UNICOM Intelligence Interviewer Server and 508 compliance
 
UNICOM Intelligence Interviewer Server and 508 compliance
Introduction
This section describes 508 compliance for surveys that are created using UNICOM Intelligence Interviewer Server and made available to participants over a browser. This section does not address UNICOM Intelligence applications that are used to create, launch, manage, or analyze surveys. The scope of the section is limited only to the online surveys produced by Interviewer Server.
Interviewer Server 3.0 was found to be substantially compliant with Section 508 accessibility requirements. Any enhancements that are made on 508 compliance in a particular release are available in future releases. Interviewer Server 3.1 was in 508 compliance, at a Priority 1 level. Interviewer Server 4.5 was in 508 compliance at a Priority 2.
Interviewer Server 7.0 introduced the IncludeGridControlAltLabels attribute that controls whether alternative text will be added to the rendered HTML for controls within a table. The attribute must be included in the template XML, and set to True, in order for rendered grid questions to be 508 compliant (and for 508 compliant screen readers to properly read the questions).
The definition of the Priority levels and how they relate to 508 compliance can be found in Background to 508 compliance.
Background to 508 compliance
In 1998, Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act to require Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. Inaccessible technology interferes with an individual's ability to obtain and use information quickly and easily. Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals. The law applies to all Federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology. Under Section 508 (29 U.S.C. '794d), agencies must give disabled employees and members of the public access to information that is comparable to the access available to others.
Most of the specifications for software pertain to usability for people with vision impairments. For example, one provision requires alternative keyboard navigation, which is essential for people with vision impairments who cannot rely on pointing devices, such as a mouse. Other provisions address animated displays, color and contrast settings, flash rate, and electronic forms, among others.
The World Wide Web Consortium was created in October 1994 to lead the World Wide Web to its full potential by developing common protocols that promote its evolution and ensure its interoperability. The “Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0" is a W3C specification providing guidance on accessibility of Web sites for people with disabilities with checkpoints. Most countries, including the European Union, have adopted standards based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) of the World Wide Web Consortium.
Section 508 is based on W3C priority 1 checkpoints.
Priority 1
A Web content developer must satisfy this checkpoint. Otherwise, one or more groups will find it impossible to access information in the document. Satisfying this checkpoint is a basic requirement for some groups to be able to use Web documents.
Priority 2
A Web content developer should satisfy this checkpoint. Otherwise, one or more groups will find it difficult to access information in the document. Satisfying this checkpoint will remove significant barriers to accessing Web documents.
Priority 3
A Web content developer may address this checkpoint. Otherwise, one or more groups will find it somewhat difficult to access information in the document. Satisfying this checkpoint will improve access to Web documents.
Conformance Level “A”: all Priority 1 checkpoints are satisfied;
Conformance Level “AA”: all Priority 1 and 2 checkpoints are satisfied;
Conformance Level “AAA”: all Priority 1, 2, and 3 checkpoints are satisfied.
Compliance details
Support levels
Support level
Description
Fully Supported
Fully supported throughout the entire program with no exceptions.
Supported
Generally supported throughout the entire program with few exceptions.
Partially Supported
Supported in certain sections of the application.
Not Supported
Not supported in the application.
N/A
Not applicable to the applications performance.
§1194.22 - Web-based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications
Criteria
Supporting features
Remarks and explanations
(a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via “alt”, “longdesc”, or in element content).
Supported
Image tags used in UNICOM Intelligence Interviewer Server fully support providing an alt. Survey designers are responsible for providing the actual text.
(b) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation.
Supported
Though it is possible to incorporate multimedia into a survey, it would be the survey designers responsibility to provide equivalent alternatives.
(c) Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup.
Fully Supported
 
(d) Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet.
Fully Supported
 
(e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map.
N/A
UNICOM Intelligence Interviewer Server does not incorporate server-side image maps.
(f) Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.
N/A
UNICOM Intelligence Interviewer Server does not incorporate image maps.
(g) Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables.
Fully Supported
 
