Lately various web based accessibility enhancement, remediation, and reporting services have been made available to web content providers under the term: Overlay.
Typically these function by adding a snippet of JavaScript into a web content provider's page. This single line of additional code functions to enable additional content processing on each page load delivered through
the overlay provider's servers, before the content is delivered to the end user. While this routing paradigm is by no means unique to accessibility applications, it does introduce accessibility opportunities and
challenges.
In this document we explore the specific capabilities that are, or could be, applied for accessibility purposes whether by overlay technologies, browser extensions, plugins installed on user's devices and so on. Some of the capabilities explored here are already available and used in web content delivery systems today. Others suggest best practices guidance. Still others strike us as highly desirable, but will require the creation of a normative W3C specification, especially in the case of cross-platform functionality. As with the accessibility impact of any web technology, poor implementation will predictably yield unsatisfactory user experiences, while well-crafted solutions may significantly enhance the user's experience.
Edge?
The term edge technology
refers to that portion of the assembled presentation of web content most proximate to the content user. Typically it is:
Both of these are privileged positions providing access to much information about the user and how the user functions. Much of what we discuss in this document assumes a trusted (and trustable) relationship with and on behalf of the user. Though we recognize the trust relationship inherent in edge positioned technology is today more honored in the breach, we choose to explore the tremendous accessibility opportunities available when this trust relationship is rather honored in the observance.
In the main the classic paradigm of a web domain owner serving content directly to end users across the Internet has long ago become a historical artifact.
Today's typical web page is often a dizzying composite of multiple content streams injected from various sources, including content unique to the user's locale and even to the specific user herself. Content
delivered to a user today may be a unique one-off
composite that may well change when the page is refreshed. The 2021 Web Almanac notes more
than 20 third party injection streams for today's typical web site, with 10% containing over 90 separate content injections.
The source of the typical website today is actually many sources. Even bespoke web applications aren't always created by a single source. Few developers exclusively use their own code. They rely on libraries, components and frameworks to build their plugins.
Edge technologies may actually be best placed to help overcome the problem of substandard accessibility in composite content delivered to end users by identifying precisely the accessibility challenges that end users may experience and helping remediate them where it matters most—at the user level, for the simple reason that technology based tracking and reporting can examine far more end user payload deliveries than human testing will ever cover. In particular we consider the role played by various edge-based players beginning with the Content Delivery Network (CDN), the operating system on the user's devices, user-agent, browser extensions, assistive technologies, and/or JavaScript overlays. Whether the resulting remediation is an in-process transformation, or an upstream recoding, gathering and reporting many samples to upstream end points is arguably the most efficient way to spot anomalous patterns (and a great application for A-I analysis).
This document describes some capabilities important to web content accessibility that can be provided at the edge
, and attempts to answer several questions about them. The questions are:
The capabilities discussed are organized under two primary categories with several subcategories under each primary section. This two-poled approach conforms with client-server architecture, the backbone of all digital transactions and interactions that take place over the Internet. The primary categories are:
The Content Provider, analogous to the server, plays the pivotal role of specifying and delivering diverse forms of digital content ranging from text, images, audio, video, to interactive elements. They curate the experiences that users consume and engage with, thereby shaping the digital landscape. A selection of some primary Content Provider roles:
| Role | Description |
|---|---|
| Author | Responsible for generating the primary content, be it text, script for audio/video, or conceptual outlines for interactive elements. |
| Designer | Work on the aesthetic aspects of the content including the layout, color scheme, typography, and visual elements. They also handle the user interface and user experience design for interactive content. |
| Product Owner | Oversee the overall content creation and distribution project, make key decisions and coordinate between different teams to ensure the final product meets its intended objectives. |
| Developer | Implement the designs into functional code. They work on the website or application where the content will be hosted, ensuring its responsive, functional, and accessible. Some write proprietary algorithms, but most call and configure frameworks and libraries written by communities of coders. |
| Marketer | Oversee and implement the marketing strategy for the content. They coordinate marketing campaigns and work closely with other teams to ensure the content reaches the desired audience. Growth marketers utilize data-driven marketing techniques to help the business expand its customer base. They use various strategies and tools to attract, engage, and retain users driving critical website requirements. |
On the other end of the spectrum is the End User, or the client, who experiences this digital content. End users span a wide range, varying in their demographic, cognitive, and physical attributes. They also bring to the table their unique needs, preferences, and accessibility requirements. It is for these users that content providers shape their digital content and experiences, with or without the knowledge that the user' s own hardware and software may render it in ways the Content Provider never imagined.
