ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 35 - User interfaces

Within the general scope described in ISO/IEC 9995-1, this document specifies symbols and methods to distinguish graphic characters which share the same glyph or are represented by similar glyphs on keyboards (including virtual keyboards) and in documentation. Each of these symbols is intended to be considered as universal and non-language related equivalent of names for the function they represent.

Within the general scope described in ISO/IEC 9995-1, this document specifies the numeric section of a keyboard and the division of that section into zones. It specifies the arrangement, the number and the location of the keys in the numeric zone ZN0 and in the function zone ZN1 of the numeric section, as well as the allocation of functions to the keys. The numeric zone ZN0 is to be used in keyboards for applications such as text and data processing, general office environment, banking, point of sales (POS), telematic services, telephony apparatus, home electronic systems, numerical control of machinery and equipment, input of personal identification number (PIN), etc. The function zone ZN1 is to be used in keyboards for applications such as data entry, text and data processing, general office environment, etc. NOTE Certain of these applications are under the responsibility of the ITU-T.

This document provides a framework of voice user interfaces (VUI) for personal mobility services (PMS). The users of PMS ride personal mobility devices (PMD), which are empowered by electricity or a human, and interact with the PMS through the VUI (see Annex A) attached to the PMD. This document describes the functional requirements, the performance requirements and the procedure of the VUI. This document is applicable to a VUI attached to a PMD, which can be used for interaction between users and the PMD.

This document provides the icons to specify the function and to indicate status of the serviced offices and their services. The icons are used as the user interfaces for searching, booking, and advertising applications for serviced offices. This document specifies basic icons that define the functions of all serviced offices, and also specifies additional and miscellaneous icons that indicate other services. The functions specified by the icons include facilities, equipment and services for fulfilling various user needs such as working style, tools, amenities, language and accessibility needs, including older persons, etc.

This document provides requirements and recommendations on the development of accessible audiovisual content. It provides requirements and recommendations for a variety of different accessibility components, dealt with in further detail in additional parts of the ISO 20071 series, that meet different user accessibility needs. It also provides guidance related to translations, localizations, timing, importance and other general aspects of the creation of these accessibility components. This document does not apply to the presentation devices or transmission mechanisms used to deliver audiovisual content. These devices could include, but are not limited to, televisions, computers, wireless devices, projection equipment, DVD and home cinema equipment, video game consoles, or any similar devices which use displays for visual presentation and other forms of user interface technology. This document does not apply to transcoding files and formats for the various audiovideo outputs. This document helps to improve accessibility. This document does not establish requirements for specific industries (e.g. television broadcasting, motion pictures) nor is it intended to supersede specific international standards within their domain.

This document provides requirements for the icons that are suitable for setting up interaction modes in all kinds of devices. It gives guidance about their purpose, their function, and how they are designed in order to be usable. This document specifies two sets of icons: a) icons that deal with global constraints that are taken into account by the product or service; b) icons that are oriented to more specific functions. Each icon is illustrated through a glyph, name, description and function.

This document provides a framework, requirements and recommendations for evaluating the usability of a natural user interface (NUI) for systems, products or services. Measuring and reporting the usability of the NUI are also described. The usability evaluation focuses on the efficiency, effectiveness and satisfaction of the NUI. This document can also be applied to the usability evaluation of other user interfaces (UIs) for emerging technologies.

This document provides the general description of real-time automatic simultaneous interpretation systems designed to interoperate among different natural languages for spontaneous speech. While traditional speech to speech machine translation addresses the functional equivalent of consecutive interpretation, this document focuses on the functional equivalent of simultaneous interpretation. This document does not cover sign language interpretation.

This document provides user interface requirements and functional description of real-time automatic simultaneous interpretation systems designed to interoperate among different natural languages for spontaneous speech. While traditional speech to speech translation addresses the functional equivalent of consecutive interpretation, this document focuses on the functional equivalent of simultaneous interpretation. This document does not cover sign language interpretation.

This document provides a description of a system architecture for real-time automatic simultaneous interpretation systems for spontaneous speech designed to interoperate among different natural languages. While traditional speech-to-speech translation addresses the functional equivalent of consecutive interpretation, this document focuses on the functional equivalent of simultaneous interpretation. This document does not cover sign language interpretation.

