10-TECHS]</a>.</p>

<p><strong>Note:</strong> Authoring tools that conform to this document will
propagate accessible Web content and be useful to anyone regardless of
disability. There will also be authoring tools that produce accessible
content in favorable circumstances (e.g., a text editor used by a motivated
author), or provide an accessible interface to authors with certain
disabilities, but that do not conform to these guidelines.</p>
</div>

<div>
<h3>1.1 <a name="organized" id="organized">How the Guidelines are
organized</a></h3>

<p>The seven guidelines in this document are general principles for
accessible design. Each guideline includes:</p>
<ul>
  <li>The guideline number;</li>
  <li>The statement of the guideline;</li>
  <li>The rationale behind the guideline;</li>
  <li>A list of checkpoint definitions.</li>
</ul>

<p>The checkpoint definitions in each guideline specify requirements for
authoring tools to follow the guideline. Each checkpoint definition
includes:</p>
<ul>
  <li>The checkpoint number;</li>
  <li>The statement of the checkpoint;</li>
  <li>The priority of the checkpoint;</li>
  <li>Checkpoint subtext. This (almost) always includes
    <ul>
      <li>a minimum basic functionality requirement that is normative</li>
      <li>a brief rationale for the checkpoint</li>
      <li>suggested functionality for more advanced implementation (this is
        optional)</li>
      <li>references to further information - at least a link to a section of
        "Techniques for Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 1.0" <a
        href="#ref-ATAG10-TECHS"
        title="Link to reference ATAG10-TECHS">[ATAG10-TECHS]</a> where
        implementations and examples of the checkpoint are discussed</li>
      <li><span class="issue"><a name="issue2" id="issue2"
        href="/WAI/AU/wombatissues.html#issue2">[@@issue 2</a>: the titles of
        these sections is not consistent in the current draft. Is there one
        form that is clearer than others?]</span></li>
    </ul>
  </li>
</ul>

<p>Each checkpoint is intended to be specific enough that it can be verified,
while being sufficiently general to allow developers the freedom to use the
most appropriate strategies to satisfy it.</p>

<p>An appendix to this specification <a href="#ref-WOMBAT-CHECKLIST"
title="Link to reference WOMBAT-CHECKLIST">[WOMBAT-CHECKLIST]</a> lists all
checkpoints, ordered by priority, for convenient reference.</p>
</div>

<div class="priorities-specific">
<h3>1.2 <a name="priorities" id="priorities">Checkpoint Priorities</a></h3>

<p>Each checkpoint has a priority level. The priority level reflects the
impact of the checkpoint in meeting the goals of this specification. These
goals are:</p>
<ul>
  <li>That the authoring tool be accessible;</li>
  <li>That the authoring tool produce accessible content by default;</li>
  <li>That the authoring tool encourage the creation of accessible
  content.</li>
</ul>

<p>The priority levels are assigned as follows:</p>
<dl>
  <dt><a name="priority-1" id="priority-1">[Priority 1]</a></dt>
    <dd>If the checkpoint is essential to meeting the goals.</dd>
  <dt><a name="priority-2" id="priority-2">[Priority 2]</a></dt>
    <dd>If the checkpoint is important to meeting the goals.</dd>
  <dt>[<a name="priority-3" id="priority-3">Priority 3]</a></dt>
    <dd>If the checkpoint is beneficial to meeting the goals.</dd>
  <dt><a name="priority-rel" id="priority-rel">[Relative Priority]</a></dt>
    <dd><p>Some checkpoints that refer to generating, authoring, or checking
      Web content have multiple priorities. The priority depends on the
      corresponding priority in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
      (<abbr title="Web Content  Accessibility Guidelines">WCAG</abbr>) 1.0
      <a href="#ref-WCAG10"
      title="Link to  reference WCAG10">[WCAG10]</a>.</p>
      <ul>
        <li>It is priority 1 to satisfy the checkpoint for content features
          that are a priority 1 requirement in <abbr
          title="Web Content Accessibility Guidelines">WCAG</abbr> 1.0.</li>
        <li>It is priority 2 to satisfy the checkpoint for content features
          that are a priority 2 requirement in <abbr
          title="Web Content Accessibility Guidelines">WCAG</abbr> 1.0.</li>
        <li>It is priority 3 to satisfy the checkpoint for content features
          that are a priority 3 requirement in <abbr
          title="Web Content Accessibility Guidelines">WCAG</abbr> 1.0.</li>
      </ul>
      <p>For example:</p>
      <ul>
        <li>Providing <a href="#def-alt-eq" rel="glossary"
          title="Definition of  Alternative Information"><span
          class="dfn-instance">text equivalents</span></a> for images and
          audio is a priority 1 requirement in <abbr
          title="Web Content  Accessibility Guidelines">WCAG</abbr> 1.0 since
          without it one or more groups will find it impossible to access the
          information. Therefore, it is a priority 1 requirement for the
          authoring tool to check for (<a href="#check-notify-on-schedule"
          class="noxref">4.1</a>) or ask the author for (<a
          href="#check-provide-missing-alt" class="noxref">3.1</a>)
          equivalent alternatives for these types of content.</li>
        <li>Grouping links in navigation bars is a priority 3 in <abbr
          title="Web  Content Accessibility Guidelines">WCAG 1.0</abbr>.
          Therefore, it is only priority 3 for the authoring tool to check
          for (<a href="#check-notify-on-schedule" class="noxref">4.1</a>) or
          ask the author for (<a href="#check-help-provide-structure"
          class="noxref">3.2</a>) groups of links that are not grouped in the
          markup as a navigation mechanism.</li>
      </ul>
    </dd>
    <dd><p>When a checkpoint in this document refers to the <abbr
      title="Web Content  Accessibility Guidelines">WCAG</abbr> 1.0 <a
      href="#ref-WCAG10" title="Link to  reference WCAG10">[WCAG10]</a>, only
      the <abbr title="Web Content Accessibility  Guidelines">WCAG</abbr> 1.0
      checkpoints that refer to content supported or automatically generated
      by the authoring tool apply. Some of the applicable <abbr
      title="Web Content Accessibility Guidelines">WCAG</abbr> 1.0
      checkpoints may be satisfied automatically (without author
      participation) while others require human judgment and support from the
      tool in the form of prompts and documentation. Different tools may
      satisfy the same checkpoint differently.</p>
    </dd>
</dl>

<p>The priority level for each checkpoint has been chosen based on the
assumption that the author is a competent, but not necessarily expert, user
of the authoring tool, and that the author has little or no knowledge of
accessibility. For example, the author is not expected to have read all of
the documentation, but is expected to know how to turn to the documentation
for assistance.</p>
</div>

<div>
<h3>1.3 <a name="conformance" id="conformance">Conformance to these
Guidelines</a></h3>

<p>This section explains how to make a <a href="#claim-validation">valid
claim</a> that an authoring tool conforms to this document. Anyone may make a
claim (e.g., vendors about their own products, third parties about those
products, journalists about products, etc.). Claims may be published anywhere
(e.g., on the Web or in product documentation).</p>

<p>The <a href="#conformance-icons">conformance icons</a> provided for
Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 are not valid for expressing
conformance to this draft</p>

<h4 id="Conformanc"><a name="conformance-levels"
id="conformance-levels">Conformance levels</a></h4>

<p>A conformance claim must indicate what conformance level is met:</p>
<ul>
  <li><strong>Conformance Level "A"</strong> : all Priority 1 checkpoints
    (including Relative Priority checkpoints) are satisfied.</li>
  <li><strong>Conformance Level "Double-A"</strong> : all Priority 1 and 2
    checkpoints (including Relative Priority checkpoints) are satisfied.</li>
  <li><strong>Conformance Level "Triple-A"</strong> : all Priority 1, 2, and
    3 checkpoints (including Relative Priority checkpoints) are
  satisfied.</li>
</ul>

<p><strong>Note:</strong> Conformance levels are spelled out in text (e.g.,
"Double-A" rather than "AA") so they may be understood when rendered as
speech.</p>

<h4 id="L625"><a name="well-formed-claim" id="well-formed-claim">Well-formed
conformance claims</a></h4>

<p>A well-formed claim must include the following information:</p>
<ol>
  <li>The guidelines title/version: "Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines
    "wombat" Working Group Internal Draft, 30 May 2001 ";</li>
  <li>The URI of the guidelines:
  "http://www.w3.org/WAI/AU/wombat/010530";</li>
  <li>The <a href="#conformance-levels">conformance level</a> satisfied: "A",
    "Double-A", or "Triple-A";</li>
  <li>The version number and operating system of the software covered by the
    claim. Also indicate whether any upgrades or plug-ins are required;</li>
  <li>The date of the claim;</li>
  <li>The checkpoints of the chosen conformance level considered not
    applicable.</li>
</ol>

