Dear Developer,
Apple's commitment to accessibility is evident throughout Mac OS X
which includes features and technologies specifically designed to
assist users with disabilities. Since Mac OS X is now fully
accessible, it's important for your application to be also.
To help provide you with a head start on this development, Apple
Developer Connection invites you to attend the upcoming 'Creating
Accessible Mac OS X Applications' Workshop, October 5 through
October 8 on the Apple campus in Cupertino, CA.
This Workshop will teach you about two key Mac OS X accessibility
technologies, VoiceOver and the Accessibility API.
1. VoiceOver is a powerful extension to Mac OS X's Aqua user
interface allowing blind and low-vision users to easily navigate
and interact with the operating system and with software
applications.
2. The Mac OS X Accessibility API is specifically designed to
help you create accessible applications by providing a common
way for Carbon and Cocoa applications to interoperate with
assistive technology applications, such as VoiceOver, which
provide the necessary adaptation for a specific disability.
While accessibility is desirable in all applications, it is critical
for applications sold into the education, government, and enterprise
markets where Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act has made
accessibility a purchasing criteria.
At the 'Creating Accessible Mac OS X Applications' Workshop, you'll
learn how Mac OS X's accessibility support can help your product
meet the needs of all users.
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WORKSHOP STRUCTURE AND CONTENT
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This Workshop is a mix of technical presentations and hands-on
coding, giving you four days to work on your code with help from
Apple engineers and technology evangelists.
This Workshop is focused on helping you understand, scope, and
implement support for accessibility in your application. Topics
include:
- The best strategy for making your application accessible
- The Accessibility API in depth
- VoiceOver: what it is, how it's used, and how it interacts with your
application
- Best practices for supporting VoiceOver within your application
- How to support full keyboard navigation and tab loops
- Tools and techniques for testing accessibility features
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ADVANCED PREPARATION
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The following is required to attend this workshop:
1. Bring your source code and development tools on a FireWire drive
or portable computer (plus any necessary cables).
2. Identify three areas in your application where you would like to
see performance improvements.
3. List the technical issues you will work on during the week or
the goals you may have for this workshop.
4. You must be registered with the Apple Developer Connection.
Apple will provide a desktop computer for your use during the
workshop, but you are encouraged to bring your own portable computer
for email and other tasks. Please note that no outbound mail servers
will be available for your use.
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REGISTRATION INFORMATION
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There is no enrollment fee for this workshop. Apple will provide
lunch, and other refreshments during the day. You will assume your
own travel and hotel expenses.
Seating is limited and registration is taken on a first-come,
first-served basis. We expect this workshop to be very popular,
so we encourage you to reserve your space immediately by filling
out the registration information at
http://adckitchen.apple.com/