This document identifies the affective characteristics for affective computing user interface (AUI), including universal, cultural, individual and situational issues relating to the affective needs of users. This document also describes the selection criteria of these affective characteristics, and the methods to identify or apply them. This document focuses on developers of affective computing user interfaces who want to meet the needs of users. This document does not specify the implementation of affective computing.

This document illustrates the use cases of serviced offices among the third workplaces used for flexible working hours and places.

This document provides requirements and recommendations on all written text so that it is easy to read and understand in any user interface, regardless of its format. This document addresses the process of creation, adaptation and evaluation of written text that is easy to read and understand. This document does not consider devices or transmission mechanisms used to deliver written text. It does not provide language-specific guidance.

This document provides requirements and recommendations on the design of navigation methods for menu item selection with use on one-direction devices (using single or double-switch devices). It specifies requirements for menu navigation with one-direction devices in terms of time delay, loops and focus rendering. This document is applicable to any information technology equipment on which the display area is associated with the one-direction devices.

This document specifies user interfaces (UIs) designed for full duplex (FDX) speech interaction. It also specifies the FDX speech interaction model, features, functional components and requirements, thus providing a framework to support natural conversational interfaces between humans and machines. It also provides privacy considerations for applying FDX speech interaction. This document is applicable to UIs for speech interaction and communication protocols for setting up a session-oriented FDX interaction between humans and machines. This document does not define the speech interaction engines themselves or specify the details of specific engines, devices and approaches.

This document specifies the design and specification of on-screen keyboards (keyboards that are displayed on a screen) with direct touch interface, including those with some audio feedback. This document specifies keyboard layouts designed for on-screen keyboards with direct touch interface and ways for interaction with them. It is not applicable to virtual keyboards that are not displayed on a screen, and on-screen keyboards that do not provide a direct touchscreen interface such as on-screen keyboards relying on an accessory unit like a trackpad or a remote control for interactions with the user. It is not applicable to physical keyboards that use real or adaptable keys, which can be customized to user needs, for example, with LCD display.

This document establishes a model for affective computing user interfaces (AUI). Annex B also suggests topics for AUI standardization. This document does not specify the implementation of affective computing.

This document provides a framework for the ISO/IEC 17549 series describing user interface guidelines on menu navigation. It specifies requirements and recommendations on how to design usable and consistent navigation through the interface component called a “menu”. This document specifies how to select and validate elements displayed on menus. This document covers design-consistent navigation inside menus. It does not include testing or organization of menus.

This document provides guidance on the mapping of a set of user accessibility needs with the provisions of a particular standard, technical report, or set of guidelines. It provides both basic guidance that should be used for all user accessibility needs mapping and optional guidance that may be added to the basic guidance. User accessibility needs mapping is intended to help improve accessibility for all users and, in particular, for users with special needs that can be overlooked. User accessibility needs mapping is not intended to be used to evaluate or certify a given standard or set of guidelines.

This document specifies requirements and recommendations for making accessibility settings accessible and usable. It provides guidance on specific accessibility settings, saving settings and modifying settings. It specifies how to access and operate the accessibility setting mode, and how to directly activate specific accessibility features. This document applies to all operating system user interfaces on all types of information and communications technologies (ICTs) from the point where the operating system is fully functional and waiting for the user to interact with it. This document does not apply to: — storing and retrieving information from a stored user profile, including personally identifiable information; — accessibility of the closed functionality that does not support access by assistive technology; — accessibility of boot mode.

This document defines single-point gestures for screen readers. It specifies movements for clear and classified single-point gestures recognized by the screen readers. It describes single-point gestures performed by a POI (point of interest). The single-point gestures are intended to operate in a consistent manner regardless of systems, platforms, applications or devices. NOTE A POI can be manipulated by using an object such as a fingertip, a stylus, etc.

This document provides general guidance on gestures for screen readers running on various ICT devices. The document does not define or require specific technologies for recognizing the gestures. It focuses on descriptions of gestures and functions for screen readers running on ICT devices.

This document specifies description formats and functionality for the specification of cultural conventions, description formats for character sets, and description formats for binding character names to ISO/IEC 10646, as well as a set of default values for some of these items.

This document specifies mechanisms to choose between the keyboard groups specified in the ISO/IEC 9995 series, national keyboards standards, or other keyboard definitions. These mechanisms primarily become useful when the stipulated marking on the key top can be dynamically displayed on the key top.

