IAccessible2 is a new accessibility API which complements Microsoft's earlier work on MSAA. This API fills critical accessibility API gaps in the MSAA offering. IAccessible2 was created out of necessity to produce a usable and accessible OpenDocument Format (ODF) based office suite for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. IAccessible2 is an engineered accessibility interface allowing application developers to leverage their investment in MSAA while also providing an Assistive Technology (AT) access to rich document applications such as the IBM Workplace productivity editors and web browsers such as Firefox. The additional functionality includes support for rich text, tables, spreadsheets, Web 2.0 applications, and other large mainstream applications.

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Project Resources

• Overview of IAccessible2
• Interfaces Specification version 1.3
  • Change log for changes made to version 1.3 since version 1.2.1 (direct link)
• IDL files - version 1.3
  • Merged IDL File (direct link) - version 1.3
• AccProbe: The Accessibility Probe
• Text Attributes Specification
• Draft Object Attributes Specification (Note 1)
• IAccessible2 Proxy DLL
• Implementation Guide
• Email
• Archive of Prior Versions
• Meetings
• ISO Standardization
• Documents and Presentations
• BZR Repository (Note 2)
• Bugzilla
• IRC (#a11y channel)
• Directory of Software

IAccessible2 Project Resource Notes:

1. This document is ready for review. Do not implement until the review is complete.
2. BZR currently contains what was originally submitted to the Free Standards Group. The first frozen version was 1.0.1 on March 26, 2007 and is not in BZR. Versions prior to the current version can be found in the archive.

IAccessible2 is a trademark of the Linux Foundation. The IAccessible2 mark may be used in accordance with the Linux Foundation Trademark Policy to indicate compliance with the IAccessible2 specification.