1194.21(a)

6.4, 9.2, 9.5

Keyboard: 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.

Siebel Business Applications provide keyboard shortcuts available in both high-interactivity and standard-interactivity mode. For more information, see Accessing Keyboard Shortcuts.

The developer can define their own keyboard shortcuts in Siebel Tools.

1194.21(e)

14.3

Consistency: 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.

Siebel Business Applications implement accessibility features in the core code of the UI controls, and through cascading style sheets (.css files). Core and custom development teams use these controls and style sheets to create or modify application pages and ensure consistency.

When adding additional functionality through scripting or custom compiled code (for example, C++), ensure consistency of style by following similar accessibility consistency standards in your code.

Because there are multiple style sheets for the Siebel Business Applications, you must coordinate the changes made in one style sheet with changes made in another to ensure consistency.

1194.21(g), 1194.21(j)

2.2

Contrast: Applications shall not override user selected contrast and color selections and other individual display attributes.

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.

Colors are specified in the cascading style sheets (.css files). Siebel Business Application pages are tested for a contrast ratio of 5:1.

Where necessary, modified color values that can be used in the style sheets are provided. For more information, see Adjusting Color and Contrast Settings.

You can modify color and contrast settings to any value that meets the contrast ratio requirements.

An algorithm for calculating the contrast ratio is available from http://www.w3.org/WAI/.

You can use calculators (available on the internet) to automatically examine your Web page and determine whether the contrast ratios are adequate.

1194.21(h)

7.2, 7.3

Pausing: Ensure that moving, blinking, scrolling, or auto-updating objects or pages may be paused or stopped.

Siebel Business Applications do not use moving or blinking images except in the information bar, which is displayed at the bottom of the user's screen (when enabled).

Do not customize or add scripts to include moving, blinking, or scrolling information.

1194.22(a)

1.1

Images (decorative): Provide content that, when presented to the user, conveys essentially the same function or purpose as auditory or visual content.

Siebel Business Application Web pages are tested for null alt tags on spacer images.

If you want to add new spacer images as a result of custom development, ensure to tag them with a null alt tag.

1194.22(a)

1.1

Images (non-decorative and complex): A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (for example, use the alt, or longdesc attributes, or in element content).

Siebel Business Applications permits reference to external images and other information services, such as Oracle Business Intelligence, which might display visual information, such as charts or graphs, using the symbolic URL feature and other methods. For more information, see Oracle Business Intelligence documentation on OTN.

If you include charts, you must provide a meaningful alt tag on the image. However, in practice it is more useful to simply reference a table of information instead of a text representation of the same information.

1194.22(a)

5.5

Data table summary: Ensure that tables have necessary markup to be transformed by accessible browsers and other user agents.

Provide summaries for tables. For example, in HTML, use the summary attribute of the TABLE element.

Siebel Business Applications rarely uses data tables, except where Oracle Business Intelligence information is incorporated within Siebel Business Applications.

If data is presented in a table, add meaningful text in an HTML SUMMARY or CAPTION attribute.

1194.22(a)

12.1

Page title: Provide context and orientation information to help users understand complex pages or elements.

Title each frame to facilitate frame identification and navigation. For example, in HTML use the title attribute on FRAME elements.

Siebel Business Applications development team has added a TITLE element to each Siebel Business Application view with the appropriate text.

If you create a new view, ensure that you add an HTML TITLE element, which contains the relevant text.

1194.22(a)

Layout table summary: Provide a text equivalent for every non-text element. For example, use the alt, or longdesc attributes, or in element content.

Siebel Business Applications rarely uses layout tables. Any layout tables that are present in Siebel Business Applications are modified to have a null SUMMARY tag.

Ensure that layout tables have a null SUMMARY tag.

1194.22(a), 1194.21(d)

1.1

Images: Provide content that, when presented to the user, conveys essentially the same function or purpose as auditory or visual content.

Provide sufficient information to assistive technology about a user interface element including the identity, operation and state of the element. When an image represents a program element, the information conveyed by the image must also be available in text.

Siebel Business Applications use icons in various places to indicate a functional element. These icons have ALT attributes with meaningful text. For more information, see Providing Alternative Text for Images.

Ensure that icons have ALT attributes with meaningful text.