<p>This information may be provided in text or metadata markup (e.g., using
the Resource Description Framework (<abbr>RDF</abbr>) <a href="#ref-RDF10"
title="Link to reference RDF10">[RDF10]</a> and an <a
href="/1999/11/conforms/"><abbr>RDF</abbr> schema designed for
<abbr>WAI</abbr> conformance</a> claims). All content in a claim provided
other than as metadata must be accessible according to the Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 <a href="#ref-WCAG10"
title="Link to reference WCAG10">[WCAG10]</a>.</p>

<p>Here is an example of a claim expressed in HTML:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>&lt;p&gt;MyAuthoringTool version 2.3 on MyOperatingSystem conforms to
  &lt;abbr title="the World Wide Web Consortium"&gt;W3C&lt;/abbr&gt;'s
  "Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines "wombat" Working Group Internal
  Draft, 22 June 2001", available at http://www.w3.org/WAI/AU/wombat/010622,
  level Double-A. Details of this claim are provided at &lt;a
  href="http://example.com/details"&gt;
  http://example.com/details&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</p>
</blockquote>

<h4 id="Validity"><a name="claim-validation" id="claim-validation">Validity
of a claim</a></h4>

<p>A conformance claim is valid for a given <a
href="#conformance-levels">conformance level</a> if:</p>
<ol>
  <li>The claim is <a href="#well-formed-claim">well-formed</a>, and</li>
  <li>The authoring tool satisfies all the checkpoints for that level.</li>
</ol>

<p>Claimants (or relevant assuring parties) are responsible for the validity
of a claim. As of the publication of this document, W3C does not act as an
assuring party, but it may do so in the future, or establish recommendations
for assuring parties.</p>

<p>Claimants are expected to modify or retract a claim if it may be
demonstrated that the claim is not valid. Please note that it is not
currently possible to validate claims completely automatically.</p>

<h4 id="Conformanc1"><a name="conformance-icons"
id="conformance-icons">Conformance Icons</a></h4>

<p>There are currently no conformance icons available for this draft
specification. If it becomes a recommendation it is expected that there will
be conformance icons like those available for Authoring Tool Accessibility
Guidelines 1.0.</p>
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<h2>2. <a name="guidelines" id="guidelines">Guidelines</a></h2>

<div>
<h3 class="guideline">Guideline 1. <a name="gl-access-support"
id="gl-access-support">Support accessible authoring practices.</a></h3>

<div>
<p>If the tool automatically generates markup, many authors will be unaware
of the accessibility status of the final content unless they expend extra
effort to review it and make appropriate corrections by hand. Since many
authors are unfamiliar with accessibility, authoring tools are responsible
for automatically generating accessible markup, and where appropriate, for
guiding the author in producing accessible content.</p>

<p>Many applications feature the ability to convert <a href="#def-document"
rel="glossary" title="Definition of Document"><span
class="dfn-instance">documents</span></a> from other formats (e.g., Rich Text
Format) into a markup format specifically intended for the Web such as HTML.
Markup changes may also be made to facilitate efficient editing and
manipulation. It is essential that these processes do not introduce <a
href="#def-inaccessible-markup" rel="glossary"
title="Definition of Inaccessible Markup"><span
class="dfn-instance">inaccessible markup</span></a> or remove accessibility
content, particularly when a tool hides the markup changes from the author's
view.</p>
</div>

<h4 class="notoc" id="Checkpoint">Checkpoints:</h4>
<dl class="checkpoints">
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-support-access-features"
  id="check-support-access-features">1.1</a></span> Ensure that the author
  can produce <a rel="glossary" href="#def-Accessible">accessible content</a>
  in the <a rel="glossary" href="#def-Markup-Language">markup language(s)</a>
  supported by the tool. <span class="priority1">[Priority 1]</span></dt>
    <dd><p><strong>Rationale:</strong> this is a basic requirement to allow
      the author to create accessible content within the tool.</p>
      <p><strong>At minimum (required basic functionality):</strong> the
      author can add or edit any elements or element properties of the
      language that can enhance accessibility.</p>
      <p><strong>More advanced (optional suggested functionality):</strong>
      provide an integrated interface to properties affecting accessibility
      (see also )</p>
      <p><strong>See also:</strong> <a href="#check-edit-elements">checkpoint
      7.2</a>, <span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-support-access-features">techniques for
      checkpoint 1.1</a></span></p>
    </dd>
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-leave-access-content"
  id="check-leave-access-content">1.2</a></span> Ensure that the tool
  preserves all <a rel="glossary" href="#def-Access-info">accessibility
  information</a> during <a rel="glossary"
  href="#def-Transformation">transformations</a>, and <a rel="glossary"
  href="#def-conversion-tool">conversions</a>. <span
  class="priority1">[Priority 1]</span></dt>
    <dd><strong>Rationale:</strong> Accessibility information is often
      vulnerable to loss when content is converted or transformed from one
      format into another.
      <p><strong>At minimum (required basic
      functionality):</strong>Accessibility content must be preserved. Where
      sufficient structure information to allow reversal of the
      transformation is not preserved, the author must be notified that the
      transformation cannot be reversed accessibly. <span class="issue"><a
      name="issue1" id="issue1"
      href="/WAI/AU/wombatissues.html#issue1">[@@issue 1</a>: this
      requirement is still under discussion]</span></p>
      <p><strong>Optional advanced implementation:</strong> use markup, or
      some other mechanism to record the transformation and ensure
      reversibility.</p>
      <p><strong>Note</strong> this checkpoint covers importing from a format
      the tool does not use.</p>
      <p><strong>See also</strong> <span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-leave-access-content">Techniques for
      checkpoint 1.2</a></span></p>
    </dd>
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-generate-access-markup"
  id="check-generate-access-markup">1.3</a></span> Ensure that when the tool
  automatically generates markup it conforms to the <abbr
  title="the World Wide  Web Consortium">W3C</abbr>'s Web Content
  Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 <a href="#ref-WCAG10"
  title="Link to reference WCAG10">[WCAG10]</a>. <span
  class="priorityR">[Relative Priority]</span></dt>
    <dd><strong>At minimum (required basic functionality)</strong> : Any
      decisions made for the author by the tool should optimize the
      accessibility of the content (as per WCAG). This applies to the choice
      of markup type, file type, and markup practices. The author may be able
      to override the choices proposed or made by the tool.</dd>
    <dd><strong>See also</strong> <span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-generate-access-markup">Techniques for
      checkpoint 1.3</a></span></dd>
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-use-accessible-templates"
  id="check-use-accessible-templates">1.4</a></span> Ensure that all
  pre-authored content for the tool conforms to Web Content Accessibility
  Guidelines 1.0 <a href="#ref-WCAG10"
  title="Link to reference WCAG10">[WCAG10]</a>. <span
  class="priorityR">[Relative Priority]</span></dt>
    <dd>For example, templates must include accessible markup and content.
      Images and multimedia libraries must include accessible alternatives,
      such as alt text and long descriptions for images and captions,
      auditory descriptions and collated text transcriptions for movies.
      Applets and scripts must be accessible and include functional
      alternatives.
      <p><strong>At minimum</strong> templates, clip art, scripts, applets,
      example pages, etc supplied with the tool must conform to WCAG 1 (to
      the conformance level claimed by the tool)</p>
      <p><strong>See also</strong> <span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-use-accessible-templates">Techniques
      for checkpoint 1.4</a></span></p>
    </dd>
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-notify-changes" id="check-notify-changes">1.5</a></span> Allow
  the author to preserve markup not recognized by the tool. <span
  class="priority2">[Priority 2]</span></dt>
    <dd class="checkpoint"><strong>At minimum (required basic
      functionality):</strong> prompt the author to confirm before removing
      or changing unrecognized markup. It is acceptable for a tool to reject
      a document it cannot process.
      <p><strong>More advanced implementations</strong> may integrate this
      with the checking and repair functions of guideline 4, allowing the
      author finer-grained control.</p>
      <p><strong>Note:</strong> The author may have included or imported
      markup that enhances accessibility but is not recognized by the
      tool.</p>
    </dd>
    <dd><span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-notify-changes">Techniques for
      checkpoint 1.5</a></span></dd>
</dl>
</div>

<div>
<h3 class="guideline">Guideline 2. <a name="gl-language-support"
id="gl-language-support">Generate standard markup.</a></h3>

<div>
<p>Conformance with standards promotes interoperability and accessibility by
making it easier to create specialized <a href="#def-User-Agent"
rel="glossary" title="Definition of User Agent"><span
class="dfn-instance">user agents</span></a> that address the needs of users
with disabilities. In particular, many assistive technologies used with
browsers and multimedia players are only able to provide access to Web <a
href="#def-document" rel="glossary" title="Definition of Document"><span
class="dfn-instance">documents</span></a> that use valid markup. Therefore,
valid markup is an essential aspect of authoring tool accessibility.</p>

