Audio Alerts

ISSUE:

The use of sounds alone to convey information may be difficult or impossible to access for individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, work in noisy environments and for users who have disabled audio output or whose equipment does not support audio output. An option should be available that allows the user to turn on/off visual cues for audio alerts. Visual cues may be provided in any of the following manners:

• Display a message box for the alert.
  

  Programmer's Note: Message Format Class of java.text, Windows MessageBox.




• Display a status indicator on the notification area of the taskbar that flashes when initially displayed.
  

  Programmer's Note: Windows Shell_NotifyIcon NIM_MODIFY.




• Place a text message in a status window.
  

  Programmer's Note: Container subclass for Panel or Dialog, java.awt.container, Windows CStatusBarCtrl SetPaneText.




• Display a dialog.
  

  Programmer's Note: java.awt.dialog, Windows CreateDialog.

The ShowSounds feature in Windows may be set by the user to request that applications sounds be presented visually.

Programmer's Note: Windows application developers should check the ShowSounds flag by calling the SystemParametersInfo function with the SPI_GETSHOWSOUNDS value, and if set, present visual equivalents of all audio information.

The SoundSentry feature in Windows can be used to provide visual feedback for general system alerts such as warning beeps. It provides a visual indicator when the software makes a sound. SoundSentry requires no special coding on the part of application developers.

STANDARD:

• Applications should allow the user to choose visual cues for audio alerts.



• Applications should not conflict with operating system accessibility features.



• Applications may provide an Option in the application's user preferences or another means of activating visual cues for audio alerts.