1194.22(a), 1194.22(i)

12.1

Frame title: Provide context and orientation information to help users understand complex pages or elements. Title each frame to facilitate frame identification and navigation. For example, in HTML use the title attribute on FRAME elements.

Siebel Business Applications do not use FRAME or IFRAME in its products in standard-interactivity mode.

If you add frame title constructs during custom development, add a TITLE attribute and meaningful text to each one.

1194.22(b)

1.3

Audio description: Until user agents can automatically read aloud the text equivalent of a visual track, provide an auditory description of the important information of the visual track of a multimedia presentation.

Oracle Siebel SimBuilder training component provides audio or video capabilities.

If you add audio or video, you must adhere to the listed guidelines and standards.

1194.22(b)

1.4

Captions (pre-recorded): For any time-based multimedia presentation, such as a movie or animation, synchronize equivalent alternatives with the presentation. For example, provide captions or auditory descriptions of the visual track.

Oracle Siebel SimBuilder component provides synchronized media.

If you add prerecorded synchronized media, then you must provide captions.

1194.22(e)

1.2

Image maps (server-side): Provide redundant text links for each active region of a server-side image map.

Siebel Business Applications do not use image maps.

If you introduce image maps on the server-side, ensure to follow this requirement

1194.22(f)

9.1

Image maps (client-side): Provide client-side image maps instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.

Siebel Business Applications do not use image maps.

If you introduce image maps on the client-side, ensure to follow this requirement.

1194.22(g)

5.1

Data table headers: For data tables, identify row and column headers.

For example, in HTML, use TD to identify data cells and TH to identify headers.

Siebel Business Applications implement list applets in HTML as nested tables. Both row and column headers are added to each cell in the List applet, so that a screen reader user can know where they are at all times.

For information about how to configure the column to use as the row header, see Updating the List Applet Table.

NOTE:  Default values are provided for both row and column headers if they are not specified.

You must always specify the column that is best suited as the row header, because the default value might not be appropriate or usable.

1194.22(g)

5.4

Layout table headers: If a table is used for layout, do not use any structural markup for the purpose of visual formatting. For example, in HTML, do not use the TH element to cause the content of a (non-table header) cell to be displayed centered and in bold.

Siebel Business Applications rarely uses layout tables.

If you use layout table headers, do not use the TH element.

1194.22(h)

5.2

Data table cells: For data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers, use markup to associate data cells and header cells.

Siebel Business Applications List applets are implemented in HTML as nested tables. Row and column headers are provided for each cell in a List applet so that screen reader users always know where their cursor is located in the application.

Developer can define a row ID as the list applet user property for identifying which column to pick for the row identifier. If the user property is not defined, the first visible column in the list is used.

1194.22(i), 1194.22(a)

12.2

Frame description: Describe the purpose of frames and how frames relate to each other if it is not obvious by frame titles alone.

For example, in HTML, use the longdesc attribute, or a description link.

Siebel Business Applications do not use Frames in standard-interactivity mode.

If you choose to use frames in a custom application, then either choose meaningful and relevant frame titles, or explain the use of the frame in a LONGDESC HTML tag.

NOTE:  The contents of the LONGDESC tag is not held inline. It must be downloaded from a file when selected, so performance will be slower than using other HTML tag types.

1194.22(j), 1194.21(k)

7.1

Flashing: Ensure that moving, blinking, scrolling, or auto-updating objects or pages may be paused or stopped.

Avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.

Siebel Business Applications do not provide flashing effects.

Do not introduce flashing effects in custom code. If you have to do so, then do not use a frequency rate between 2 and 55 Hz.

1194.22(k)

6.2

Alternate means: Ensure that equivalents for dynamic content are updated when the dynamic content changes.

Provide a text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, to make a web site comply with the provisions of this part, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. Update the content of the text-only page whenever the primary page changes.

Some graphical approaches are not usable by screen reader users. In such cases, a comparable alternative is documented in the administrator's documentation for that product on OracleMetaLink 3.

In developing a custom application, ensure that all functionality of the application is accessible. If it is not possible temporarily, document what alternative means to use to accomplish the same task. The alternative means must give the same results without significant extra work for the end user.

1194.22(l)

6.3, 6.5, 8.1

JavaScript: Make programmatic elements such as scripts and applets directly accessible or compatible with assistive technologies.