<p>Where applicable use <abbr
title="the World Wide Web Consortium">W3C</abbr> Recommendations, which have
been reviewed to ensure accessibility and interoperability. If there are no
applicable <abbr title="the World Wide Web  Consortium">W3C</abbr>
Recommendations, use a published standard that enables accessibility.</p>
</div>

<h4 class="notoc" id="Checkpoint1">Checkpoints:</h4>
<dl class="checkpoints">
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a name="check-prefer-w3c"
  id="check-prefer-w3c">2.1</a></span> Use the latest versions of <abbr
  title="the World Wide Web  Consortium">W3C</abbr> Recommendations when they
  are available and appropriate for a task. <span
  class="priority2">[Priority 2]</span></dt>
    <dd><strong>At minimum (required basic functionality):</strong> If the
      markup does not conform to W3C Recommendations, inform the author.
      <span class="issue"><a name="issue3" id="issue3"
      href="/WAI/AU/wombatissues.html#issue3">[@@issue 3</a>: How do you
      decide when something is available (and when is it appropriate) - e.g.
      when does a tool have to support XHTML to conform?]</span>
      <p><strong>More advanced:</strong> Provide a mechanism for importing
      new language definitions</p>
      <p><strong>Rationale:</strong> W3C specifications have undergone review
      specifically to ensure that they do not compromise accessibility, and
      where possible, they enhance it.</p>
      <p><strong>See also:</strong> <span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-prefer-w3c">Techniques for checkpoint
      2.1</a></span></p>
    </dd>
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-ensure-published-DTD"
  id="check-ensure-published-DTD">2.2</a></span> Ensure that markup which the
  tool automatically generates is valid for the language the tool is
  generating. <span class="priority1">[Priority 1]</span></dt>
    <dd><strong>At minimum (required basic functionality):</strong> All
      markup generated by the tool must be valid <span class="issue"><a
      name="issue8" id="issue8"
      href="/WAI/AU/wombatissues.html#issue4">[@@issue 4</a>: do we need an
      at minimum for here?]</span>
      <p><strong>Rationale:</strong> This is necessary for <a
      href="#def-User-Agent" rel="glossary"
      title="Definition of User Agent"><span class="dfn-instance">user
      agents</span></a> to be able to render Web content in a manner
      appropriate to a particular user's needs.</p>
      <p><strong>See also:</strong> <span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-ensure-published-DTD">Techniques for
      checkpoint 2.2</a>, Checkpoint 4.1</span></p>
    </dd>
</dl>
</div>

<div>
<h3 class="guideline">Guideline 3. <a name="gl-prewritten-descs"
id="gl-prewritten-descs">Guide the author to produce accessible
content.</a></h3>

<div>
<p>Well-structured information and <a href="#def-alt-eq" rel="glossary"
title="Definition of Alternative Information"><span
class="dfn-instance">equivalent alternative information</span></a> are
cornerstones of accessible design, allowing information to be presented in a
way most appropriate for the needs of the user without constraining the
creativity of the author. Yet producing equivalent information, such as text
alternatives for images and auditory descriptions of video, can be one of the
most challenging aspects of Web design, and authoring tool developers should
attempt to facilitate and automate the mechanics of this process. For
example, prompting authors to include equivalent alternative information such
as <a href="#def-alt-eq" rel="glossary"
title="Definition of Alternative Information"><span class="dfn-instance">text
equivalents</span></a>, <a href="#def-video-captions" rel="glossary"
title="Definition of Captions"><span
class="dfn-instance">captions</span></a>, and <a href="#def-Auditory"
rel="glossary" title="Definition of Auditory Description"><span
class="dfn-instance">auditory descriptions</span></a> at appropriate times
can greatly ease the burden for authors. Where such information can be
mechanically determined and offered as a choice for the author (e.g., the
function of icons in an automatically-generated navigation bar, or expansion
of acronyms from a dictionary), the tool can assist the author. At the same
time, the tool can reinforce the need for such information and the author's
role in ensuring that it is used appropriately in each instance.</p>
</div>

<h4 class="notoc" id="Checkpoint2">Checkpoints:</h4>
<dl class="checkpoints">
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-provide-missing-alt"
  id="check-provide-missing-alt">3.1</a></span> <a rel="glossary"
  href="#def-prompt">Prompt</a> the author to provide <a rel="glossary"
  href="#def-alt-eq">equivalent alternative information</a> (e.g., <a
  rel="glossary" href="#def-video-captions">captions</a>, <a rel="glossary"
  href="#def-Auditory">auditory descriptions</a>, and <a rel="glossary"
  href="#def-transcript">collated text transcripts</a> for video). <span
  class="priorityR">[Relative Priority]</span></dt>
    <dd><strong>At minimum (required basic functionality):</strong> A method
      for adding alternative information, appropriate to the author-tool
      interaction, must be provided to the author whenever a non-text object
      (see Note) has been inserted.
      <p><strong>Rationale:</strong>This checkpoint requires authoring tools
      to ask for (and support the creation of) alternate text, captions,
      auditory descriptions, collated text transcripts for video, etc. at
      times appropriate to the author-tool interaction.</p>
      <p><strong>Note:</strong> Some checkpoints in the Web Content
      Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 <a href="#ref-WCAG10"
      title="Link to reference WCAG10">[WCAG10]</a> do not apply. <span
      class="issue"><a name="issue5" id="issue5"
      href="/WAI/AU/wombatissues.html#issue5">[@@issue 5</a>: identify which
      checkpoints apply]</span></p>
      <p><strong>More advanced implementations</strong> might provide special
      authoring facilities that automate some of the process of generating
      alternative information (ex. voice recognition to produce collated text
      transcripts).</p>
      <p><strong>See also:</strong> <a
      href="#check-have-alt-registry">Checkpoint 3.4</a>, <span
      class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-provide-missing-alt">Techniques for
      checkpoint 3.1</a></span></p>
    </dd>
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-help-provide-structure"
  id="check-help-provide-structure">3.2</a></span> Help the author create
  structured content and separate information from its presentation. <span
  class="priorityR">[Relative Priority]</span></dt>
    <dd class="checkpoint"><strong>At minimum:</strong> A method for adding
      alternative information, appropriate to the author-tool interaction,
      must be provided to the author whenever a non-text object (see Note)
      has been inserted.
      <p><strong>Note:</strong> Some checkpoints in Web Content Accessibility
      Guidelines 1.0 <a href="#ref-WCAG10"
      title="Link to reference  WCAG10">[WCAG10]</a> do not apply. <span
      class="issue"><a name="issue6" id="issue6"
      href="/WAI/AU/wombatissues.html#issue6">[@@issue 6</a>: identify which
      ones]</span></p>
    </dd>
    <dd><span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-help-provide-structure">Techniques for
      checkpoint 3.2</a></span></dd>
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-no-default-alt" id="check-no-default-alt">3.3</a></span> Do not
  automatically generate <a rel="glossary" href="#def-alt-eq">equivalent
  alternatives</a> or reuse previously authored alternatives without author
  confirmation, except when the function is known with certainty. <span
  class="priority1">[Priority 1]</span></dt>
    <dd class="checkpoint"><strong>Rationale:</strong> Improperly generated
      alternatives can interfere with accessibility checking.
      <p><strong>At minimum basic required functionality:</strong> Usually,
      when a new object is inserted, the function is unknown, so the tool
      should prompt the author to enter an appropriate equivalent alternative
      without providing a generated default entry (e.g. the file name and
      size). However, alternatives may be automatically generated or re-used
      when the tool has either placed the object for a specific purpose (e.g.
      navigation bar) or the user has defined a purpose for the object. Only
      an alternative that has been explicitly associated with an object may
      be offered as a default entry for the author to approve.</p>
      <p><strong>See also:</strong> <a
      href="#check-use-accessible-templates">checkpoint 1.4</a> and <a
      href="#check-have-alt-registry">checkpoint 3.4</a>, <span
      class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-no-default-alt">Techniques for
      checkpoint 3.3</a></span></p>
    </dd>
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-have-alt-registry" id="check-have-alt-registry">3.4</a></span>
  Provide functionality for managing, editing, and reusing <a rel="glossary"
  href="#def-alt-eq">alternative equivalents</a> for multimedia objects.
  <span class="priority3">[Priority 3]</span></dt>
    <dd><p><strong>Rationale:</strong> Compliance with checkpoint 3.3 may be
      simplified by providing an alternative equivalent management system.</p>
      <p><strong>At minimum:</strong> store associations between the
      multimedia objects and alternatives created by the author, allowing the
      author to edit the alternatives and reuse them easily.</p>
      <p><strong>More advanced implementations</strong> might collect
      alternatives from a variety of sources (the author, prepackaged, the
      Web) and provide powerful tools for managing the associations,
      including search functions and object similarity estimates.</p>
      <p><strong>See also:</strong> <span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-have-alt-registry">Techniques for
      checkpoint 3.4</a></span></p>
    </dd>
</dl>
</div>