This document describes the method for selection of a language in information and communication (ICT) devices. This document is intended to apply to the user interface design of ICT devices which have a function for setting the appropriate language environment when an end-user wants to initiate its operation.

This document gives guidelines on the design of navigation methods for selection menus with the use of a 4-direction device. The guidelines are applicable to any information equipment on which the display area is associated with a 4-direction device. This document also provides recommendations for parameters for display screen settings, character sets and languages in use. This document is not applicable to safety-related uses on menu navigation.

This document gives guidance on how to create text alternatives and what information to put in text alternatives. This document applies to all static images that are used in any type of electronic document. It also applies to individual images within a slide show. This document does not apply to moving images (e.g. movies). NOTE 1 While text alternatives can be implemented via various mechanisms in various types of electronic documents, the contents of this document are not dependent on the choice of implementation mechanism or of electronic document type. NOTE 2 Guidance on making moving images accessible is contained in ISO/IEC TS 20071-21, ISO/IEC 20071-23 and ISO/IEC 20071-25.

This document defines multi-point gestures for common system actions used in information and communication technology (ICT) systems. It specifies movements and conditions for describing multi-point gestures recognized by the systems and applications. The multi-point gestures are performed using an input device (multi-touchpad, multi-touchscreen, etc.) or body parts (fingertips, hands, etc.). These multi-point gestures are intended to operate in a consistent manner regardless of systems, platforms or applications. The gestures for common system actions denote system-level functions and common functions across applications of ICT systems. The system-level functions are executed at a system or a platform level. They include initiation, resume, restart and termination, etc. The common functions across applications are commonly executed among applications of a system or a platform. The functions include navigation of menus, opening an object, closing an object, etc. NOTE ICT systems include, but are not limited to, digital televisions, set-top boxes, video game consoles, communication devices, internet devices, entertainment devices, and personal computers (PCs).

This document takes a holistic approach to the accessibility of information and communications technology (ICT) by combining guidance on implementing the accessibility of ICT systems (ICT accessibility) both at organizational and system development levels. This document gives guidelines for building and maintaining ICT systems (including products and services) that are accessible to diverse users (including users with disabilities and older people). This document is applicable to all types of organizations. This document applies to the breadth of ICT systems and the results of convergent and emerging technologies within an organization including, but not limited to: information systems; intranet systems; websites; mobile and wearable applications; social media; and Internet of Things (IoT) systems. It gives requirements and recommendations for organizations: a) ensuring accessibility is considered in their policies or strategy by creating an organizational ICT accessibility policy; b) embedding the consideration of accessibility decisions through the entire process of developing procuring, installing, operating and maintaining ICT systems, and documenting these choices; c) justifying decisions on accessibility; d) communicating the ICT system's accessibility decisions to its users at launch, through creating and publishing its accessibility statement.

This document provides a collection of graphical symbols which are used typically on office equipment to aid in the user operation of, for example, personal computers, printers, telephones and copying machines. These graphical symbols are also used in other application areas if appropriate. NOTE The graphical symbols in this document are collections of relevant graphical symbols standardized in IEC 60417 and ISO 7000.

This document defines GIML (Gesture Interface Markup Language). The syntax and the structure of GIML are described in this document.

This document identifies a collection of user accessibility needs that diverse users have of ICT systems to make these systems accessible to them. Each user accessibility need might be required of a system by an individual. Different users can have different sets of user accessibility needs in different contexts. While this set of user accessibility needs was developed for the domain of ICT, many of the user accessibility needs in this set also apply in other domains. This document does not provide requirements or specific processes and methods for the application and evaluation of user accessibility needs. However, it could inform the development of such requirements (see 5.4). This document is not designed for certification purposes or regulatory or contractual use. The user accessibility needs in this document are intended to inform and encourage those responsible for accessibility to go beyond the minimum provisions of accessibility legislation and regulations.

