[Athen] WCAG2 for e-texts

[Jennifer Sutton]

Dear Greg and other Athenites:

I'm not sure I entirely understand your question. I see nothing but 
strengths regarding the idea of considering ebooks in light of WCAG 
2.  That being said, I see the term "etext" being used on this list 
to mean all kinds of electronic content.  So perhaps I should clarify 
that I'd be thinking of ePub, DAISY content, and even, yes, PDF. I 
imagine there are portions of WCAG 2 that also apply to Word documents.

Since I believe that the DAISY consortium, the IDPF, and the W3C seek 
to foster standards harmonization, I think all three seek to take 
each others' needs into account.

Since I recently posted many links on this subject to the WebAIM 
list, I'll repost them all below my name, in case the collection may 
prove helpful to those on this list, too. At the top of the list, 
I'll add a few more related to PDF.

Best,
Jennifer


PDF Techniques | Techniques for WCAG 2.0
http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WCAG20-TECHS/pdf.html

The official PDF/UA Technical Implementation Guide is here!
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2rUuvX/duff-johnson.com/2013/03/05/the-pdfua-technical-implementation-guide-arriveth/

A new tool that I just saw, but I don't know anything about:
pdfGoHTML: PDF Reflow Done Right | Duff Johnson Strategy and Communications
<http://duff-johnson.com/2013/01/21/pdfgohtml-pdf-reflow-done-right/>http://duff-johnson.com/2013/01/21/pdfgohtml-pdf-reflow-done-right/


A link to the Web AIM thread, in which there are six posts. Two of 
them are mine, below:
http://webaim.org/discussion/mail_thread?thread=5765


*** WebAIM Post 1:

>Date: Sun, 03 Mar 2013 20:29:32 -0800

>To: WebAIM Discussion List <webaim-forum at list.webaim.org>

>

>Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Q: accessibility for ebooks, epubs, kindles, etc.

>

>

>Greetings, WebAIM:

>

>I spent about 15 minutes with Google in order to pull together the 

>following resource set about EPub 3.  It's less "Benetech-centric" 

>than what has been posted so far.  I'm a fan of standards, not a 

>specific organizational approach, so that's where I always start.

>

>I hope many will find this collection useful.

>

>Links are below my name. Numbering is for tracking, rather than to 

>denote prioritization.

>

>If I've missed anything, I hope others will contribute.

>

>Jennifer

>

>

>1.  Book by Matt Garrish from O'Reilly Media:

>http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920025283.do

>

>2.  Visit the site of the International Digital Publishing Forum 

>(IDPF) which is the standards-making body for ePub:

>http://www.idpf.org

>

>3.  Forums on the IDPF site:

>http://idpf.org/forums

>

>4.  EPUB 3 Accessibility Guidelines

>http://idpf.org/accessibility/guidelines/

>

>5.  EPub Check, for validation:

>http://code.google.com/p/epubcheck/

>

>6.  A recent thread on the Access Technology in Higher Education 

>email list about accessible ePub production:

>http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/pipermail/athen-list/2013-February/007170.html

>

>7.  Creating accessible eBooks - RNIB:

>http://www.rnib.org.uk/professionals/solutionsforbusiness/publishing/publishertechnical/ebooksaccessible/Pages/accessible_ebook_creation.aspx

>

>Shortened:

>http://bit.ly/12zfaPG

>

>

>8.  Content on SlideShare, related to the DAISY Consortium and some 

>is ePub3, as well:

>http://www.slideshare.net/daisyconsortium




*** WebAIM post 2:


>Date: Wed, 06 Mar 2013 09:44:14 -0800

>To: WebAIM Discussion List <webaim-forum at list.webaim.org>

>

>Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Q: accessibility for ebooks, epubs, kindles, etc.






>Greetings, WebAIM:

>

>I thought I'd post four more items on this subject of ebooks/ePub, 

>and then, I'll stop.

>

>But I think these are valuable additions to what I posted the other day.

>

>I hope those working on HTML5, CSS, etc. will especially take note 

>of the summary of the recent W3C workshop and help to foster 

>standards harmonization.

>

>Links below my name.

>

>Best,

>Jennifer

>

>

>eBooks: Great Expectations - A W3C Workshop on Electronic Books and 

>Open Web Platform - 11-12 February 2013

>http://www.w3.org/2012/08/electronic-books/rapportebook.html

>

>Rich multi-media and a web of devices is driving us to a world of 

>standards - Tools of Change for Publishing

>http://toc.oreilly.com/2013/02/rich-multi-media-and-a-web-of-devices-is-driving-us-to-a-world-of-standards.html

>

>EPUB 3 demo/sample files wanted:

>http://t.co/mg4VgsyVUj

>

>This article focuses on a conference held in the UK

>ebooks and accessibility; "readable with eyes, ears and fingers" | 

>atis4all | Scoop.it

>http://ebookscambridge.wordpress.com/2013/02/21/ebooks-and-accessibility-readable-with-eyes-ears-and-fingers/



At 04:25 AM 3/16/2013, Greg Kraus wrote:

>I've been asked recently about the appropriateness of applying WCAG2

>to e-texts. I would appreciate any input people have on this who are

>more intimately involved with e-text production than I am. What are

>the strengths and weaknesses of it?

>

>Thanks.

>

>Greg

>

>--

>Greg Kraus

>University IT Accessibility Coordinator

>NC State University

>919.513.4087

>greg_kraus at ncsu.edu