Content sites are inherently dynamic; they are assembled for the end-user in a mashup, a unique blend of content that can vary significantly from user to user. A selection of some of the hardware, software, tools and technologies that participate in this edge activity include:
| Technology | Description |
|---|---|
| User-Agent (Browser) | Interprets and presents web content to the end user. Different browsers may render web content in slightly different ways due to their different rendering engines. |
| Assistive Technology | Devices or software applications that assist individuals with disabilities or impairments. This could include screen readers, alternative input devices, and voice recognition software. |
| Browser Extension | An add-on or plugin that extends the functionality of a web browser. Could alter the appearance of web content, block advertisements, or add additional features to a webpage. Includes mashup tools or web services that combine content from more than one source into a single integrated experience. These can greatly modify the original content and how it is presented to the user. |
| OS or Software Application | A program or group of programs running on the local operating system. Applications can vary drastically in purpose, from productivity apps to entertainment apps, and can influence how digital content is accessed and interacted with. |
| Video/Audio System | Hardware and software components that control the output of video and sound. |
| Content Delivery Network | Store copies of web content in various locations around the world to reduce the physical distance between the server and the user, improving site performance. This intermediary, typically invisible to the end user, plays a critical role in delivery and updating of digital content, as well as authenticating users. |
This two-poled digital communication model is not a one-way broadcast, but a dynamic conversation. Feedback from end users can influence and improve the content generated by providers, while content providers continuously adapt their strategies based on user behavior and needs. The feedback loops become more complex as edge technologies come into play.
This is a temporary category some (all?) of which will soon constitute another section under the Introduction covering core principles. For now this is a sequential ingathering of orphaned sections triggered by our new TOC. Note that orphaned content is embedded in an html comment so this document's source must be accessed to see it.
Users will not care how a functional and accessible experience is assembled as long as their needs are met. However, they are, and must always be understood as the ultimate arbiters of whether their needs are actually being met. Consequently, UX processing should be easily discoverable and defeatable. Users need to be empowered to act should they believe an unmediated experience would be superior. Preserving user agency is simply smart business strategy no matter how excellent the technology may actually be.
Nothing about us without usis a deeply held principle expressing a core criterion of disability equity. For this reason alone it is important to preserve user agency by offering a defeat option. Nothing is gained when users are forced to contend with a remediation technology they suspect may be contributing to their accessibility challenges, even if the ultimate reality demonstrates that their suspicion is actually incorrect.
User can be afforded the opportunity to opt-in to various transformations via interactive personalization menus: The end-user can access a list of available enhancements and enable those they require.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Section content yet to be written.
The capabilities discussed in this section are (or should be) controlled by the user. These are accommodations that allow users to interact with content in the way that works best for them. Whatever a content provider may have published, a user'
s adaptations must take precedence for accessibility to be preserved. It is critical to recognize that the user of web content is the ultimate arbiter of how it should be presented. Or, to put it in other words: The author proposes; but the user disposes.
In the language of the classic Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) 7 layer networking model, the application (the control and interaction layer) is distinguished from the presentation (the look and feel) layer.
Capabilities related to enhanced focus visibility Isolating Specific Semantic or Interactive Components for Efficient Browsing and Access: methods and technologies used to enhance user experience by isolating specific elements within a digital interface. It enables users to navigate efficiently through content by focusing on particular types of elements, such as headings or buttons.
Some users require a more visible cursor and appreciate the capability that can increase the standard cursor size by up to 400% to ensure the pointer always remains visible to them. This facilitates faster and more accessible navigation through hyperlinks, tabs. and form elements.