<div>
<h3 class="guideline">Guideline 4. <a name="gl-identify-markup"
id="gl-identify-markup">Provide ways of checking and correcting inaccessible
content.</a></h3>

<p>Many authoring tools allow authors to create documents with little or no
knowledge about the underlying markup. To ensure accessibility, authoring
tools must be designed so that they can (where possible, automatically)
identify <a href="#def-inaccessible-markup" rel="glossary"
title="Definition of  Inaccessible Markup"><span
class="dfn-instance">inaccessible markup</span></a>, and enable its
correction even when the markup itself is hidden from the author.</p>

<p>Authoring tool support for the creation of accessible Web content should
account for different authoring styles. Authors who can configure the tool's
accessibility features to support their regular work patterns are more likely
to accept accessible authoring practices (refer to <a
href="#gl-integrate-naturally">guideline 5</a>). For example, some authors
may prefer to be alerted to <a href="#def-accessibility-problem"
rel="glossary" title="Definition of Accessibility Problem"><span
class="dfn-instance">accessibility problems</span></a> when they occur,
whereas others may prefer to perform a check at the end of an editing
session. This is analogous to programming environments that allow users to
decide whether to check for correct code during editing or at compilation.</p>

<p><strong>Note:</strong> Validation of markup is an essential aspect of
checking the accessibility of content.</p>

<h4 class="notoc" id="Checkpoint3">Checkpoints:</h4>
<dl class="checkpoints">
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-notify-on-schedule"
  id="check-notify-on-schedule">4.1</a></span> <a rel="glossary"
  href="#def-check-for">Check for</a> and <a rel="glossary"
  href="#def-inform">inform</a> the author of <a rel="glossary"
  href="#def-accessibility-problem">accessibility problems</a>. <span
  class="priorityR">[Relative Priority]</span></dt>
    <dd class="checkpoint"><strong>At minimum (required basic
      functionality):</strong> this utility must provide at least one,
      automated or manual, check for each WCAG checkpoint (of relevant
      priority). When this utility runs it must always check those questions
      pertaining to "In General" WCAG checkpoints, but only those
      "conditional" WCAG checkpoints that have their conditions fulfilled by
      the document.
      <p><strong>Rationale:</strong> provide the author with a utility that
      helps check documents for accessibility problems.</p>
      <p><strong>More advanced implementation:</strong> the checks should be
      automated to the greatest extent possible.</p>
      <p><strong>See also:</strong> <span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-notify-on-schedule">Techniques for
      checkpoint 4.1</a></span></p>
    </dd>
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-dont-require-knowledge"
  id="check-dont-require-knowledge">4.2</a></span> Assist authors in
  correcting <a rel="glossary"
  href="#def-accessibility-problem">accessibility problems</a>. <span
  class="priorityR">[Relative Priority]</span></dt>
    <dd class="checkpoint"><strong>Rationale:</strong> once accessibility
      problems have been found, authoring tools help the author to correct
      them properly.
      <p><strong>At a minimum</strong>, provide context-sensitive help with
      the accessibility checking required by <a
      href="#check-notify-on-schedule" class="noxref">checkpoint 4.1</a>.</p>
      <p><strong>Advanced implementations</strong>: provide the author with
      automated or semi-automated correction tools, in addition to guidelines
      and examples.</p>
      <p><strong>See also:</strong> <a href="#check-notify-on-schedule"
      class="noxref">checkpoint 4.1</a> <span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-dont-require-knowledge">Techniques for
      checkpoint 4.2</a></span></p>
    </dd>
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-progress-feedback" id="check-progress-feedback">4.3</a></span>
  Provide the author with a summary of the document's accessibility status.
  <span class="priority3">[Priority 3]</span></dt>
    <dd><strong>Rationale:</strong> encourage authoring tools to notify
      authors of accessibility problems in a coherent way.
      <p><strong>At minimum (required basic functionality):</strong> provide
      a list of the problems by type.</p>
      <p><strong>Advanced implementations</strong> might integrate the
      summary with the tool's repair functionality to increase the
      flexibility with which problems can be corrected (see checkpoint
      4.2).</p>
      <p><strong>See also:</strong> <span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-progress-feedback">Techniques for
      checkpoint 4.3</a></span></p>
    </dd>
</dl>
</div>

<h3 class="guideline">Guideline 5. <a name="gl-integrate-naturally"
id="gl-integrate-naturally">Integrate accessibility solutions into the
overall "look and feel".</a></h3>

<div>
<p>When a new feature is added to an existing software tool without proper
integration, the result is often an obvious discontinuity. Differing color
schemes, fonts, interaction styles, and even software stability can be
factors affecting author acceptance of the new feature. In addition, the
relative prominence of different ways to accomplish the same task can
influence which one the author chooses. Therefore, it is important that
creating accessible content be a natural process when using an authoring
tool.</p>
</div>

<div>
<h4 class="notoc" id="Checkpoint4">Checkpoints:</h4>
</div>
<dl class="checkpoints">
  <dt><a name="check-checking-easy1" id="check-checking-easy1">5.1</a> Ensure
  that the functionalities for checkpoints 3.1, 3.2 and 4.1 are always
  clearly available to the user [Priority 1]</dt>
    <dd><strong>Rationale:</strong> The user must be easily able to turn on
      accessibility support functionality
      <p><strong>Minimum (required basic functionality):</strong> The user
      interface component to initiate the function must be a visible part of
      the main user interface</p>
      <p><strong>More advanced (suggested):</strong> Allow the user to
      configure this to happen on a schedule or at user request</p>
      <p><strong>See also:</strong> checkpoints <a
      href="#check-provide-missing-alt">3.1</a>, <a
      href="#check-help-provide-structure">3.2</a>, <a
      href="#check-notify-on-schedule">4.1</a>, <a
      href="#check-dont-require-knowledge">4.2</a> Techniques for checkpoint
      5.2</p>
    </dd>
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-visible-means111" id="check-visible-means111">5.2</a></span>
  Ensure that <a rel="glossary" href="#def-accessible-au-practice">accessible
  authoring practices</a> supporting Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
  <a href="#ref-WCAG10" title="Link to reference WCAG10">[WCAG10]</a>
  Priority 1 checkpoints are among the most obvious and easily initiated by
  the author. <span class="priority2">[Priority 2]</span></dt>
    <dd><span class="noprint"><strong>Note:</strong> This checkpoint extends
      the requirements of checkpoint 5.1 to cover more functionalities</span>
      <p><strong>Rationale:</strong> that accessibility-related functionality
      be integrated as seamlessly as possible.</p>
      <p><strong>At minimum</strong>, the accessibility features should not
      contrast with the normal operation of the tool. This means that they
      should be operable with approximately the same number of mouse clicks
      or keystrokes, the same amount of instruction, and the same degree of
      flexibility as other features.</p>
      <p>For example, if an element's properties are displayed in a floating
      toolbar, accessibility-related prompts should be added to this toolbar,
      not implemented as intrusive pop-up boxes.</p>
      <p><strong>More advanced implementations</strong> might see
      accessibility features such as checking, integrated to the same level
      as analogous features unrelated to accessibility.</p>
      <p>For example, if underlining or color changes are used to notify the
      author, while they work, of syntax and spelling errors, accessibility
      problems should be similarly flagged.</p>
      <p><span class="noprint"><strong>See also:</strong> <a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-visible-means">Techniques for
      checkpoint 5.2</a></span></p>
    </dd>
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-integrate-features"
  id="check-integrate-features">5.3</a></span> Ensure that all functionality
  (prompts, checkers, information icons, etc.) related to <a rel="glossary"
  href="#def-accessible-au-practice">accessible authoring practices</a> is
  naturally integrated into the overall look and feel of the tool. <span
  class="priority2">[Priority 2]</span></dt>
    <dd><strong>Rationale:</strong> user interfaces can increase the
      probability that authors will use accessible authoring practices, even
      when less accessible alternatives are provided by the tool for reasons
      of completeness.
      <p><strong>At minimum</strong>, when there is an accessible and a less
      accessible means for performing an action, the user interface of the
      tool should be organized so that the accessible means is at least as
      visible in the user interface and at least as easy to activate in terms
      of mouse clicks and keystrokes than the less accessible means.</p>
      <p><strong>More advanced solutions</strong> might purposefully impede
      the visibility and use of the less accessible means.</p>
      <p><strong>See also:</strong> <span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-integrate-features">Techniques for
      checkpoint 5.3</a></span></p>
    </dd>
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-accessibility-everywhere1"
  id="check-accessibility-everywhere1">5.4</a></span> Ensure that creating
  accessible content is a naturally integrated part of the documentation,
  including examples. <span class="priorityR">[Relative Priority]</span></dt>
    <dd>This checkpoint promotes the production of accessible content by
      implicitly demonstrating to the author that all content, regardless of
      purpose, should comply with the WCAG guidelines.
      <p><strong>At minimum (required basic functionality):</strong> all
      documented examples of the authoring tool interface (i.e. dialog boxes,
      code views, etc.) should include any relevant accessible authoring
      practices.</p>
      <p><strong>See also:</strong> <span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-accessibility-everywhere">Techniques
      for checkpoint 5.4</a></span></p>
    </dd>
</dl>

