Accessibility

First chartered in 2004 as the Free Standards Group Accessibility Workgroup (FSGA), 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.

Open Accessibility
IAccessible2, version 1.0.2
Approved by Open A11y

For Developers
Interested in writing cross-platform accessible applications?

• AT-SPI Interfaces and Subinterfaces
  • Prototyped ATK/AT-SPI Conformance Tests (BZR repository)
  • ATK/AT-SPI Best Practices
  • ATK/AT-SPI on D-Bus

• Keyboard Access Functional Specification, 1.0 (KAFS)
  • Generic Assertions for Manual Testing (KAFS GTA)

• Learn more about the IAccessible2 interfaces for Windows.
  • IAccessible2, version 1.0.2

• Get support or ask a question either on the Accessibility mailing list or via irc.a11y.org, in channels #a11y and #ia2 -- or, create your own channel and get others involved!

Open A11y Workgroup Resources

• Email Lists: Archives & List Services
• Meetings: Agendas & Minutes
• Specifications: Drafts & Recommendations
• irc.a11y.org (on the #a11y or #ia2 channel)
• Open A11y Workgroup Participants
• Open A11y's Executive Officers
• Open Accessibility BZR Repository
• Open Accessibility GForge Projects
• Bugzilla

A11y Special Interest Groups

• ATK/AT-SPI Emailing List

• Expert Handlers SIG
  • Handlers Meetings/Minutes
  • Handlers Emailing List
• IAccessible2 SIG
  • IA2 Meetings & Minutes
  • IAccessible2 Emailing List
• Input/Output (I/O) SIG
  • Input/Output Accessibility Emailing List
• Keyboard Accessibility SIG
  • Keyboard Accessibility Emailing List