Some users benefit from a horizontal line that appears below the text they're reading in order to help them keep their place as they read. This facilitates staying focused.
Some people require greater clarity regarding which spans of text or graphics in web content are functioning as hyperlinks. This capability facilitates Selecting the text or image that serves as a hyperlink and causing it to be displayed in a different, more perceivable way, to help users identify the hyperlinks on a page more easily.
Some users require different fonts or different font characteristics in order to comprehend and interact effectively with web content. This section groups those capabilities.
Some users need enlarged, or perhaps diminished fonts in order to read content comfortably. This capability allows increased or decrease font size, by supporting clicking an interactive widget in order to make appropriate adjustments.
Source code specifies text size as per the original target audience and design, but only for content coming from the source.
Some users require additional white-space between lines of text content in order to read comfortably. Others require adjustment between individual characters in and between words. This capability supports these adjustments by facilitating the modification of text and line spacing to support personalized readability enhancement. As typically provided today, the capability offers three degrees of adjustments for a personalized and more accessible reading experience.
Some users benefit greatly by simply increasing white space in between lines of text.
Document format translation is important for most serious users of software, but arguably more so for the user relying on assistive technologies.
Not all users are able to read any font a web content publisher may choose. This capability allows the publisher' s content to be reformatted in a user chosen font the user is comfortable using
This capability differs from Fonts section above only in that the proffered fonts are understood to be particularly usable by people living with dyslexia. Typically, they have more distinctive symbols in order to avoid confusion, increased baselines and thinner tops, and a larger x-height.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Section content yet to be written.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Section content yet to be written.
Fully justified text blocks have long been standard in publishing, including in web content publishing. It is achieved by using variable width fonts and adjusting spacing between characters and words in the block of text. r this practice is not beneficial to all users. This capability allows individual users to determine for themselves the alignment characteristics that best accomodate their reading needs.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Section content yet to be written.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Section content yet to be written.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Section content yet to be written.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Section content yet to be written.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Section content yet to be written.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Section content yet to be written.
This capability allows a user to hear content spoken aloud by using a cloud (or browser) hosted Text to Speech (TTS) engine. There are now high quality TTS engines and listening while reading on screen is often beneficial for users in general, including especially users living with certain cognitive and learning disabilities.
It is only smart business practice and simple courtesy to support a one button click
feature to reset any user
triggered enhancement and restore the page to its default state. It should be as easy as possible for users to try different settings and undo them readily. Similarly, it should be just as easy to undo any auto-applied transformations and return a page to the settings provided directly by source. Users should be empowered to adjudge for themselves whether any applied overlay transformation actually enhances their ability to interact—and to return the overlay enhancements should they discover they're actually enhancing their experience, contrary to initial doubt!
A compelling unmet need exists for legal surrogacy services, whether fiduciary, medical, or probate. Only a very few major web content service providers have begun addressing this need as of this writing This need is particularly acute where print disabilities are to be factored. Most legal jurisdictions today accept such instruments executed only on paper, thus discriminating against persons incapable of managing paper on their own.
Whether in support of minor children or aging seniors, overlays that support end user appropriate configuration hosted in a cloud service and capable of propagating to all devices used by the beneficiary end user provide a very valuable service. They enable individuals legally entrusted with the end user'
s care to refine the configuration of web devices to maximal end user benefit. When facilitation is provided to minor children living with disabilities, it enables them to devote their time with devices to learning, socializing, and entertainment. When facilitated for aging seniors, the benefits are similar even though disability is usually unacknowledged until it becomes severe among this population. In both cases this capability shifts the burden of technological configuration away from the end user who is likely least able to accomplish it effectively for themselves and to an agent more likely capable of accomplishing the task effectively. Note we user the term agent
in its formal sense. The agent might be a professional of some kind such as a teacher, a professional in a senior center, or a specialist in technology for persons of specific types of disability. Equally, it could be a trusted friend or a family member assisting a child or an elder.
