Content Management Matters ™

The W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) realizes that the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 1.0) discouragement of Javascript does not work for developing accessible Rich Internet Applications. They do recognize the need to provide technologies to map controls, AJAX live regions, and events to accessibility APIs.

As a result, the Protocols and Formats Working Group has released the first set of Working Drafts of the ARIA - Accessible Rich Internet Applications suite.

Human Factors International (HFI), a company dedicated to software usability, presents Trends in user experience design: What you need to know in 2008 that can help your business. This free, live webinar is scheduled for Thursday, February 7 at 3:30 pm ET (US).

Too often in our plight to design beautiful, engaging websites, we overlook the unique abilities and disabilities of our users. Sure, we know their demographics, their wants, their desires and maybe even their top tasks. But do we really design with their abilities in mind?

SharePoint Server 2007 has announced the Accessibility Toolkit for SharePoint 1.0, better known as the AKS Solution.

Microsoft partnered with accessibility technology vendor HiSoftware to build the toolokit. It provides files, programs and utilities that enable SharePoint Server (MOSS) and SharePoint Services (WSS) sites to follow the accessibility guidelines put forth by the W3C (WCAG 1.0 AA).

The AKS Solution can also be used to address exceptions that have been identified in the Section 508 of the US Gov's Rehabilitation Act Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) documents for MOSS 2007.

Squiz is forever telling us what we should do and what we should think: about CMS, about SEO, doing business on the web, about the Four Noble Truths of the Buddha (it's a WIP). Which is quite irritating, because they're invariably just about right.

In more standards news the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS) recently announced that their members have approved OpenDocument Format (ODF) for Office Applications version 1.1 as an official OASIS Standard.

OpenDocument is a royalty-free, XML-based file format that covers features required by text, spreadsheets, charts, and graphical documents.

This newest update provides users with important accessibility enhancements, ensuring that the OpenDocument format takes care of addressing the particular needs of people with disabilities.