<div>
<h3 class="guideline">Guideline 6. <a name="gl-provide-help"
id="gl-provide-help">Promote accessibility in help and documentation.</a></h3>

<div>
<p>Web authors may not be familiar with accessibility issues that arise when
creating Web content. Therefore, help and documentation must include
explanations of <a href="#def-accessibility-problem" rel="glossary"
title="Definition of Accessibility Problem"><span
class="dfn-instance">accessibility problems</span></a>, and should
demonstrate solutions with examples.</p>
</div>

<h4 class="notoc" id="Checkpoint5">Checkpoints: <span
class="issue"></span></h4>
<dl class="checkpoints">
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-document-features" id="check-document-features">6.1</a></span>
  Document all features that promote the production of accessible content.
  <span class="priority1">[Priority 1]</span></dt>
    <dd><strong>Rationale:</strong> Documenting each accessibility related
      feature of the tool (dialog boxes, utility, code views, etc.) will help
      authors to learn how to use them effectively.
      <p><strong>At minimum (required basic functionality):</strong> Document
      the purpose and use of all features of the tool that help create
      accessible content.</p>
      <p><strong>More advanced implementations</strong> Provide
      context-sensitive links to this documentation from the actual features,
      within the authoring tool user interface. Also provide a dedicated
      "Accessibility" section of the documentation for this material.</p>
      <p><strong>See also:</strong> <a
      href="#check-accessibility-everywhere1">checkpoint 5.4</a>, <span
      class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-document-features">Techniques for
      checkpoint 6.1</a></span></p>
    </dd>
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-emphasize-universal-benefit"
  id="check-emphasize-universal-benefit">6.2</a></span> Document the process
  of using the tool to produce accessible content. <span
  class="priorityR">[Relative Priority]</span></dt>
    <dd><strong>Rationale:</strong> Motivated users of the tool may be able
      to produce accessible content without the support provided by
      mechanisms such as accessibility checking and repair functions.
      <p><strong>At minimum (required basic functionality):</strong> Document
      the techniques required to meet all WCAG checkpoints at the relevant
      priority level - (these may include work-around methods where the tool
      does not yet have the appropriate functionality).</p>
      <p><strong>Optional advanced functionality:</strong> Automating the
      process of producing accessible content will mean that nothing special
      needs to be done to meet this checkpoint. But providing
      context-sensitive linking to this documentation may be an intermediary
      development strategy.</p>
      <p><strong>See also:</strong> <span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-emphasize-universal-benefit">Techniques
      for checkpoint 6.2</a></span></p>
    </dd>
</dl>
</div>

<div>
<h3 class="guideline">Guideline 7. <a name="gl-make-accessible"
id="gl-make-accessible">Ensure that the authoring tool is accessible to
authors with disabilities.</a></h3>

<div>
<p>The authoring tool is a software program with standard user interface
elements and as such must be designed according to relevant user interface
accessibility guidelines. When custom interface components are created, it is
essential that they be accessible through the standard access mechanisms for
the relevant platform so that assistive technologies can be used with
them.</p>

<p>Some additional user interface design considerations apply specifically to
<a href="#def-authoring-tool" rel="glossary"
title="Definition of Authoring Tool"><span class="dfn-instance">Web authoring
tools.</span></a> For instance, authoring tools must ensure that the author
can edit (in an <a href="#def-Editing" rel="glossary"
title="Definition of Editing View"><span class="dfn-instance">editing
view</span></a>) using one set of stylistic preferences and publish using
different styles. Authors with low vision may need large text when editing
but want to publish with a smaller default text size. The style preferences
of the editing view must not affect the markup of the published document.</p>

<p>Authoring tools must also ensure that the author can navigate a document
efficiently while editing, regardless of disability. Authors who use screen
readers, refreshable braille displays, or screen magnifiers can make limited
use (if at all) of graphical artifacts that communicate the structure of the
document and act as signposts when traversing it. Authors who cannot use a
mouse (e.g., people with physical disabilities or who are blind) must use the
slow and tiring process of moving one step at a time through the document to
access the desired content, unless more efficient navigation methods are
available. Authoring tools should therefore provide an <a href="#def-Editing"
rel="glossary" title="Definition of Editing View"><span
class="dfn-instance">editing view</span></a> that conveys a sense of the
overall structure and allows structured navigation.</p>

<p><strong>Note:</strong> Documentation, help files, and installation are
part of the software and need to be available in an <a href="#def-Accessible"
rel="glossary" title="Definition of Accessible"><span
class="dfn-instance">accessible</span></a> form.</p>
</div>

<h4 class="notoc" id="Checkpoint6">Checkpoints:</h4>
<dl class="checkpoints">
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-use-system-conventions"
  id="check-use-system-conventions">7.1</a></span> Ensure that the authoring
  interface follows all operating environment conventions that benefit
  accessibility (Applies at three priority levels: [Priority 1] for standards
  and conventions that are essential to accessibility; [Priority 2] for those
  that are important to accessibility; [Priority 3] for those that are
  beneficial to accessibility).</dt>
    <dd>This checkpoint requires all aspects of the authoring interface to be
      accessible to the author. This wide scope means that the checkpoint
      applies to the implementation of all the other checkpoints in this
      guidelines document. The techniques for this checkpoint include
      references to checklists and guidelines for a number of platforms and
      to general guidelines for <a href="#def-Accessible" rel="glossary"
      title="Definition of Accessible"><span
      class="dfn-instance">accessible</span></a> applications. In many cases
      several sets of standards will be applicable. <span class="issue"><a
      name="issue7" id="issue7"
      href="/WAI/AU/wombatissues.html#issue7">[@@issue 7</a> - there is no
      minimum requirement here]</span>
      <p><strong>See also:</strong> <span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-use-system-conventions">Techniques for
      checkpoint 7.1</a></span></p>
    </dd>
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-edit-elements" id="check-edit-elements">7.2</a></span> Ensure
  that the authoring interface enables accessible editing of all <a
  rel="glossary" href="#def-element">element</a> and object <a rel="glossary"
  href="#def-Property">properties</a>. <span
  class="priority1">[Priority 1]</span></dt>
    <dd><strong>Note</strong> This checkpoint is a special case of checkpoint
      7.1 that is especially important to authoring tools.
      <p><strong>At minimum (required basic functionality):</strong> provide
      at least one accessible way to edit every element and object property
      supported by the tool.</p>
      <p><strong>More advanced implementations</strong> might ensure that all
      of the ways in which the tool allows element and object properties to
      be edited should be accessible.</p>
      <p>See also</p>
    </dd>
    <dd><span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-edit-elements">Techniques for
      checkpoint 7.2</a></span></dd>
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-edit-structure" id="check-edit-structure">7.3</a></span> Ensure
  that the authoring interface enables the author to edit the structure of
  the document <span class="priority2">[Priority 2]</span></dt>
    <dd><strong>Note</strong> This checkpoint is a special case of checkpoint
      7.1 that is especially important to authoring tools.
      <p><strong>At minimum (required basic functionality):</strong> the
      checkpoint requires that the author be able to copy, cut or paste an
      element and its content at any level of the document tree hierarchy.</p>
      <p><strong>More advanced implementations</strong> might provide more
      powerful ways to edit elements or groups of elements in the
      structure.</p>
      <p><strong>See also:</strong> <span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-edit-structure">Techniques for
      checkpoint 7.3</a></span></p>
    </dd>
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-independent-styles"
  id="check-independent-styles">7.4</a></span> Allow the display preferences
  of the authoring interface to be changed<a rel="glossary"
  href="#def-Editing"></a> without affecting the document markup. <span
  class="priority1">[Priority 1]</span></dt>
    <dd><strong>Note</strong> This checkpoint applies primarily to WYSIWYG
      markup editing tools and requires that the author be able to view the
      content, as it is being authored, in a way that differs from the
      presumed default appearance of the rendered content.
      <p><strong>At minimum</strong> there must be some mechanism for
      changing the document display independently of the document markup.</p>
      <p>There are a number of ways that this can be achieved, including
      supporting operating environment display preferences and allowing the
      author to specify an editing style sheet that is different from those
      included with the end document. In addition, there must be some means
      by which textual alternatives can be displayed to the author in place
      of non-text elements. <span class="issue"><a name="issue9" id="issue9"
      href="/WAI/AU/wombatissues.html#issue8">[@@issue 8</a> - need to clean
      this paragraph up - some is techniques, plus wording and some is useful
      for the checkpoint]</span></p>
      <p><strong>See also:</strong> <span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-independent-styles">Techniques for
      checkpoint 7.4</a></span></p>
    </dd>
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a
  name="check-navigation-access" id="check-navigation-access">7.5</a></span>
  Ensure that the authoring interface enables accessible navigation of <a
  rel="glossary" href="#def-Editing">editing views</a> via the document
  structure. <span class="priority1">[Priority </span><span class="change">2
  (was P1 in ATAG10)</span><span class="priority1">]</span></dt>
    <dd><strong>Rationale:</strong> simplify navigation for the author.
      <p><strong>At minimum</strong>, the author should be able to move from
      element to element. <span class="issue"><a name="issue10" id="issue10"
      href="/WAI/AU/wombatissues.html#issue9">[@@issue 9</a>: is this
      actually what we need?]</span></p>
      <p><strong>More advanced implementations</strong> might provide highly
      flexible mechanisms that take advantage of the hierarchical nature of
      the document tree.</p>
      <p><strong>See also:</strong> <span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-navigation-access">Techniques for
      checkpoint 7.5</a></span></p>
    </dd>
  <dt class="checkpoint"><span class="checkpoint"><a name="check-have-search"
  id="check-have-search">7.6</a></span> Ensure the authoring interface allows
  the author to search within the <a rel="glossary"
  href="#def-Editing">editing views</a>. <span
  class="priority2">[Priority 2]</span></dt>
    <dd><strong>Note</strong> This checkpoint requires that tools provide a
      search facility. While this is a common feature in most text markup
      editing tools, it is less common for other authoring tools (i.e. SVG
      and editors).
      <p><strong>At minimum</strong>, the tool should allow basic text search
      with a choice of skipping or including markup</p>
      <p><strong>More advanced implementations</strong> might have more
      powerful mechanisms that, for example, can search on the basis of
      structure or similarity.</p>
      <p><strong>See also</strong>: <span class="noprint"><a
      href="/WAI/AU/ATAG-TECHS/#check-have-search">Techniques for checkpoint
      7.6</a></span></p>
    </dd>
</dl>
</div>
<!--NewPage-->
<!-- this is for html2ps -->