This document provides guidance for producers, exhibitors, and distributors on the visual presentation of alternatives to audio information in audiovisual content, such as captions/subtitles. This document provides requirements and recommendations that are intended to support users who are not able to use the audio information, prefer to use a visual representation of audio information, or prefer both audio and visual presentations. NOTE Many users do not have a choice, for instance, when in a noisy environment (e.g. bar, restaurant, etc.). In these situations, the user does not select a visual presentation of audio information but is offered the content with captions/subtitles. This document acknowledges the various needs and preferences of viewers (end users) as well as the different approaches to visual presentation of audio information. It applies to all presentations of visual alternatives to audio information intended to be presented as captions/subtitles. This document does not apply to the presentation devices or transmission mechanisms used to deliver the content or visual presentations of audio information. These devices could include, but are not limited to: televisions, computers, wireless devices, projection equipment, DVD and home cinema equipment, video game consoles, and other forms of user interfaces technology. This document does not apply to transcoding files and formats for the various video outputs. This document gives guidance on visual presentations which are delivered in the same language as in the audio (i.e., intra-lingual captions/subtitles) and visual presentations which are translated into a different language (i.e., inter-lingual captions/subtitles). This document does not apply to the specific process of language translation. This document helps to improve accessibility. This document does not establish requirements on specific industries (e.g. television broadcasting, motion pictures) nor is it intended to supersede specific international standards within their domain.

ISO/IEC 24752-8:2018 defines a RESTful protocol for the provision and delivery of resources that are related to user interface adaptation based on context of use. ISO/IEC 24752-8:2018 addresses requirements and recommendations for the following services: - user-context service; - task-context service; - equipment-context service; - environment-context service; - resource service; - resource-description service; - matching service (for finding appropriate resources based on specific contexts and other match criteria).

ISO/IEC TS 20071-15:2017 provides guidance on various aspects of the user interface of applications that scan visual information that are used directly by humans, including: - initiating the scanning application; - setting user's preferences and configuring the scanning application; - identifying the types of information currently of interest to the user; - locating visual objects of interest to the user; - creating a static image via scanning the visual object; - identifying the information content provided by the visual object; - processing scanned information and outputting the results to the user. ISO/IEC TS 20071-15:2017 provides increased accessibility by addressing the user accessibility needs of diverse users in diverse contexts. ISO/IEC TS 20071-15:2017 contains guidance that can be applied to a variety of devices, including: - specialized devices that are dedicated to scanning and processing visual information; - mobile devices (such as smartphones and tablets); - general purpose computers with camera capabilities; - office machines with scanning functions. ISO/IEC TS 20071-15:2017 contains guidance that can be applied to various types of software, including: - stand-alone scanning applications; - applications including scanning functionalities; - (scanning) applications that interoperate with other applications. ISO/IEC TS 20071-15:2017 contains guidance that can be used for outputting scanned information in various modalities, including: - audio outputs; - visual outputs; - tactile outputs; - storing information for future use within the application performing the scanning; - electronic outputs (to other applications, systems, or devices including those directly connected and those connected via the Internet). ISO/IEC TS 20071-15:2017 does not: - apply to fully automated scanning that is not under direct human control; - apply to applications that scan visual information for editing an image or just displaying it; - provide guidance on the design of specific hardware devices involved in scanning; - provide guidance on the specific objects that can be recognized or the specific software used to recognize these objects; - provide guidance on the internal functioning of software that recognizes specific types of objects. ISO/IEC TS 20071-15:2017 is intended for use by developers of applications that include user controlled scanning functionalities. It does not expect that an application includes all of these functionalities. It can be used for those functionalities that an application does provide.

ISO/IEC 20382-1:2017 specifies face-to-face speech translation designed to interoperate among multiple translation systems with different languages. It also specifies the speech translation features, general requirements and functionality, thus providing a framework to support a convenient speech translation service in face-to-face situations. ISO/IEC 20382-1:2017 is applicable to user interfaces for speech translation and communication protocols for setting up a translation session among users. ISO/IEC 20382-1:2017 is not applicable to defining the speech translation engine itself.

ISO/IEC 20382-2:2017 specifies the functional components of face-to-face speech translation designed to interoperate among multiple translation systems with different languages. It also specifies the speech translation features, general requirements and functionality, thus providing a framework to support a convenient speech translation service in face-to-face situations. This document is applicable to speech translation devices, servers and communication protocols among speech translation servers and clients in a high-level approach. ISO/IEC 20382-2:2017 also defines various system architectures in different environments. ISO/IEC 20382-2:2017 is not applicable to defining speech recognition engines, language translation engines and speech synthesis engines.

