Microsoft 
Accessibility
Technology For Everyone

Microsoft and Assistive Technology

Microsoft is committed to making its technology accessible to all people, including people with disabilities. Section 508 strengthens our commitment, which spans a thirteen year history of working collaboratively with our product groups, consumers with disabilities and third parties such as OEMs, ISVs and Assistive Technology vendors. This collaboration includes the sharing of published AT/IT APIs such as MSAA. Section 508’s beneficiaries, people with disabilities, depend on our ability to continue to effectively support the work of assistive technology vendors. We believe that Section 508 is good for industry, government and people with disabilities. We will continue to work with our government and industry partners toward the shared goal of successfully implementing Section 508.

What is Microsoft’s relationship with the Assistive Technology Industry?
Microsoft has a long history of working very closely with Assistive Technology vendors. In fact, this work started when Microsoft starting addressing accessibility in 1988. Microsoft is very supportive of ATIA and its member (and non-member) companies. We believe it would be best for our customers with disabilities if ATIA could have as much ownership as possible over their interfaces and specifications, and could also represent their members across platforms and applications.

How is Microsoft working to address the need for AT/IT compatibility?
The work between Microsoft, AT vendors and our OEM partners for AT/IT compatibility has been going on for many years. AT/IT compatibility is a long-term technical project that must be run and staffed by engineers. It involves sharing source code under reciprocal NDA, and it must be handled with extreme care and respect for the Intellectual Property (IP) of the companies involved -- especially the IP of the AT vendors.

Why is Microsoft working on a new AT API for the next version of its OS?
Many problems can not be solved with the current infrastructure and interfaces, so we are moving to improve our interfaces in the next version of the operating system. We update our operating system at the pace that our industry sets for us. If we are going to make significant progress, we must work quickly with AT vendors over the next year. Additionally, improvements to the AT API within our new OS will help all of our customers, regardless of the applications they use. 

Why is Microsoft’s solution focused on a single platform solution?
As they are designed today, the interfaces for AT are deeply rooted in the operating system. Most of the AT companies that Microsoft works with ship their products on Windows as their primary, if not only, operating system. Starting with their current products and our operating system is necessary in order to achieve any success, in either the short or long term. 

Is a single, cross-platform IT/AT API attainable in the near future?
Microsoft believes cross platform compatibility should be a long-term goal because it will lower the cost and increase the spread of AT solutions. However, it is not achievable in the near term due to the significant differences between most operating systems and hardware architectures. If we can lower the level of investment required to support Windows, it will be easier for vendors to support other platforms. 

Are Microsoft’s accessibility APIs public?
Microsoft’s AT API's, such as MSAA, are public, and will remain so. Specific information on these API’s currently resides on Microsoft’s Developer web site www.msdn.microsoft.com/at.

What is Microsoft’s relationship with the Accessibility Forum?
Earlier this year, Microsoft assigned a senior software engineer, who specializes in AT/IT interoperability, to participate in the Accessibility Forum’s Interoperability Working Group.