<div>
<h2>3. <a name="definitions" id="definitions">Glossary of Terms and
Definitions</a></h2>
<dl class="glossary">
  <dt><a name="def-Accessibility"
  id="def-Accessibility"><dfn>Accessibility</dfn></a> (Also: <a
  name="def-Accessible" id="def-Accessible"><dfn>Accessible</dfn></a>)</dt>
    <dd>Within these guidelines, "accessible Web content" and "accessible
      authoring tool" mean that the content and tool can be used by people
      regardless of disability.</dd>
    <dd>To understand the accessibility issues relevant to authoring tool
      design, consider that many authors may be creating content in contexts
      very different from your own:
      <ul>
        <li>They may not be able to see, hear, move, or may not be able to
          process some types of information easily or at all;</li>
        <li>They may have difficulty reading or comprehending text;</li>
        <li>They may not have or be able to use a keyboard or mouse;</li>
        <li>They may have a text-only display, or a small screen.</li>
      </ul>
    </dd>
    <dd>Accessible design will benefit people in these different authoring
      scenarios and also many people who do not have a physical disability
      but who have similar needs. For example, someone may be working in a
      noisy environment and thus require an alternative representation of
      audio information. Similarly, someone may be working in an eyes-busy
      environment and thus require an audio equivalent to information they
      cannot view. Users of small mobile devices (with small screens, no
      keyboard, and no mouse) have similar functional needs as some users
      with disabilities.</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-Access-info" id="def-Access-info"><dfn>Accessibility
  Information</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>"Accessibility information" is content, including information and
      markup, that is used to improve the accessibility of a document.
      Accessibility information includes, but is not limited to, <a
      href="#def-alt-eq" rel="glossary"
      title="Definition of Alternative Information"><span
      class="dfn-instance">equivalent alternative information</span></a>.</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-accessibility-problem"
  id="def-accessibility-problem"><dfn>Accessibility Problem</dfn></a> (Also:
  <a name="def-inaccessible-markup"
  id="def-inaccessible-markup"><dfn>Inaccessible Markup</dfn></a>)</dt>
    <dd>Inaccessible Web content or authoring tools cannot be used by some
      people with disabilities. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
      <a href="#ref-WCAG10" title="Link to reference WCAG10">[WCAG10]</a>
      describes how to create accessible Web content.</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-accessible-au-practice"
  id="def-accessible-au-practice"><dfn>Accessible Authoring
  Practice</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>"Accessible authoring practices" improve the accessibility of Web
      content. Both authors and tools engage in accessible authoring
      practices. For example, authors write clearly, structure their content,
      and provide navigation aids. Tools automatically generate valid markup
      and assist authors in providing and managing appropriate equivalent
      alternatives.</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-alert" id="def-alert"><dfn>Alert</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>An "alert" draws the author's attention to an event or situation. It
      may require a response from the author.</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-alt-eq" id="def-alt-eq"><dfn>Alternative
  Information</dfn></a> (Also: <a name="def-equivalent-alternative"
  id="def-equivalent-alternative"><dfn>Equivalent Alternative</dfn></a>)</dt>
    <dd>Content is "equivalent" to other content when both fulfill
      essentially the same function or purpose upon presentation to the user.
      Equivalent alternatives play an important role in accessible authoring
      practices since certain types of content may not be accessible to all
      users (e.g., video, images, audio, etc.). Authors are encouraged to
      provide text equivalents for non-text content since text may be
      rendered as synthesized speech for individuals who have visual or
      learning disabilities, as braille for individuals who are blind, or as
      graphical text for individuals who are deaf or do not have a
      disability. For more information about equivalent alternatives, please
      refer to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines <abbr
      title="Web Content Accessibility Guidelines">WCAG</abbr> 1.0 <a
      href="#ref-WCAG10" title="Link to reference WCAG10">[WCAG10]</a>.</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-attribute" id="def-attribute"><dfn>Attribute</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>This document uses the term "attribute" as used in SGML and XML (<a
      href="#ref-XML" title="Link to reference XML">[XML]</a>): Element types
      may be defined as having any number of attributes. Some attributes are
      integral to the accessibility of content (e.g., the <code>"alt"</code>,
      <code>"title"</code>, and <code>"longdesc"</code> attributes in
    HTML).</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-Auditory" id="def-Auditory"><dfn>Auditory
  Description</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>An "auditory description" provides information about actions, body
      language, graphics, and scene changes in a video. Auditory descriptions
      are commonly used by people who are blind or have low vision, although
      they may also be used as a low-bandwidth equivalent on the Web. An
      auditory description is either a pre-recorded human voice or a
      synthesized voice (recorded or automatically generated in real time).
      The auditory description must be synchronized with the auditory track
      of a video presentation, usually during natural pauses in the auditory
      track.</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-authoring-tool" id="def-authoring-tool"><dfn>Authoring
  Tool</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>An "authoring tool" is any software that is used to produce content
      for publishing on the Web. Authoring tools include:
      <ul>
        <li>Editing tools specifically designed to produce Web content (e.g.,
          WYSIWYG HTML and XML editors);</li>
        <li>Tools that offer the option of saving material in a Web format
          (e.g., word processors or desktop publishing packages);</li>
        <li>Tools that transform documents into Web formats (e.g., filters to
          transform desktop publishing formats to HTML);</li>
        <li>Tools that produce multimedia, especially where it is intended
          for use on the Web (e.g., video production and editing suites, SMIL
          authoring packages);</li>
        <li>Tools for site management or site publication, including tools
          that automatically generate Web sites dynamically from a database,
          on-the-fly conversion and Web site publishing tools;</li>
        <li>Tools for management of layout (e.g., CSS formatting tools).</li>
      </ul>
    </dd>
  <dt><a name="def-video-captions"
  id="def-video-captions"><dfn>Captions</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>"Captions" are essential <a href="#def-equivalent-alternative"
      rel="glossary" title="Definition of Equivalent Alternative"><span
      class="dfn-instance">text equivalents</span></a> for movie audio.
      Captions consist of a <a href="#def-transcript" rel="glossary"
      title="Definition of Transcript"><span class="dfn-instance">text
      transcript</span></a> of the auditory track of the movie (or other
      video presentation) that is synchronized with the video and auditory
      tracks. Captions are generally rendered graphically and benefit people
      who can see but are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or cannot hear the
    audio.</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-conversion-tool" id="def-conversion-tool"><dfn>Conversion
  Tool</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>A "conversion tool" is any application or application feature (e.g.,
      "Save as HTML") that transforms convent in one format to another format
      (such as a markup language).</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-check-for" id="def-check-for"><dfn>Check for</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>As used in <a href="#check-notify-on-schedule"
      class="noxref">checkpoint 4.1</a>, "check for" can refer to three types
      of checking:
      <ol>
        <li>In some instances, an authoring tool will be able to check for
          accessibility problems automatically. For example, checking for
          validity (<a href="#check-ensure-published-DTD"
          class="noxref">checkpoint 2.2</a>) or testing whether an image is
          the only content of a link.</li>
        <li>In some cases, the tool will be able to "suspect" or "guess" that
          there is a problem, but will need confirmation from the author. For
          example, in making sure that a sensible reading order is preserved
          a tool can present a linearized version of a page to the
        author.</li>
        <li>In some cases, a tool must rely mostly on the author, and can
