Web Access Centre Blog

Microsoft, Adobe, HP, Novell, Oracle and others have, in conjunction with assistive technology companies such as GW Micro, Dolphin, AI Squared and HiSoftware have formed the Accessibility Interoperability Alliance (AIA).

From the press release:

A coalition of leading information and assistive technology companies today announced the formation of the Accessibility Interoperability Alliance (AIA), an engineering working group dedicated to enabling developers to more easily create accessible software, hardware and Web products. Those solutions will reduce barriers to information and communication technologies that currently exist for people with disabilities in today’s increasingly digital world.

AIA members will collaborate on specific engineering projects intended to increase interoperability between existing technologies, and will design new technologies or solutions to resolve many of the long-standing challenges associated with developing accessible products. The group’s results are expected to yield improved developer guidelines, tools and technologies; lower development costs; and increase accessibility innovation throughout the industry.

The founding members of the AIA have selected four projects to begin their work:

• Consistent keyboard access. Developing a set of keyboard shortcuts to provide consistent behavior to users of assistive technology products in any Web browser
• Interoperability of accessibility APIs. Modifying and/or extending existing accessibility models (Microsoft UI Automation, IAccessible2 and others) to improve the interoperability and exchange of information between IT and assistive technology (AT) products
• UI Automation extensions. Adding features and capabilities to support additional rich document scenarios, address new Web scenarios and more.
• Accessible Rich Internet Applications Suite (ARIA) mapping through UI Automation. Designing the mapping of rich Web accessibility information through UI Automation to ensure maximum value for AT products and, therefore, for people with disabilities

“Today, developers must work across divergent platforms, application environments and hardware models to create accessible technology for customers with disabilities,” said Rob Sinclair, director of the Accessibility Business Unit at Microsoft. “The AIA is an opportunity for the entire industry to come together to reduce the cost and complexity of accessibility, increase customer satisfaction, foster inclusive innovation, and reinforce a sustainable ecosystem of accessible technology products.”

This looks like a really positive step forward, and we look forward to seeing the results of this work.