(h) Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers.
Fully Supported
 
(i) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation.
Supported
Frames are not used in UNICOM Intelligence Interviewer Server. UNICOM Intelligence Interviewer Server surveys can be run in named frames as per the requirement.
(j) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.
Fully Supported
 
(k) A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of these standards, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes.
Fully Supported
The responsibility of a survey designer should they choose to utilize features which are not 508 compliant.
(l) When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology.
Fully Supported
 
(m) When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with §1194.21(a) through (l).
N/A
There are none required.
(n) When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.
Fully Supported
 
(o) A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.
Supported
There are times when multiple questions are presented on the same page, that the user must tab though each selection – even after selecting a response value.
(p) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.
N/A
Timed responses are not used in UNICOM Intelligence Interviewer Server. So long as the server is running so is the survey.
§1194.31 – Functional Performance Criteria
Criteria
Supporting features
Remarks and explanations
(a) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user vision shall be provided, or support for Assistive Technology used by people who are blind or visually impaired shall be provided.
Fully Supported
Surveys created with UNICOM Intelligence Interviewer Server have been fully tested with the industry leading screen reader, JAWS™ from Freedom Scientific.
(b) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require visual acuity greater than 20/70 shall be provided in audio and enlarged print output working together or independently, or support for Assistive Technology used by people who are visually impaired shall be provided.
Supported
Although UNICOM Intelligence Interviewer Server has been produced using best practices that allow users of screen magnification software full usability of the application, it has not been significantly tested with screen magnifiers such as ZoomText Xtra from Ai Squared and MAGic from Freedom Scientific.
(c) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user hearing shall be provided, or support for Assistive Technology used by people who are deaf or hard of hearing shall be provided.
N/A
UNICOM Intelligence Interviewer Server output does not require user hearing for operation and information retrieval.
(d) Where audio information is important for the use of a product, at least one mode of operation and information retrieval shall be provided in an enhanced auditory fashion, or support for Assistive hearing devices shall be provided.
N/A
UNICOM Intelligence Interviewer Server output does not require auditory information in order to be used
(e) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user speech shall be provided, or support for Assistive Technology used by people with disabilities shall be provided.
Supported
Although UNICOM Intelligence Interviewer Server output has been produced using best practices that allow users of voice recognition software full usability of the application, it has not been significantly tested with voice recognition software.
(f) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require fine motor control or simultaneous actions and that is operable with limited reach and strength shall be provided.
Supported
UNICOM Intelligence Interviewer Server output provides the users multiple ways for executing each action, but is dependant upon the web browser being used.
§1194.41 – Information, Documentation, Support
Criteria
Supporting Features
Remarks and Explanations
(a) Product support documentation provided to end-users shall be made available in alternate formats upon request, at no additional charge.
N/A
It is the responsibility of the survey designer to provide support documentation.
(b) End-users shall have access to a description of the accessibility and compatibility features of products in alternate formats or alternate methods upon request, at no additional charge.
N/A
The responsibility of the survey designer.
(c) Support services for products shall accommodate the communication needs of end-users with disabilities.
N/A
The responsibility of the survey designer
Testing
Representative surveys were created and then tested with lynx 2.8.3, JAWS 5.0, and manual review by internal staff.
Minor issues
During testing process for 508 compliance some issues have been found, however none of these are a significant barrier to 508 compliance and most have easily accessible workarounds. UNICOM Systems, Inc. takes these issues seriously and is planning improvements for future releases of UNICOM Intelligence Interviewer Server that will ensure that the product and it’s output continues to be usable with the leading assistive technologies.
Issue found fall into two categories:
The potential for survey designers to create a non-compliant survey. There are ‘options’ available to survey designers which if incorporated into a survey, would make the survey inaccessible to some people.
Spot violations in the program – Violations that occur infrequently and without a discernible pattern are considered spot violations. These violations are known issues and will be addressed in the appropriate future release.
See
White papers: Introduction