ISO/IEC 30113-11:2017 defines single-point gestures for common system actions used in information and communication technology (ICT) systems. It specifies movements for clear and classified gestures recognized by the systems and applications. The single-point gestures are performed using an input device (e.g. a mouse, a stylus, etc.) or a body part (e.g. a fingertip, a hand, etc.). These single-point gestures are intended to operate in a consistent manner regardless of the system, platform, application or device. NOTE ICT systems include, but are not limited to, digital televisions, set-top boxes, video game consoles, communication devices, Internet devices, entertainment devices and personal computers.

ISO/IEC TS 20071-25:2017 provides recommendations on the audio presentation of captions/subtitles and other on-screen text for use in all type of videos regardless of the language and technology being used to transmit and present the recorded or live video. ISO/IEC TS 20071-25:2017 applies to making captions/subtitles and other on-screen text accessible to users with various needs, including but not limited to people with learning and reading disabilities, people with cognitive disabilities, people who are blind or have low vision, older people, and non-native language speakers. It does not apply to captions/subtitles or other on-screen text whose content is already provided in the soundtrack in a language and a way users can access. ISO/IEC TS 20071-25:2017 provides guidance on spoken captions/subtitles as a stand-alone access service but it also provides guidance on how to integrate spoken captions/subtitles, other spoken on-screen text and audio description, if needed, in different types of videos. NOTE 1 Extensive guidance on audio description is provided in ISO/IEC/TS 20071‑21. ISO/IEC TS 20071-25:2017 does not consider the devices or transmission mechanisms used to deliver and play the content or the audio presentation of text in videos. These devices include, but are not limited to televisions, computers, wireless devices, projection equipment, DVD and home cinema equipment, cinema equipment and other forms of user interfaces technology. Therefore, this document does not consider transcoding files for the various video and audio outputs. NOTE 2 Technical matters of transmission and distribution are covered by other documents (e.g. MPEG standards and other technical standards such as IEC 62731:2013). ISO/IEC TS 20071-25:2017 acknowledges the various needs and preferences of users, as well as the different approaches to the audio presentation of text in videos. It applies to audio presentations intended to be heard simultaneously along with the original video.

ISO/IEC 30122-3:2017 contains requirements and recommendations concerning multilingual voice commands and internationalization. ISO/IEC 30122-3:2017 specifies the linguistic requirements and recommendations for translation and localization of spoken words or phrases for voice commands. ISO/IEC 30122-3:2017 also includes how to determine the correct words or phrases for voice commands based on the various linguistic needs. ISO/IEC 30122-3:2017 does not include technical issues.

ISO 30122-2:2017 provides the technical criterions and test methods of voice commands and its speech recognition engine. The technical criterions include the phonetic requirements for spoken words or phrases that compose the voice command. The test methods verify whether the voice command or speech recognition engine satisfies the required specifications.

Within the general scope described in ISO/IEC 9995-1, ISO 9995-9:2016 defines the allocation on a keyboard of a set of graphic characters which, when used in combination with an existing national version keyboard layout, allows the input of a minimum character repertoire as defined herein. This repertoire is intended to address all characters needed to write all contemporary languages using the Latin script, together with standardized Latin transliterations of some major languages using other scripts. It also contains all symbols and punctuation marks contained in ISO 8859-1, together with some selected other ones commonly used in typography and office use. It also addresses characters of some other scripts (Greek, Cyrillic, Armenian, Georgian, Hebrew) to the same extent (in the case of Cyrillic, leaving out some minority languages of the Russian Federation which have only a few hundred speakers left). It provides means to include other scripts (e.g. Arabic, Devanagari) in future versions of ISO 9995-9:2016 (e.g. by amendments). Furthermore, it addresses the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). ISO 9995-9:2016 is primarily intended for word-processing and text-processing applications, to be used with full-sized keyboards as well as with miniature keyboards found on mobile devices ("smartphones" or handheld computers), especially ones which have only keys for the 26 basic Latin letters but no dedicated keys for digits.

ISO/IEC 30122-4:2016 defines supplementary procedural information, requirements and criteria that apply to a collection of voice commands published as a web-accessible voice command database. They are based on Annex SL of the IEC supplement to ISO/IEC Directives. It also defines the method for adding, changing or withdrawing voice commands in an electronic database of standard voice commands. Annex SL ISO/IEC Directives - Supplement - Procedures Specific to ISO is followed for management of voice command registration unless otherwise specified in ISO/IEC 30122-4:2016.

