An accessible software product is software that can be
used effectively by users with certain kinds of disabilities. Accessibility
involves converting software that can only be used by people without
disabilities into software that can be used by people with and without
disabilities alike.
JViews Enterprise
includes support for users with several kinds of disabilities and
each kind of disability is handled by one or more software techniques.
Some techniques are implemented by JViews Enterprise, whereas others, as in the case of
thin-client applications, are implemented by the browser; operating
system, and support software.
Note
Applications that use JViews Enterprise are not automatically accessible.
They must use at least some of the APIs and techniques described here
to become accessible. The design tools, such as the designers, and
most of the JViews samples are
not accessible. They are not part of the applications that you deploy
to your users. Rather, the techniques for accessibility are exemplified
by specific samples for each product.
The following types of disabilities can hinder a user's
ability to work with visualization products created using JViews Enterprise.
Physical disabilities that prevent the
user from holding or controlling a mouse. For these users, JViews Enterprise provides keyboard navigation across
a diagram or chart. See the section "Keyboard navigation" for your
product.
Physical disabilities that prevent the
user from typing and using a keyboard with the same ease and speed
as normal users. For these users, the operating system provides keyboard
accessibility features. These features are accessible across Java/Swing,
browsers, and JViews. See the section
"Keyboard operation modes" for your product.
Photosensitive epilepsy. For users with
this type of disability, the blinking frequency of blinking objects
must be limited. Only blink periods longer than 0.5 seconds are acceptable.
This can be implemented using the JViews
IlvBlinkingColor and
IlvBlinkingPaint classes.
Low vision. For users with low vision,
it might be necessary to enable “zoomed” or “high
contrast” display. See the sections "Zoomed display" and "High
contrast mode" for your product.
Color blind users. For color blind users,
you must present information in a form other than colors. You can
let the application auto-select the colors from a palette that avoids
combinations of colors that would be indistinguishable to a color
blind user. See the section "Use of colors in accessible applications"
for your product.
Blind users. Use screen readers for
blind users. A screen reader is a software application that reads
portions of the screen aloud. Screen readers are available for Windows,
either built into the operating system, or available from third-party
vendors, and for Linux/Gtk. The built-in screen reader is a simpler
version with less features. JViews Enterprise does not currently support these devices.