I agree with many that it does not go far enough and is very vague again. I know of allot of big names not happy with it and one group protesting it as it does not do enough to cover those with cognitive problems. Here are some discussions:
May
4
Here are a series of articles discussing Ajax and Accessibility. AJAX articles now come a dime a dozen, but few have gotten into how accessible it will be.
This will be double posted to the Ajax board as well, question if you wish to know about accessibility and use AJAX or just want to use AJAX but should know about accessibility issues.
- AJAX and Screenreaders: When Can it Work? - James Edwards aka Brothercake
- AJAX, Accessibility & Screen Readers - Ian Lloyd
- Accessibility of AJAX Applications - WebAIM
- Build Half a Product: Is Ajax accessible? At all? - By Joe Clark
- Usability tests of Basecamp with screen readers and other adaptive technology - by Joe Clark refference to the above article.
- Making Ajax Work with Screen Readers - Gez Lemon
- DOMScripting: Hijax - DOMScripting
- AJAX and Screenreaders: When Can it Work? - James Edwards for SitePoint
Apr
9
This is an area I am just now getting into, so I am not an expert but will post the links I get here. I had some links that I seem to have is placed, will add those as I find them.
Some things to keep in mind:
- The standard Language in the US is American Sign Language (ASL), other countries use other versions that fit their language and alphabet. However it is said that to foreigners speaking their sign languages can better communicate than we with our spoken languages. Whikipedia quotes a book that claims it is the third most used language behind English and panish.
- Estimates suggest 500,000 to 2 Million people use ASL in the US. Canada and parts of Mexico use it as well.
- The UK uses BSL, British Sign Language. It is different then ASL.
- If your site offers Video or audio such as tutorials, you should consider a sign language version if plausible and someone is available. Naturally the Minimum is a text manuscript.
- Many web sites claim AAA accessibility. That is really short of impossible. It requires you to supply content in a language the user would best be served with. This means they would need a choice between sign language and text manuscript. Course for instance KillerSites offers video tutorials, we have members in both USA and UK, so to claim AAA Stef would have to supply text versions and offer ASL as well as BSL. Course if we have or he can expect other foreigners then their SL would be needed as well. Makes AAA impossible unless you have big money backing you.
- The second most used language in the US is Sign Language above Spanish and just behind English
So if you are interesting in learning more:
- Interview: Sign-language takes to the web (ASL)
- Signing Time (ASL) - This is a video series to teach ASL to small children. Excellent series and is playing in some areas on TV.
- SigningTimeKids.org (ASL)
- Signing Time Foundation (ASL)
- HandSpeak (ASL Online Dictionary)
- About American Sign Language (ASL)
- ASL Alphabet
- Deaf 24/7 (BSL)
- Learn British Sign Language (BSL)
- American Sign Language is a Foreign Language - Not exactly on subject but interesting. It is a paper arguing that ASL is a language and should be allowed to be credited as a foreign language for college credit.