          only ask the author to check. For example, the tool may prompt the
          author to verify that equivalent alternatives for multimedia are
          appropriate. This is the minimal standard to be satisfied. Subtle,
          rather than extensive, prompting is more likely to be effective in
          encouraging the author to verify accessibility where it cannot be
          done automatically.</li>
      </ol>
    </dd>
  <dt><a name="def-document" id="def-document"><dfn>Document</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>A "document" is a series of elements that are defined by a <a
      href="#def-Markup-Language" rel="glossary"
      title="Definition of Markup Language"><span class="dfn-instance">markup
      language</span></a> (e.g., HTML 4 or an XML application).</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-Editing" id="def-Editing"><dfn>Editing View</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>An "editing view" is a <a href="#def-view" rel="glossary"
      title="Definition  of View"><span class="dfn-instance">view</span></a>
      provided by the authoring tool that allows editing.</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-element" id="def-element"><dfn>Element</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>An "element" is any identifiable object within a document, for
      example, a character, word, image, paragraph or spreadsheet cell. In <a
      href="#ref-HTML4" title="Link to reference HTML4">[HTML4]</a> and <a
      href="#ref-XML" title="Link  to reference XML">[XML]</a>, an element
      refers to a pair of tags and their content, or an "empty" tag - one
      that requires no closing tag or content.</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-inform" id="def-inform"><dfn>Inform</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>To "inform" is to make the author aware of an event or situation
      through <a href="#def-alert" rel="glossary"
      title="Definition of Alert"><span
      class="dfn-instance">alert</span></a>, <a href="#def-prompt"
      rel="glossary" title="Definition of Prompt"><span
      class="dfn-instance">prompt</span></a>, sound, flash, or other
    means.</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-Markup-Language" id="def-Markup-Language"><dfn>Markup
  Language</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>Authors encode information using a "markup language" such as HTML <a
      href="#ref-HTML4" title="Link to reference HTML4">[HTML4]</a>, SVG <a
      href="#ref-SVG" title="Link to reference SVG">[SVG]</a>, or MathML <a
      href="#ref-MATHML" title="Link to reference MATHML">[MATHML]</a>.</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-presentation-markup"
  id="def-presentation-markup"><dfn>Presentation Markup</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>"Presentation markup" is <a href="#def-Markup-Language"
      rel="glossary" title="Definition of Markup Language"><span
      class="dfn-instance">markup language</span></a> that encodes
      information about the desired presentation or layout of the content.
      For example, Cascading Style Sheets (<a href="#ref-CSS1"
      title="Link to reference CSS1">[CSS1]</a>, <a href="#ref-CSS2"
      title="Link to  reference CSS2">[CSS2]</a>) can be used to control
      fonts, colors, aural rendering, and graphical positioning. Presentation
      markup should not be used in place of <a href="#def-structural-markup"
      rel="glossary" title="Definition of  Structural Markup"><span
      class="dfn-instance">structural markup</span></a> to convey structure.
      For example, authors should mark up lists in HTML with proper list
      markup and style them with CSS (e.g., to control spacing, bullets,
      numbering, etc.). Authors should not use other CSS or HTML incorrectly
      to lay out content graphically so that it resembles a list.</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-prompt" id="def-prompt"><dfn>Prompt</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>In this document prompt does not refer to the narrow software sense
      of a "prompt," rather it is used as a verb meaning to urge, suggest and
      encourage. The form and timing that this prompting takes can be user
      configurable. "Prompting" does not depend upon the author to seek out
      the support but is initiated by the tool. "Prompting" is more than
      checking, correcting, and providing help and documentation as
      encompassed in guidelines 4, 5, 6. The goal of prompting the author is
      to encourage, urge and support the author in creating meaningful
      equivalent text without causing frustration that may cause the author
      to turn off access options. Prompting should be implemented in such a
      way that it causes a positive disposition and awareness on the part of
      the author toward accessible authoring practices.</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-Property" id="def-Property"><dfn>Property</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>A "property" is a piece of information about an element, for example
      structural information (e.g., it is item number 7 in a list, or plain
      text) or presentation information (e.g., that it is marked as bold, its
      font size is 14). In XML and HTML, properties of an element include the
      type of the element (e.g., <code>IMG</code> or <code>DL</code>), the
      values of its <a href="#def-attribute" rel="glossary"
      title="Definition of Attribute"><span
      class="dfn-instance">attributes</span></a>, and information associated
      by means of a style sheet. In a database, properties of a particular
      element may include values of the entry, and acceptable data types for
      that entry.</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-structural-markup"
  id="def-structural-markup"><dfn>Structural Markup</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>"Structural markup" is <a href="#def-Markup-Language" rel="glossary"
      title="Definition of Markup Language"><span class="dfn-instance">markup
      language</span></a> that encodes information about the structural role
      of elements of the content. For example, headings, sections, members of
      a list, and components of a complex diagram can be identified using
      structural markup. Structural markup should not be used incorrectly to
      control presentation or layout. For example, authors should not use the
      <code>BLOCKQUOTE</code> element in HTML <a href="#ref-HTML4"
      title="Link to reference HTML4">[HTML4]</a> to achieve an indentation
      visual layout effect. Structural markup should be used correctly to
      communicate the roles of the elements of the content and <a
      href="#def-presentation-markup" rel="glossary"
      title="Definition of Presentation  Markup"><span
      class="dfn-instance">presentation markup</span></a> should be used
      separately to control the presentation and layout.</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-transcript"
  id="def-transcript"><dfn>Transcript</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>A "transcript" is a text representation of sounds in an audio clip or
      an auditory track of a multimedia presentation. A "collated text
      transcript" for a video combines (collates) caption text with text
      descriptions of video information (descriptions of the actions, body
      language, graphics, and scene changes of the visual track). Collated
      text transcripts are essential for individuals who are deaf-blind and
      rely on braille for access to movies and other content.</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-Transformation"
  id="def-Transformation"><dfn>Transformation</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>A "transformation" is a process that changes a document or object
      into another, equivalent, object according to a discrete set of rules.
      This includes <a href="#def-conversion-tool" rel="glossary"
      title="Definition of Conversion  Tool"><span
      class="dfn-instance">conversion tools</span></a>, software that allows
      the author to change the <abbr
      title="Document Type Definition">DTD</abbr> defined for the original
      document to another <abbr title="Document  Type Definition">DTD</abbr>,
      and the ability to change the markup of lists and convert them into
      tables.</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-User-Agent" id="def-User-Agent"><dfn>User
  Agent</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>A "user agent" is software that retrieves and renders Web content.
      User agents include browsers, plug-ins for a particular media type, and
      some assistive technologies.</dd>
  <dt><a name="def-view" id="def-view"><dfn>View</dfn></a></dt>
    <dd>Authoring tools may render the same content in a variety of ways;
      each rendering is called a "view." Some authoring tools will have
      several different types of view, and some allow views of several
      documents at once. For instance, one view may show raw markup, a second
      may show a structured tree, a third may show markup with rendered
      objects while a final view shows an example of how the document may
      appear if it were to be rendered by a particular browser. A typical way
      to distinguish views in a graphic environment is to place each in a
      separate window.</dd>
</dl>
</div>