Calendar format translation is important for most any user of software, but arguably more so for the user relying on assistive technologies. While industry could long ago have solved this persistent incompatibility across operating environments, they have rather chosen to seek to impose vendor lock-in. This does not serve users who should be free to maintain calendars in the environment of their choice, or even different calendars in multiple environments with full transparency. This is not a technical challenge. Rather, it is a business choice.
Sometimes vendors support accessibility by mapping a series of keystrokes for screen reader users (and others who prefer keyboard commands to mouse clicks) to their own proprietary definitions. Often these duplicate standard command sequences used for similar purposes in widely used software. This capability proposes that overlay technology can remap proprietary command mappings to more commonly known command mappings, thus greatly reducing or even eliminating an unnecessary learning challenge for the end user.
It is often useful to skim through content to determine what, if any of it, might benefit the user by a more careful reading. Good user agent support for such a feature would not only support sequential summarization, but the marking of particular sections to return to for greater study.
Skimming through content to determine what, if any of it, might benefit the user by a more careful reading is just as valuable to users who depend on sign-language, or who utilize Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) symbolic languages, as it for those who read text. As with summation services with text, good user agent support for such a feature would not only support sequential summarization, but the marking of particular sections to return to for greater study.
This section gathers capabilities primarily controlled by the content provider.
Content Providers shape the key elements or features of their digital content in order to support an intended user persona and journey.
As stated above this typically results in a highly interactive experience presented to the user, packed with services supplied by third parties, many of which are added in their efforts to further accommodate,
engage and please the end user while meeting regulatory requirements.
Accessibility is a complex subject, and approaches differ per role. Suitably trained designers, brand owners, marketing managers, software developers and quality assurance are difficult to hire and retain. Third party services not hosted by the Content Provider, providing services in support of the Content Provider's value proposition. Typically invoked by JavaScript or the Content Delivery Network, they meet the planned needs of end users. While some rare web pages serve up a single experience like a short order cook handing over a burger, most are like the food court at a shopping mall with many independent services rallying to the end user's needs. Content providers pack their pages with services such as cookie permissions, chat, payment gateways, user-generated reviews, and most prolifically advertisements.
Automated transformations applied based on conditions edge technology discovers in the user's technology.
Algorithmic detection of violations of WCAG 2.x success criteria is considered here as a vector for providing the user a more conformant experience.
There is, of course, the other application, where violation detection serves as a step in a source remediation process. We address the former here. While not the glamorous This capability describes an interface in the overlay,
available to authorized users, facilitating manual editing of source code that affects
accessibility, e.g. alt tags for images, or ARIA labels, often with the assistance of linting, wizards and supplemental materials. This capability functions very much like the Accessibility editing, by site owner immediately above, except that a third party accessibility coding expert is granted access to perform needed remediations. Site publishers need to support the full spectrum of accessibility features. On the other hand individual users need certain features and will ignore those they do not need. The types of features individual users need are often group-able
into bundles, making it easier to turn on groups
of features, e.g. high contrast and larger text size. Supply missing alternative text for content images. This capability supplies a small pop-up window that appears
on hover to display additional information about an element on the page for users who benefit from enhanced
contextualization or clarification. This capability provides definitions of words or
phrases that may be unfamiliar to some users; provides pronunciation guidance;
and provides synonyms which can all help users living with cognitive and learning disabilities
better comprehend the content. This capability ensures that screen reader users
and other users requiring enhanced status support receive clear feedback on the status of a form being completed
along with concise error messages. This includes the colors used, the proximity
to the form field, and the time-sensitive nature of the screen reader
announcement. This capability ensures concise
instructions and labels that are clear to sighted, low vision, and non sighted
users alike, and that the elements can be controlled through keyboard navigation.
It also provides feedback on the status of the element and on any status changes that may occur. This capability: This capability Provides descriptive and meaningful
link text that accurately reflects the purpose or destination of the link when the source content fails to do so.
