Hi All,

I've been reading about MSAA. Overall, it seems to be a
positive step. Here are some preliminary thoughts:

It seems to me that accessibility support is too tightly bound
to the application. For example, out SPOKEN for Windows
provides information about graphics via "dictionaries". These
dictionaries are developed by the manufacturerer of out SPOKEN.
JAWS for Windows provides an extensive macro capability. Macros
are developed to handle problems with applications by the
producer of JAWS, and others with an interest in accessibility.
MSAA envisions a very different development model. Producers of
mainstream software will support accessibility. I wonder if
this is realistic. Have any mainstream developers produced JAWS
macros? Why not provide accessibility that reflects the way
screen readers are created today instead of burdening
developers with issues they don't understand or care about?
For example, a software developer may wish to support
accessibility. This developer may seek cooperation from a third
party with accessibility experties. This third party needs to
develop callbacks to handle MSAA messages without access to the
original source. Probably, tools that build on top of MSAA can
achieve this.

MSAA is intended to automate special support for disabled
people. It can, and will, support discrimination against them.
The new WM_GetObject message can be monitored to identify a
handicapped user. For example, a web site could allow
individuals to post job applications. It flags resumes
submitted by handicapped people, and handles them
appropriately!

Glen Nielson
A