<div>
<h2>4. <a name="acknowledgments" id="acknowledgments">Acknowledgments</a></h2>

<p>Many thanks to the following people who have contributed through review
and comment: Giorgio Brajnik, Daniel Dardailler, Katie Haritos-Shea, Phill
Jenkins, Len Kasday, Marjolein Katsma, William Loughborough, Matthias
Müller-Prove, Graham Oliver, Chris Ridpath, Gregory Rosmaita, Heather Swayne,
Carlos Velasco.</p>

<p>This document would not have been possible without the work of <a
href="http://www.w3.org/TR/ATAG10/#acknowledgments">those who contributed to
The Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 1.0</a></p>
</div>
<!--NewPage-->
<!-- this is for html2ps -->

<div>
<h2>5. <a name="references" id="references">References</a></h2>

<p>For the latest version of any <abbr
title="the World Wide Web Consortium">W3C</abbr> specification please consult
the list of <a href="../../"><abbr
title="the World Wide Web Consortium">W3C</abbr> Technical Reports</a> at
http://www.w3.org/TR.</p>
<dl>
  <dt><a id="ref-ATAG10" name="ref-ATAG10">[ATAG10]</a></dt>
    <dd><a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/2000/REC-ATAG10-20000203/">"Authoring
      Tool Accessibility Guidelines 1.0"</a>, J. Treviranus, C.
      McCathieNevile, I. Jacobs, and J. Richards, eds., 3 February 2000. This
      W3C Recommendation is
    http://www.w3.org/TR/2000/REC-ATAG10-20000203/.</dd>
  <dt><a name="ref-ATAG10-TECHS" id="ref-ATAG10-TECHS">[ATAG10-TECHS]</a></dt>
    <dd>"<a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/ATAG10-TECHS/">Techniques for
      Authoring Tool Accessibility</a>," J. Treviranus, J. Richards, I.
      Jacobs, and C. McCathieNevile editors. The latest version is available
      at http://www.w3.org/TR/ATAG10-TECHS.</dd>
  <dt><a name="ref-CONFORMANCE" id="ref-CONFORMANCE">[CONFORMANCE]</a></dt>
    <dd>"<a href="/WAI/ATAG10-Conformance">Conformance icons for
      <abbr>ATAG</abbr> 1.0</a>." Information about ATAG 1.0 conformance
      icons is available at http://www.w3.org/WAI/ATAG10-Conformance.</dd>
  <dt><a name="ref-CSS1" id="ref-CSS1">[CSS1]</a></dt>
    <dd>"<a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/REC-CSS1-19990111">CSS, level 1
      Recommendation</a>," B. Bos and H. Wium Lie, editors., 17 December
      1996, revised 11 January 1999. This CSS1 Recommendation is
      http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/REC-CSS1-19990111. The <a
      href="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-CSS1">latest version of CSS1</a> is
      available at http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-CSS1. <strong>Note:</strong> CSS1
      has been superseded by CSS2. Tools should implement the CSS2 cascade in
      particular.</dd>
  <dt><a name="ref-CSS2" id="ref-CSS2">[CSS2]</a></dt>
    <dd>"<a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/1998/REC-CSS2-19980512/">CSS, level 2
      Recommendation</a>," B. Bos, H. Wium Lie, C. Lilley, and I. Jacobs,
      editors., 12 May 1998. This CSS2 Recommendation is
      http://www.w3.org/TR/1998/REC-CSS2-19980512. The <a
      href="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-CSS2/">latest version of CSS2</a> is
      available at http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-CSS2.</dd>
  <dt><a name="ref-HTML4" id="ref-HTML4">[HTML4]</a></dt>
    <dd>"<a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/REC-html401-19991224/">HTML 4.01
      Recommendation</a>," D. Raggett, A. Le Hors, and I. Jacobs, editors.,
      24 December 1999. This HTML 4.01 Recommendation is
      http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/REC-html401-19991224. The <a
      href="http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/">latest version of HTML 4</a> is
      available at http://www.w3.org/TR/html4.</dd>
  <dt><a name="ref-MATHML" id="ref-MATHML">[MATHML]</a></dt>
    <dd>"<a href="/1999/07/REC-MathML-19990707/">Mathematical Markup
      Language</a>," P. Ion and R. Miner, editors., 7 April 1998, revised 7
      July 1999. This MathML 1.0 Recommendation is
      http://www.w3.org/TR/1998/REC-MathML-19990707. The <a
      href="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-MathML/">latest version of MathML
      1.0</a> is available at http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-MathML.</dd>
  <dt><a name="ref-RDF10" id="ref-RDF10">[RDF10]</a></dt>
    <dd>"<a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/REC-rdf-syntax-19990222">Resource
      Description Framework (RDF) Model and Syntax Specification</a>," O.
      Lassila, R. Swick, editors. The 22 February 1999 Recommendation is
      http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/REC-rdf-syntax-19990222. The <a
      href="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-rdf-syntax">latest version of RDF
      1.0</a> is available at http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-rdf-syntax.</dd>
  <dt><a name="ref-SVG" id="ref-SVG">[SVG]</a></dt>
    <dd>"<a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/SVG/">Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)
      1.0 Specification (Working Draft)</a>," J. Ferraiolo, editor. The
      latest version of the SVG specification is available at
      http://www.w3.org/TR/SVG.</dd>
  <dt><a name="ref-UAAG10-TECHS" id="ref-UAAG10-TECHS">[UAAG10-TECHS]</a></dt>
    <dd>"<a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/UAAG10-TECHS/">Techniques for User
      Agent Accessibility Guidelines 1.0</a>," J. Gunderson, and I. Jacobs,
      editors. The <a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/UAAG10-TECHS/">latest
      version of Techniques for User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 1.0</a>
      is available at http://www.w3.org/TR/UAAG10-TECHS/.</dd>
  <dt><a name="ref-WCAG10" id="ref-WCAG10">[WCAG10]</a></dt>
    <dd>"<a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/WAI-WEBCONTENT-19990505/">Web
      Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0</a>," W. Chisholm, G.
      Vanderheiden, and I. Jacobs, editors., 5 May 1999. This Recommendation
      is http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/WAI-WEBCONTENT-19990505. The latest
      version of the <a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10/">Web Content
      Accessibility Guidelines 1.0"</a> is available at
      http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10/.</dd>
  <dt>[<a name="ref-WCAG20" id="ref-WCAG20">WCAG20</a>]</dt>
    <dd>"<a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/">Web Content Accessibility
      Guidelines 2.0 (Working Draft)</a>," W. Chisholm, G. Vanderheiden, and
      J. White, editors. The latest version of the Web Content Accessibility
      Guidelines 2.0 is available at http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/.</dd>
  <dt><a name="ref-WCAG10-TECHS" id="ref-WCAG10-TECHS">[WCAG10-TECHS]</a></dt>
    <dd>"<a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10-TECHS/">Techniques for Web
      Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0</a>," W. Chisholm, G.
      Vanderheiden, and I. Jacobs, editors. The <a
      href="http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10-TECHS/">latest version of Techniques
      for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0</a> is available at
      http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10-TECHS/.</dd>
  <dt><a name="ref-WOMBAT-CHECKLIST"
  id="ref-WOMBAT-CHECKLIST">[WOMBAT-CHECKLIST]</a></dt>
    <dd>An <a rel="Appendix" title="List  form of ATAG Checklist"
      href="/WAI/AU/wombat/011202/checklist.html">appendix to this document
      lists all of the checkpoints</a>, sorted by priority.</dd>
  <dt><a name="ref-XML" id="ref-XML">[XML]</a></dt>
    <dd>"<a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/1998/REC-xml-19980210">The Extensible
      Markup Language (XML) 1.0</a>," T. Bray, J. Paoli, C. M.
      Sperberg-McQueen, editors., 10 February 1998. This XML 1.0
      Recommendation is http://www.w3.org/TR/1998/REC-xml-19980210. The <a
      href="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-xml">latest version of the XML
      specification</a> is available at http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-xml.</dd>
</dl>
</div>

<p><a href="/WAI/WCAG1AA-Conformance"
title="Explanation of  Level Double-A Conformance"><img class="conform"
height="32" width="88" src="/WAI/wcag1AA"
alt="Level Double-A conformance icon, W3C-WAI Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0"
/></a> <a style="float: right"
href="http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/validator?uri=http%3a%2f%2fwww.w3.org%2fTR%2f2001%2fWD-ATAG-wombat-20011221%2f&amp;warning=1&amp;profile=css2"><img
src="http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/images/vcss" alt="Valid CSS!" /></a>
<a
href="http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http://www.w3.org/TR/2001/WD-ATAG-wombat-20011221/"><img
src="/Icons/valid-xhtml10" alt="Valid XHTML 1.0!" /></a></p>

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