This is particularly needed for link text such as This capability provides caption text displaying along with
video and synchronized with it. This capability provides for meaningful titles, for pages and/or
iFrames within pages, and provides screen reader users a more efficient and meaningful browsing experience. This capability correctly specifies the primary language of a
web page when the declaration is incorrect or missing entirely. This capability helps assure that a published PDF document is correctly tagged and
marked up sufficiently in order that it can be accessed and more readily understood by people with
disabilities, including those who use assistive technology such as a screen
reader. This capability helps assure that site content meets the publisher's content policies. Typical policies will include everyday phrases with
racist origins, and gendered or exclusive expressions and terms that are deemed
to exclude audiences. This capability insures that screen reader users can understand the prior price of an item. Displaying the prior price using strike-through or crossed-out fonts, and then providing the new price immediately next to these does not work for screen reader users. These users will have no idea which is the prior and which the current price without additional content and tagging.
Offer a user-triggered method to
This capability changes the language of a web page in real time, by translating the current page
into a language selected by the user. Providing an easily located Accessibility Statement has become a widely accepted best practice in the industry. While there is no consensus on what all should be included, it is generally agreed that the formal Statement should define the site's commitment to accessibility of its content and services. Additional content, such as accessibility specific contact data, and accessibility specific help resources are also frequently included.
This capability display to website users the name
(and perhaps the logo) of the primary accessibility provider, who stands behind the accessibility of
the site. This may be part of the accessibility
statement. This capability provides a form, or an email link, enabling
end-users the ability to report barriers they've experienced on a site. Accessibility-specific reporting is an industry best practice.Leveraging Automation
Having Sufficient Knowledge & Skills
My Site, Their Service
.My Site, Their Service
Having Knowledge and Skills
and Only The Edge Knows For Sure
.Only The Edge Knows For Sure
Fully Automated Transformations
Automated Detection of WCAG Violations
Human Mediated Automated Remediation
holy grail
of technology deployment today, human mediation of A-I identified checkpoints, together with the site owner's active participation to clarify meaning and intent, describes an effective approach to accomplish accessibility remediations where they're needed. No other approach delivers equally effective remediations at such scale.
Accessibility Editing, By Site Owner
Accessibility Editing, By 3rd Party
Content Provider Checks
Feature-Bundling Profiles
Configure Once, Use Everywhere
.
Image Alt Provisioning
Tooltip Provisioning
Dictionary On Demand
Configure Once, Use Everywhere
.
Form Validation Improvement
Interactive Elements Status Clarification
External Link Target Notification
Ambiguous Link Notification
click here
or
more.
Click here
and more
link text is far too common and rarely sufficiently unambiguous.
Video Captioning
Missing Title Provisioning
Site Language Indication
PDF Remediation
Content Moderation
Accessible Pricing (Strikethroughs)
Live Site Translations
User Feedback Support
Accessibility Statement Availability
Accessibility Provider Identification
Accessibility Issue Reporting
Our approach to the design and analysis in this document is rooted in the principles often called: Human-Centered
Design (HCD).
As an outlook that places people at its core, we believe HCD aligns perfectly with the goals of accessibility. This method of design prioritizes empathy, collaboration, and user empowerment, which aligns with
our mission to generate accessibility solutions that meet the diverse needs of various human individuals. Our understanding of HCG requires us to minimize technological configuration tasks and maximize each individual's ability to read and interact with actual content—not the application (or browser) chrome.
Among various design terminologies linked with accessibility such as
universal design
and inclusive design,
HCD sets itself apart due to some
specific distinct attributes, such as:
Our design philosophy does not merely aim for inclusivity; instead, it strives to create meaningful experiences that significantly enhance the lives of the people we serve. A successful application of HCD manifests not just in broad-reaching accessibility, but in generating rich, meaningful, and transformative experiences for the user.
Furthermore, HCD endeavors to build a comprehensive understanding of the end user, transcending the confines of mere accessibility. It delves into the emotional, cognitive, and social dimensions of the human experience, with a commitment to design solutions that resonate on a profoundly personal level.
Our commitment to HCD is woven throughout our efforts to ensure accessibility. In prioritizing a user's individual needs and emphasizing their active involvement in the design process, we believe we can create a more accessible and inclusive digital environment. By employing HCD, we hope to deliver a seamless, enjoyable experience for all users, that is more than just accessible - it is truly human-centered.