Siebel Business Applications use JavaScript in standard-interactivity plus mode to implement the configurable keyboard shortcuts. For more information about keyboard shortcuts, see Configuring Keyboard Shortcuts.

NOTE:  Accessibility standards are changing, and it is expected that JavaScript will not be singled out for special treatment in future revisions.

Features implemented using JavaScript must be accessible.

1194.22(m)

8.1

Plug-ins: 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 Section 1194.21(a) through (l).

Siebel Business Applications do not supply content that requires extra, external plug-ins. However, users might often add content that does require external plug-ins, for example, a file attachment to an SR.

Siebel Business Applications applet accessibility is described in Setting Row IDs for List Applets and in the VPAT documents.

If you add features that use other file types, such as .wav for movies, then ensure that the content is accessible, or that you provide an alternative means of performing the same function.

1194.22(m)

11.4

Electronic documents: Use W3C technologies (according to specification) and follow accessibility guidelines. Where it is not possible to use a W3C technology, or doing so results in material that does not transform gracefully, provide an alternative version of the content that is accessible.

The electronic documents guideline primarily refers to support of PDF forms in Siebel Public Sector (see 1194.22(m)), and support of Microsoft Office files in exported data or in the Proposal Generator product. These formats are accessible as supplied by Siebel Business Applications.

Ensure that the external files remain accessible when modifying the external file formats used by Siebel Business Applications, or when introducing new external file formats.

1194.22(m)

Link to Plug-in: 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 §1194.21(a) through (l).

Siebel Business Applications do not use other file formats as standard. Links to plug-ins are not provided.

If you add PDF, Flash, or other content that requires a plug-in to display correctly, you must also provide a link to obtain that plug-in.

NOTE:  The link to the plug-in and the download process must be accessible.

1194.22(n)

12.4

Labels: Associate labels explicitly with their controls. For example, in HTML, use LABEL and its FOR attribute.

Some customized Siebel Business Applications are modified to use the FOR attribute with TITLE. For example, Siebel Business Applications provide address applets tailored to each country that is the target for a language pack.

Use the FOR attribute with TITLE.

1194.22(o)

3.5

Section headings: Provide a method that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.

Use header elements to convey document structure and use them according to specification. For example, in HTML, use H2 to indicate a subsection of H1. Do not use headers for font effects.

Siebel Business Applications implement H2 tags for each applet. For more information about HTML header level markups associated with Siebel Business Applications, see Navigating HTML Header Levels.

Implement header tags to separate major content areas on the page. For Siebel Business Applications, the major content areas are the menus and applets. If you introduce a new level, tag the first item with an appropriate header tag.

1194.22(p)

Timing adjustable: When a timed response is required, alert the user and give sufficient time to indicate more time is required.

Siebel Business Applications provide one optional time limit, for logging out after a period of inactivity, which is optional and configurable.

You might be required to add time limits, usually for inactivity, for test purposes, for real-time reservation systems, or for financial trading systems.

If you add time limits, then provide a feature where the user is warned some minutes before the time limit expires. Also, provide the option to extend the time (unless this is not acceptable due to the nature of the business application).

3.4

Resize text: Use relative rather than absolute units in markup language attribute values and style sheet property values. If absolute units are used, validate that the rendered content is usable.

Siebel Business Applications provide the capability to modify font sizes. For more information, see Modifying Font Size.

Test custom applications with a font size up to 200 percent larger than normal. Look for clipping of the top of characters, which makes the string unreadable, or for field text boxes that are no longer long enough to display a meaningful entry. Meeting this requirement also helps Asian language users, who regularly want to increase the font size when using an application because of the complexity of the language characters.

3.7

Quotations: Mark up quotations. Do not use quotation markup for formatting effects such as indentation. For example, in HTML, use the Q and BLOCKQUOTE elements to markup short and longer quotations, respectively.

Siebel Business Applications do not provide quotations as outlined in the Summary column.

Adhere to this standard if you are implementing auditing applications or clinical patient applications that provide a quotation to a client.

4.1

Language of parts: Clearly identify changes in the natural language of a document's text and any text equivalents For example, in HTML use the lang attribute. In XML, use xml:lang.

