J.3.1 Development Principles for Developing Highly Accessible Implementation

Here is the set of design principles that every developer should adhere to when implementing for accessibility:

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Product UI controls and content should be accessible. This includes electronic forms, UI controls, self contained software products, scripts, applets, plug-ins, and all other programmatic elements that generate or interpret page content. Product UI controls and content should be compatible with assistive technologies. A user can thus employ assistive technology, such as screen readers, magnifiers, voice recognition, and alternative input devices to help them use the product. However, if the product is a self- contained product such as a kiosk or cell phone, for example, it should not require that such a user add assistive technology in order to use the product. If a product is an authoring tool, it should enable an author to edit the structure of a document, as well as all of the properties of each element and object, in an accessible fashion. A product should address the needs of people with vision difficulties, hearing difficulties, cognitive difficulties, or motor difficulties. Specifically, the implementation should provide at least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require that a user be able to see, hear, speak, move with fine motor control, do two things at once, reach, or exert physical strength. Except in the case of a self-contained product, the product may accomplish this by facilitating the use of assistive technology developed by third-party vendors.