[html4all] any answers to a question posted on the webstandards group list?

[Laura Carlson]

Steve Faulkner   wrote:

> alastair campbell wrote:
> "Does the HTML working group have to take into account accessibility
> guidelines?
>
> What I mean is, does it have to make alt mandatory because WCAG (any
> version) does?"

The Design Principles currently say:

"Design features for universal access. This does not mean that
features should be omitted entirely if not all users can fully make
use of them, but alternate mechanisms should be provided when
possible. The image in an img may not be visible to blind users, but
that is a reason to provide alternate text, not to leave out images. "
http://dev.w3.org/html5/html-design-principles/Overview.html#universal-access

According to the  HTML5 Working Group Design Principle survey for the
universal access principle:

53  People: Strongly Agreed.  Fully supported it as written. Wanted it
included it as is.
18 People: Agreed.  But had  some suggestions for consideration.
1 Person was neutral = Neither agreed or disagreed.
6 People: Disagreed with the wording and said some changes are needed.
0 People: Strongly Disagreed. Wanted it Deleted.
http://www.w3.org/2002/09/wbs/40318/dprv/results#xua

The charter does say:
"The HTML Working Group will cooperate with the Web Accessibility
Initiative to ensure that the deliverables will satisfy accessibility
requirements. Coordination with WAI will be primarily conducted
through the Protocol and Formats Working Group, but direct
coordination with other WAI groups, such as Web Content Accessibility
Guidelines Working Group and User Agent Accessibility Guidelines
Working Group, will also be done when appropriate."
http://www.w3.org/2007/03/HTML-WG-charter.html#wai

Laura
-- 
Laura L. Carlson