Resource directory for the Z39.98-2012 Authoring and Interchange
DIAGRAM Description Feature
version 1.0

Table of Contents

Introduction

The DIAGRAM Description feature defines a markup model for the creation of accessible content descriptions. The feature encapsulates a set of informative descriptions that can be referenced by images, graphics and other describable structures in any host grammar (e.g., HTML and EPUB).

The Description feature is intended to function both as a standalone model for descriptions (i.e., allowing descriptions to be authored and consumed on their own), to allow descriptions to be collected into a single document for distribution and to be directly integrated into host languages.

The contents of this data model were developed under a grant from the US Department of Education, #H327B100001, under the direction of the DIAGRAM Center. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer, Glinda Hill.

Normative References

The keywords "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this section are to be interpreted as described in RFC2119.

General document model requirements

The namespace of all attribute components defined by this feature is:

http://www.daisy.org/ns/z3998/authoring/features/description/

Version information

This resource directory represents version 1.0 of the DIAGRAM Description feature:

This release may not be the most recently published (current) version of the DIAGRAM Description feature. The current version should always be obtained from the static URI: http://www.daisy.org/z3998/2012/auth/features/description/current/

Identification

This feature must be identified as description in Z39.98-AI document feature declarations.

The canonical identity URI is: http://www.daisy.org/z3998/2012/auth/features/description/1.0/

Specification compliance

This version of the feature is compliant with the Z39.98-2012 Specification.

Normative schemata

The normative RelaxNG schema for version 1.0 of the DIAGRAM Description feature is z3998-feature-description.rng.

Note - this feature schema does not represent an entire document model; it is intended for inclusion in host profiles.

Available components

This feature makes the following components available for inclusion in host profiles:

Processing agent behavior requirements

This section defines processing agent behaviors that extend the default behaviors defined in Processing agent conformance definition.

Feature supported

If the processing agent supports this feature and the client has activated processing of components defined by this feature, then the processing agent must process all encountered components defined by this feature in accordance with the semantics defined in the definitions below.

If the processing agent supports this feature and the client has deactivated processing of components defined by this feature, then the processing agent must employ the Ignore or Discard behaviors as defined below. The Ignore behavior is the default; the Discard behavior must only be employed when client has explicitly instructed the processing agent to do so.

Feature recognized

If a processing agent recognizes but does not support this feature, it must employ one of the following behaviors:

Abort

Upon encountering a document instance with this feature enabled, the processing agent issues a notification, and then aborts the processing.

Ignore

While traversing the document tree and encountering an element in the feature namespace, the processing agent ignores the element, and continues the traversal.

Discard

While traversing the document tree and encountering an element in the feature namespace, the processing agent discards the element, and continues the traversal.

The abort behavior is the default; the ignore and discard behaviors must only be employed when the processing agent is explicitly instructed to do so by the client.

Processing agents that employ the ignore or discard behaviors should issue a notification.

Feature not recognized

If a processing agent does not recognize this feature, it must, as dictated in Processing agent conformance definition, abort processing and issue an error message.

Feature component definitions

The component definitions provided below follow the conventions used in Core Modules.

The DIAGRAM Description Feature

The DIAGRAM Description feature supports traditional long descriptions and also includes markup for including summaries and simplified language descriptions. It also allows the embedding of simplified image versions of the source and also tactile printing-ready equivalents.

The age and/or education level of the intended audience can be set in the description metadata.

This feature makes available a single public element: the description element. Other components defined in this feature are intended for use augmenting this element.

This feature inherits elements, attributes and additional features from the Z39.98-2012 Core Modules.

The DIAGRAM Description Feature: Element overview
Name Default attribute model Default content model Default usage context
description xml:id?, xml:base? d:head?, d:body Block.class
head Document.attrib meta+ d:description
body Document.attrib ( d:summary? & d:longdesc & d:simplifiedLanguageDescription* & d:tactile* & d:simplifiedImage* & annotation*) d:description
summary Block.attrib (text | z3998.Text.class | z3998.Phrase.class)+ d:body
longdesc Block.attrib (z3998.Block.class)+ | (text | z3998.Text.class | z3998.Phrase.class)+ d:body
simplifiedLanguageDescription Block.attrib (z3998.Block.class)+ | (text | z3998.Text.class | z3998.Phrase.class)+ d:body
about Block.attrib (text | z3998.Text.class | z3998.Phrase.class)+ d:simplifiedLanguageDescription, d:tactile, d:simplifiedImage
tactile Block.attrib (z3998.object.block+, z3998.feature.description.tour?) d:body
braille Block.attrib (text | *) d:tactile
tour Block.attrib (z3998.Block.class)+ | (text | z3998.Text.class | z3998.Phrase.class)+ d:tactile , d:simplifiedImage
simplifiedImage Block.attrib (z3998.object.block+, z3998.feature.description.tour?) d:body
The DIAGRAM Description Feature: Attribute overview
Name Default values Default usage context
brlFormat NMTOKENS d:braille
The description element

The description element is the root container element for a description. It consists of an optional container element for metadata information (the head ) and a required container for the different description types and alternate image renditions (the body ).

The language of the description can be specified by attaching an xml:lang attribute to the description element. If the description will be made available in a standalone context (i.e., in which its language cannot be inherited from a host content document), the language should always be specified.

The DIAGRAM Description profile provides the ability to compile one or more description elements into a single document for distribution (e.g., to accompany an EPUB).

