The shift in nature of Web content from static documents to dynamic Rich Internet Applications (RIA) has not been accompanied by a similar shift in testing methodology. RIAs are software applications, and as such can benefit from the testing methodologies used in the field of software development. Because this shift in nature is fairly recent, traditional software testing methodology has not been given the importance it is due within the domain of accessibility. We will attempt to show the merits of Traditional Software Testing as applied to the domain of Web accessibility, and to make the case for a shift of focus from post hoc validation to proactive testing as the preferred means of assuring accessibility for Web sites and applications.
Windows Live Writer is a desktop application for publishing to blogs. This paper demonstrates the ways in which Writer enables blog authors to publish accessible HTML to blogs without extra effort, knowledge of HTML or awareness of accessibility.
In this paper, we describe specific design and coding techniques for the creation of simple to medium complexity Dynamic HTML and AJAX applications, which are accessible to people with disabilities using mainstream user agents and assistive technology available at the time of this writing.
Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 (MOSS) is an integrated suite of server capabilities that can help improve organizational effectiveness by providing comprehensive content management and enterprise search, accelerating shared business processes, and facilitating information-sharing across boundaries for better business insight.The Accessibility Kit for SharePoint (AKS) is an add-on pack for Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 that provides accessibility and usability enhancements for SharePoint. This development effort was broken into two parts (a) standing up a more accessible web-site in an effort to accelerate the process of building accessible Web sites in SharePoint in accordance with the WCAG 1.0 AA guidelines and (b) enhancing the accessibility of the collaborative environment within SharePoint, including blogs and Wikis, to meet the guidelines in a similar fashion. The AKS is developed by HiSoftware in collaboration with and on behalf of Microsoft.The product was designed to be partner-led to allow the partners specific examples through the use of best practices and documentation.As part of the project, Microsoft and HiSoftware are co-hosting and nurturing an AKS Community. The AKS Community site allows Microsoft Partners, customers and stakeholders to engage in dialogue with each other and Microsoft about Accessibility best practices, lessons learned challenges and successes.This community-based approach to accessibility has generated a great deal of enthusiasm, including approximately 1000 downloads in the first month and 150 organizations joining the community. This community approach to accessibility for a particular authoring environment has applicability to the broader field of web accessibility.
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