A Short List of A11Y Requirements

A Short List of A11Y requirements.

• All input can be done by voice;
• All input can be done by a joystick;
• All input can be done by a Perkins Keyboard;
• All input can be done by a mouse;
• All input can be done using an 78 key keyboard;
• All input can be done on a touchpad;
• All input can be done using a virtual keyboard;

The program has to be able to accept simultaneous input from all of those devices, to be A11Y compliant;

• All output can be read on a Braille display monitor;
• All output is in an audio format;
• All output can be read on either a CRT or LCD monitor;
• All output can be felt on a touchpad;

The program has to be able to simultaneously output to all of those devices, to be A11Y compliant;

• The display size of the data that is presented to them:
• This includes screen magnification on CRT or LCD monitors;
• This includes screen magnification on touchpads;
• This includes all tactile devices;

The user must be able to change:
# The display size of the data that is presented to them:

• This includes screen magnification on CRT or LCD monitors;
• This includes screen magnification on touchpads;
• This includes all tactile devices;

# The audio volume of the data that is presented to them:

• This includes screen readers;
• This includes self-voicing functionality;
• This includes all audio output devices;

# The colours that are used:

• Icons must be changeable both individually, and as a group;
• Colours used anywhere in the program must be user changeable;

The program must be able to print to:

• A Moon Printer;
• An audio file;
• A Braille printer;
• A "normal" printer:

The latter includes, but is not limited to:

• Ink jet printer;
• Dot matrix printer;
• Laser printer;
• Thermal ink printer;

In an ideal world, the user could select any of those, and the program would automatically print out the data on the requested printer, without any more user intervention.

There is an extension that tries to do output to Braille. The major issue with it, is that it only works for one or two languages.

I have read about an extension that outputs a text document to mp3 format. I do not know how far it progressed.

Arguably, A11Y also requires the program to be able to print out the following file formats:
# Plain text:

• ANSI/ASCII;
• UTF-8;
• UTF-16;
• UTF-32;
• Other common plain text character encodings;

# eBook file formats:

• PDF;
• Postscript;
• Mobi;
• ePub;
• HTML 5.0;
• DAISY;
• DjVu;
• AZW (Kindle);
• PDB (eReader);
• Other common eBook file formats;

# Graphical file formats:

• PNG;
• SVG;
• JPEG;
• GIF;
  
• Other common graphical file formats;

This does not mean the ability to create a picture, but rather to export a text file as a graphical image.

# Audio file formats:

• OGG;
• WAV;
• MP3;
• MP4;
• WMA;
  
• MPC;
  
• FLAC;
• AIFF;
• VOX;
  
• AU;
  
• Other common audio file formats;

This does not mean the ability to create or edit audio files, but rather the ability to export a text file in an audio format. IOW, a self-voicing application that can output the data in an audio file format.

I think that most of these could be done as extensions that the user installs, if they want/need/require the specific output capability. Some of these, involve file formats that are patented, trademarked, under copyright, or otherwise blemished.