Summary Table

Criteria

Supporting Features

Remarks and explanations

Section 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems

Supports with Exceptions

See Section 1194.21 below

Section 1194.22 Web-based internet information and applications

Supports with Exceptions

See Section 1194.22 below

Section 1194.23 Telecommunications Products

Not Applicable

CountryWatch is not considered a Telecommunications Product.

Section 1194.24 Video and Multi-media Products

Not Applicable

CountryWatch does not use multimedia

Section 1194.25Self-Contained, Closed Products

Not Applicable

CountryWatch is not considered a Self-Contained Product.

Section 1194.26 Desktop and Portable Computers

Not Applicable

CountryWatch is software as defined under section 1194.21.

Section 1194.31 Functional Performance Criteria

Supports

See Section 1194.31 below

Section 1194.41 Information, documentation, and support.

Supports with Exceptions

See Section 1194.41 below

Section 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems

Criteria

Supporting Features

Remarks and explanations

(a) When software is designed to run on a system that has a keyboard, product functions shall be executable from a keyboard where the function itself or the result of performing a function can be discerned textually.

Supports

All features are available via keyboard imput

(b) Applications shall not disrupt or disable activated features of other products that are identified as accessibility features, where those features are developed and documented according to industry standards. Applications also shall not disrupt or disable activated features of any operating system that are identified as accessibility features where the application programming interface for those accessibility features has been documented by the manufacturer of the operating system and is available to the product developer.

Supports

No features of any other products or operating systems are disrupted or disabled.

(c) A well-defined on-screen indication of the current focus shall be provided that moves among interactive interface elements as the input focus changes. The focus shall be programmatically exposed so that Assistive Technology can track focus and focus changes.

Supports

All of the products comply with the industry standard keys for navigation through input focus elements (tab key and shift/tab key).

(d) Sufficient information about a user interface element including the identity, operation and state of the element shall be available to Assistive Technology. When an image represents a program element, the information conveyed by the image must also be available in text.

Supports

All information available through icons and graphical user interface elements is also available as text through ALT tags.

(e) When bitmap images are used to identify controls, status indicators, or other programmatic elements, the meaning assigned to those images shall be consistent throughout an application's performance.

Supports

Bitmap images, such as image links and image buttons, are used in a completely consistent manner.

(f) Textual information shall be provided through operating system functions for displaying text. The minimum information that shall be made available is text content, text input caret location, and text attributes.

Supports

Standard operating system functions are used to output text. Output is available as plain ASCII text or UTF-8 and may easily be accepted by Assistive Technology, such as a Screen Reader. Text input location at the text input caret is set and available using standard operating system functions.

(g) Applications shall not override user selected contrast and color selections and other individual display attributes.

Supports

User-defined settings are fully respected.

(h) When animation is displayed, the information shall be displayable in at least one non-animated presentation mode at the option of the user.

Not Applicable

Animation is not used.

(i) Color coding shall not be used as the only means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element.

Supports

Colors are only used for design aspects.

(j) When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast settings, a variety of color selections capable of producing a range of contrast levels shall be provided.

Not Applicable

These options are not available.

(k) Software shall not use flashing or blinking text, objects, or other elements having a flash or blink frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.

Supports

No flashing or blinking elements are present.

(l) When electronic forms are used, the form shall allow people using Assistive Technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.

Supports with Exceptions

All electronic forms have not been enabled to comply with this requirement.

Section 1194.22 Web-based Internet information and applications

Criteria

Supporting Features

Remarks and explanations

(a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content).

Supports

Images and table elements have proper descriptive tags.

(b) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation.

Not Applicable

No multimedia files are offered.

(c) Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup.

Supports

Color is not used for any purposed other than design.

(d) Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet.

Supports

Documents are available in PDF format.

(e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map.

Not Applicable

Image maps are not used for navigation.

(f) Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.

Not Applicable

Image maps are not used for navigation.

(g) Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables.

Supports with Exceptions

80% of tables contain column headers when the table is not used for formatting alone.

(h) Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers.

Supports with Exceptions

80% of tables contain column headers and associated data cells when the table is not used for formatting alone.

(i) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation

Not Applicable

Frames are not used.

(j) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.

Supports

Not an issue.

(k) A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of this part, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes.

Supports with Exceptions

Text only pages could be used in certain specific portions of the product and are used but would not provide the functionality of the product. This is not a planned approach.

(l) When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by Assistive Technology.

Supports

Content is written to the page by scripts and not provided directly by the script.

(m) When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with Û1194.21(a) through (l).

Supports

No applets or plug-ins are used.

(n) When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people using Assistive Technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.

Supports with Exceptions

All electronic forms have not been enabled to comply with this requirement.

(o) A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.

Supports

No repetitive navigation links are used.

(p) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.

Supports

This functionality is not used.

Section 1194.31 Functional Performance Criteria

Criteria

Supporting Features

Remarks and explanations

(a) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user vision shall be provided, or support for Assistive Technology used by people who are blind or visually impaired shall be provided.

Supports with Exceptions

Most features may be accessed by text input, and all results may be accessed as plain ASCII text. Assistive Technology can allow visually impaired people to submit commands via voice input or other means and can allow plain text results to be presented via speech synthesis or a Braille display.

(b) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require visual acuity greater than 20/70 shall be provided in audio and enlarged print output working together or independently, or support for Assistive Technology used by people who are visually impaired shall be provided.

Supports

Using standard operating system features, enlarged print output is available. In addition, support for Assistive Technology is provided to allow users with visual acuity less than 20/70 to submit commands and retrieve results.

(c) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user hearing shall be provided, or support for Assistive Technology used by people who are deaf or hard of hearing shall be provided

Not Applicable

No sounds are used.

(d) Where audio information is important for the use of a product, at least one mode of operation and information retrieval shall be provided in an enhanced auditory fashion, or support for assistive hearing devices shall be provided.

Not Applicable

No sounds are used.

(e) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user speech shall be provided, or support for Assistive Technology used by people with disabilities shall be provided.

Supports

All features may be accessed via keyboard text input. User speech is not required to access the full functionality.

(f) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require fine motor control or simultaneous actions and that is operable with limited reach and strength shall be provided.

Supports

CountryWatch and Forecast products interoperate with Assistive Technology to allow input of commands and retrieval of results via such methods as speech synthesis, speech interpretation, and any other Assistive Technology method that may submit plain text commands and present plain text results.

Section 1194.41 Information, documentation, and support

Criteria

Supporting Features

Remarks and explanations

(a) Product support documentation provided to end-users shall be made available in alternate formats upon request, at no additional charge.

Supports

Documentation is provided in digital format for customers on the web and available for no-charge download at http://www.countrywatch.com/cw_special.aspx?topic=AP508

(b) End-users shall have access to a description of the accessibility and compatibility features of products in alternate formats or alternate methods upon request, at no additional charge.

Supports with Exceptions

The support information for using CountryWatch products can be found here: http://www.countrywatch.com/help/cw_help_site.aspx.  However, accessibility and compatibility features are not provided.

(c) Support services for products shall accommodate the communication needs of end-users with disabilities.

Supports

The technical support information for using CountryWatch products can be found here: http://www.countrywatch.com/help/cw_help_site.aspx