ISO/IEC 30122-1:2016 defines a framework and general guidance for essential voice commands. It provides a limited number of commands which could be memorized to facilitate the use of the information/communication technology (ICT) devices including computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablets, mobile devices, car navigation systems and business machines. It does not include the natural sentence recognition by using natural language processing technology.

ISO/IEC TR 13066-2:2016 specifies services provided in the Microsoft Windows platform to enable assistive technologies (AT) to interact with other software. One goal of this part of ISO/IEC 13066 is to define a set of application programming interfaces (APIs) for allowing software applications to enable accessible technologies on the Microsoft Windows platform. Another goal of this part of ISO/IEC 13066 is to facilitate extensibility and interoperability by enabling implementations by multiple vendors on multiple platforms. ISO/IEC TR 13066-2:2016 is applicable to the broad range of ergonomics and how ergonomics apply to human interaction with software systems.

ISO/IEC TR 15440:2016 (TR) covers the following: - different input requirements catering for national and international practices and support of cultural and linguistic diversity; - recognition of requirements regarding comfort of use (for any user, including children, elderly and disabled people) and improved user productivity related to inputting data; - enhancements of keyboards and related input devices and methods required for new emerging phenomena such as Internet, multimedia, virtual reality; - virtual input requirements; - labelling issues (soft [LCD] and hard, permanent and temporary labels), function symbols and icons. ISO/IEC TR 15440:2016 does not cover implications of biometric input (fingerprint-based, iris-pattern-based, face-shape-based, etc.) devices for access and security. ISO/IEC TR 15440:2016 is aimed at both the users and manufacturers and intends to present the user requirements regarding keyboards and associated devices and methods, at the time of publication of this technical report.

ISO/IEC TS 20071-21:2015 provides recommendations for describing audiovisual content in an auditory modality for use in recorded video presentations, broadcast television, cinema, live or recorded drama, museum and art gallery exhibits, heritage tours, news, and comedies, regardless of the language and technology being used to transmit and present the recorded or live audiovisual content. NOTE 1 There are many secondary users of audio description, but the primary and intended users of audio description are blind persons or persons with low vision and their friends and family. ISO/IEC TS 20071-21:2015 provides guidance on the subjective nature of creating audio description. It also provides guidance for audio description developers (script writers, voice narrators, and organizations or groups responsible for delivering audio description) in faithfully and accurately representing audiovisual content. NOTE 2 It might not always be possible to provide an equivalent experience due to limitations in the amount of time available for audio description depending on the content being described. ISO/IEC TS 20071-21:2015 applies to describing audiovisual content and does not consider the devices or transmission mechanisms used to deliver the content or the audio description. These devices include, but are not limited to, televisions, computers, wireless devices, projection equipment, DVD and home cinema equipment and other forms of user interface technology. Therefore, this part of ISO/IEC 20071 does not consider transcoding files for the various video outputs. NOTE 3 Technical matters of transmission and distribution are covered by other International Standards (e.g. MPEG standards and other technical international standards such as IEC 62731). ISO/IEC TS 20071-21:2015 provides guidance on how to approach user preferences, available styles and flexibility in approaches to audio description. It does not apply to static images contained in electronic documents (see ISO/IEC 20071−11 for guidance on text alternatives for images). It applies to auditory presentations intended to be transmitted or delivered simultaneously to the original audiovisual content. NOTE 4 Limitations experienced by broadcasters or people in synchronous environments might be reduced online or in asynchronous environments.

ISO/IEC TR 30109:2015 describes methods to enable access to a personal computing environment via the Internet, with a culturally and linguistically convenient and uniform personal user interface, on different types of hardware.

ISO/IEC TR 13066-4:2015 provides an overview to the structure and terminology of the Linux/UNIX graphical environments accessibility API. It will provide the following: - a description of the overall architecture and terminology of the API; - further introductory explanations regarding the content and use of the API beyond those found in ISO/IEC 13066‑1:2011, Annex A; - an overview of the main properties, including - of user interface elements, - of how to get and set focus, and - of communication mechanisms in the API; - a discussion of design considerations for the API (e.g. pointers to external sources of information on accessibility guidance related to using the API); - information on extending the API (and where this is appropriate); - an introduction to the programming interface of the API (including pointers to external sources of information). It will provide this information as an introduction to the Java API to assist the following: - IT system level developers who create custom controls and/or interface to them; - AT developers involved in programming "hardware to software" and "software to software" interactions.