Siebel Business Applications provide the user interface in one language at one time. Administrators can configure the ResourceLanguage OM parameter, which will cause MLOVs and other resources to appear in a language different from the user interface language. However, configuring the ResourceLanguage OM parameter is a rare occurrence.

Ensure that where different languages are shown on the same page at the same time, the entries are prefixed by a LANG attribute. Possible business reasons for displaying multiple languages might be for displaying legal requirements, such as ISO regulations, or displaying product descriptions that have not been translated into the local user interface language.

4.2

Abbreviations: Specify the expansion of each abbreviation or acronym in a document where it first occurs.

Siebel Business Applications use abbreviations with professional users who want and need the abbreviations relevant to their business. Oracle provides a separate list of abbreviations used in Siebel Business Applications upon request.

If you are configuring partner or public access applications, adhere to this guideline.

5.3

Meaningful sequence: When the sequence in which content is presented affects its meaning, a correct reading sequence an be programmatically determined.

Siebel Business Applications allow the tab order for form applet fields to be specified using Siebel Tools.

You must specify the desired tab order for each set of fields on a form applet. Fields that logically make sense to fill out together must be filled out sequentially.

For example, in several cases, Siebel Business Applications display the parts of a postal address in different rows in a form applet, yet the logical way to fill them is to fill (for the US) name, line_1 address, line-2 address, followed by city, state, and country. This meaningful sequence forms a logical grouping.

7.5

Redirection: Until user agents provide the ability to stop auto-redirect, do not use markup language to redirect pages automatically. Instead, configure the server to perform redirects.

Siebel Business Applications do not redirect pages in the basic product.

If you want to redirect pages, configure the server to send HTTP redirection headers.

9.4

Focus order: Create a logical tab order through links, form controls, and objects. For example, in HTML, specify tab order through the tabindex attribute, or ensure a logical page design.

Siebel Business Applications allow the tab order for form applet fields to be specified using Siebel Tools.

You must specify the desired tab order for each set of fields on a form applet.

10.5

Link separation: Until user agents (including assistive technologies) render adjacent links distinctly, include non-link, printable characters (surrounded by spaces) between adjacent links.

Siebel Business Applications visually separates adjacent links.

If you add links to a page, ensure that links are visually separated.

13.1

Link purpose: Clearly identify the target of each link. Link text should be meaningful enough to make sense when read out of context, either on its own, or as part of a sequence of links. Link text should also be terse.

The purpose of links provided in Siebel Business Applications can be deduced from both their title and the link context.

If you add links, ensure that the purpose of each link can be determined from the link text.

13.10

ASCII art: Do not use ASCII characters to render drawings or figures.

Except for the product logo (which is replaceable), Siebel Business Applications do not use ASCII characters to render drawings or figures unless there is an alternative label which conveys the same information.

If you introduce any form of icon, especially one with text, ensure that the text is kept in a separate text field, and not held within a graphic.

13.4

Consistent navigation: Use navigation mechanisms in a consistent manner.

The navigation mechanisms used in Siebel Business Applications are same throughout all components. The navigation varies only by the type of control employed, such as a list applet, form applet, tree applet, or shuttle applet.

Implement the Siebel Business Applications navigation paradigms in your custom applications to prevent user confusion. For more information about Siebel Business Applications navigation and query behavior, see Siebel Fundamentals.

13.7

Multiple Ways: If search functions are provided, enable different types of searches for different skill levels and preferences.

Siebel Business Applications provide more than one way to locate a page, such as using the Site Map, tabs, and by drilling down on relevant data items. However, in accordance with the guideline, a user cannot navigate directly to a page in the middle of a task-based UI or workflow process, because this action is out of context.

You are strongly encouraged to maintain the same look-and-feel as Siebel Business Applications for locating information.

14.1

Clear language: Use the clearest and simplest language appropriate for a site's content.

Siebel Business Applications adheres to language style standards and guidelines that apply to Oracle's Siebel applications (CRM, On Demand, and so on), technical documents, including commonly used terms, phrases, and abbreviations.

It is important to choose terminology that is appropriate. For example, the term service request might be used to mean a request to perform service on a machine in the Field Service application. In Siebel, a service request is a specific Siebel object that is used for any customer-generated request. Reusing terms in a different context might be ambiguous.