IAccessible2

IAccessible2 is a new accessibility API for Microsoft Windows applications. Initially developed by IBM under the codename Project Missouri, [ConsortiumInfo.org [http://www.consortiuminfo.org/standardsblog/article.php?story=20061214050334512 "Showing the Accessibility Way: IBM Contributes Project Missouri to the Free Standards Group"] ] IAccessible2 has been placed under the aegis of the Free Standards Group, now part of the Linux Foundation. [Linux Foundation Press Release: [http://www.linux-foundation.org/wordpress/?p=276 "The Free Standards Group to Standardize New Accessibility Interfaces"] (2006-12-14). Accessed 2007-02-06.] It has been positioned as an alternative to Microsoft's new UI Automation API.

While UI Automation is trumpeted as "royalty-free", [Microsoft.com: [http://www.microsoft.com/enable/at/uia.aspx "Microsoft's New Accessibility Model To Be Offered as Cross-Platform Solution for Industry"] . Accessed 2007-02-06.] IAccessible2 claims to be an "open standard".

Goals

Whereas UI Automation marks a radical break from Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA) to create a more flexible accessibility API, IAccessible2 fills in perceived omissions in MSAA to match the Java Accessibility API and Assistive Technology Service Provider Interface (AT-SPI). [Peter Korn's Weblog: [http://blogs.sun.com/korn/date/20061214 Completing the Windows accessibility picture - IAccessible2] (2006-11-13). Accessed 2007-02-06.] By extending the MSAA interface, rather than replacing it, IAccessible2 allows "application developers to leverage their investment in MSAA while also providing an Assistive Technology (AT) access to rich document applications." [IAccessible2: [http://www.linux-foundation.org/en/Accessibility/IAccessible2 Accessibility/IAccessible2 - The Linux Foundation] (2006-12-12). Accessed 2007-04-10.]

Project Missouri was started when the State of Massachusetts, in the process of adopting the OpenDocument format for its public records, required that the format be made accessible. [cite web
last = Schwerdtfeger
first = Rich
title = "Project Missouri and IBM's donation of IAccessible2 to the Free Standards Group"
date = 2006-12-14
url = http://www-03.ibm.com/developerworks/blogs/page/schwer?entry=project_missouri_and_ibm_s
accessdate = 2007-02-06 ] Increasing the accessibility of dynamic web applications, for example by exposing custom controls for use with assistive technology and by filtering streams of new information by type and importance, became a second major focus for the project. [cite news
last = Bergstein
first = Brian
title = "Project Missouri and IBM's donation of IAccessible2 to the Free Standards Group"
work = USA Today
date = 2006-12-14
url = http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2007-01-17-web-accessible_x.htm?POE=TECISVA
accessdate = 2007-02-06]

upport

Currently, support for IAccessible is in development for applications such as the Mozilla Application Suite [ [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=368873 Mozilla Bugzilla: Bug 368873 – Support IAccessible2 API] . Accessed 2007-02-06.] and NonVisual Desktop Access. [Michael Curran, [http://www.freelists.org/archives/nvda/12-2006/msg00103.html "Introducing IAccessible2"] , NVDA mailing list (2006-12-16), accessed 2007-02-06.] Although IAccessible2 was introduced as a Windows accessibility API, Trolltech are treating IAccessible2 as a potential alternative to AT-SPI on Linux too, and planning to add preliminary support to QT 4.3. [Harald Fernengel, [http://chaos.troll.no/~harald/ia2-demo/ IAccessible2 on Linux Demo] (2007-01-26), accessed 2007-02-07.]

References

External links

* [http://www.linux-foundation.org/en/Accessibility/IAccessible2 IAccessible2 homepage]