======drafts/frontpage/2008/06======
====== Open Accessibility======


  * **[[https://www.linuxfoundation.org/Accessibility/News/2008/06/IA2-RFC|IAccessible2, version 1.0.2 RFC (ends 30 June 2008)]]**
  * **//[[https://www.linuxfoundation.org/Accessibility/News|more news from Open A11y]]//**

===== Open A11y Mission Statement=====

First chartered in 2004 as the Linux Foundation Accessibility Workgroup (LFA), the **Open Accessibility (A11y) Group** functions today within the Linux Foundation to establish free and open standards that enable comprehensive universal access to various computing platforms, applications, and services. Open A11y makes it easier for developers, ISVs, and distributions to support assistive technologies (AT). Assistive technologies enable individuals to make full use of computer-based technology despite variability in physical or sensory abilities due to illness, aging or disability.


AT enables individuals who are blind or visually impaired to read online text, for example, and provides the means for individuals who do not have the use of their arms and hands to write and correspond. AT also enable individuals who cannot speak or hear to participate on the telephony interfaces of today -- and will support their participation on the multimodal computer interfaces of tomorrow.
\\ ====== For Developers======

//Interested in writing cross-platform accessible applications?//

  *  [[http://accessibility.linux-foundation.org/a11yspecs/atspi/adoc/|AT-SPI Interfaces]] and Subinterfaces
    *  [[http://bzr.linuxfoundation.org/lsb/devel/atk-test|Prototyped ATK/AT-SPI Conformance Tests (BZR repository)]]
    *  [[:accessibility:atk:at-spi:at-spi_best_practices|ATK/AT-SPI Best Practices]]
    *  [[:accessibility:atk:at-spi:at-spi_on_d-bus|ATK/AT-SPI on D-Bus]]

  *  [[http://a11y.org/kafs|Keyboard Access Functional Specification, 1.0 (KAFS)]]
    *  [[http://a11y.org/kafs-gta|Generic Assertions for Manual Testing (KAFS GTA)]]

  *  Learn more about the [[:accessibility:iaccessible2:start|IAccessible2 interfaces for Windows]].
    *  **[[:accessibility:news:2008:06:ia2-rfc|IAccessible2, version 1.0.2 RFC (ends 30 June 2008)]]**

  *  Get support or ask a question either on the [[:accessibility:email|Accessibility mailing list]] or via the [[irc://irc.linux-foundation.org:6667|#a11y channel on the Linux Foundation's IRC server]].

**Archival References & Resources:**

  *  [[:accessibility:charter_v1.0|Open A11y Charter (2003)]]
  *  [[:accessibility:roadmap2003|Open A11y Roadmap (2003)]]
  *  [[https://www.linuxfoundation.org/collaborate/workgroups/accessibility:about|Open A11y Working Group Description (2003)]]
  *  [[https://www.linuxfoundation.org/weblogs/press/2005/09/28/linux-desktop-accessibility-agreement-reached/|Accessibility press release (2005)]]
  *  [[http://accessibility.linuxfoundation.org/a11yweb/forms/soi.php|Statement On Desktop Accessibility Development]]
\\ ====== Workgroup Resources======


  * [[https://www.linuxfoundation.org/../../collaborate/workgroups/accessibility/email|Email Lists: Archives & List Services]]
  * [[https://www.linuxfoundation.org/../../collaborate/workgroups/accessibility/minutes|Meetings: Agendas & Minutes]]
  * [[http://accessibility.linux-foundation.org/a11yspecs/|Specifications: Drafts & Recommendations]]


\\ \\