When storing a description in a standalone context, the Description feature namespace http://www.daisy.org/ns/z3998/authoring/features/description/ should be declared on the description element using the xmlns namespace association mechanism defined in XMLNAMES . Although not required, the prefix d is recommended.

The description element
Local name description
Namespace http://www.daisy.org/ns/z3998/authoring/features/description/
Default usage context Block.class
Default attribute model xml:id?, xml:base?
Content model d:head?, d:body
Content model alterability This content model is fixed, and must not be altered when activating this module.
Optionality This element must not be omitted when activating this module.
The description head element

The description head element contains meta information about the enclosing description element.

The meta information in the description head element should not be treated as document content, but may be used for display and other purposes when rendering descriptions.

Although all metadata is optional, descriptions should, at a minimum, include an identifier, the intended reader age and/or school grade level. See the DIAGRAM Descriptions Vocabulary for a set of predefined RDF properties. Properties from other RDF vocabularies can also be included, provided their prefix is declared.

If age and grade-level metadata is omitted, the containing description should be assumed to be applicable to all readers.

The description head element
Local name head
Namespace http://www.daisy.org/ns/z3998/authoring/features/description/
Default usage context d:description
Default attribute model Document.attrib
Default content model meta+
Optionality This element may be omitted when activating this module.
The description body element

The description body element contains the accessible description forms that readers can select from depending on their needs.

The description body must minimally contain the primary description of the associated content in a child longdesc element.

The description body may also optionally compliment the primary description with a briefer summary and a simplified language representation.

The body of the description can also be used to carry alternative images for readers unable to adequately interact with the source image. The tactile element can be used to include a tactile image and accompanying tour, and the simplifiedImage element can be used to include images more accessible to various reader needs.

The description body element
Local name body
Namespace http://www.daisy.org/ns/z3998/authoring/features/description/
Default usage context d:description
Default attribute model Document.attrib
Default content model ( d:summary? & d:longdesc & d:simplifiedLanguageDescription* & d:tactile* & d:simplifiedImage* & annotation*)
Optionality This element may be omitted when activating this module.
The summary element

The summary element contains a shorter, more succinct version of the primary description in the longdesc element.

The summary element
Local name summary
Namespace http://www.daisy.org/ns/z3998/authoring/features/description/
Default usage context d:body
Default attribute model Block.attrib
Default content model (text | z3998.Text.class | z3998.Phrase.class)+
Optionality This element may be omitted when activating this module.

The following model restrictions apply to this element:

  • The summary element must neither be empty nor contain only whitespace.

The longdesc element

The longdesc element contains the primary description of the associated image, graphic or visually-oriented structure.

The longdesc should contain a comprehensive explanation of the referenced item. See the summary element for information on how to include a compact description.

The longdesc element
Local name longdesc
Namespace http://www.daisy.org/ns/z3998/authoring/features/description/
Default usage context d:body
Default attribute model Block.attrib
Default content model (z3998.Block.class)+ | (text | z3998.Text.class | z3998.Phrase.class)+
Optionality This element may be omitted when activating this module.

The following model restrictions apply to this element:

  • The longdesc element must neither be empty nor contain only whitespace.

The simplifiedLanguageDescription element

The simplifiedLanguageDescription element contains a simplified language version of the primary description in the longdesc element.

The simplifiedLanguageDescription element
Local name simplifiedLanguageDescription
Namespace http://www.daisy.org/ns/z3998/authoring/features/description/
Default usage context d:body
Default attribute model Block.attrib
Default content model (z3998.Block.class)+ | (text | z3998.Text.class | z3998.Phrase.class)+
Optionality This element may be omitted when activating this module.

The following model restrictions apply to this element:

  • The simplifiedLanguageDescription element must neither be empty nor contain only whitespace.

The about element

The about element provides a brief, human-readable explanation of the nature of its parent (e.g., the file format, resolution, audience, etc.).

The element is intended to provide a label for end users of the content -- for example, to explain the format of the content to facilitate content selection.

The about element
Local name about
Namespace http://www.daisy.org/ns/z3998/authoring/features/description/
Default usage context d:simplifiedLanguageDescription, d:tactile, d:simplifiedImage
Default attribute model Block.attrib
Default content model (text | z3998.Text.class | z3998.Phrase.class)+
Optionality This element may be omitted when activating this module.

The following model restrictions apply to this element:

  • The about element must neither be empty nor contain only whitespace.

The tactile element

The tactile element contains an alternative tactile image. The element may contain one or more identical images for different production methods (e.g., one for swell paper production and another for stereolithograph printing).

The tactile image may also include an explanatory tour .

This specification does not place any restrictions on the format used to represent the tactile image, but images should be final-form representations for output rendering by end users. The role attribute should be used to differentiate the production use for each image.

The tactile element
Local name tactile
Namespace http://www.daisy.org/ns/z3998/authoring/features/description/
Default usage context d:body
Default attribute model Block.attrib
Default content model (z3998.object.block+, z3998.feature.description.tour?)
Optionality This element may be omitted when activating this module.
The braille element

The braille element contains an alternative braille representation. It may contain preformatted braille text, or embed a format such as PEF.

The braille element
Local name braille
Namespace http://www.daisy.org/ns/z3998/authoring/features/description/
Default usage context d:tactile
Default attribute model Block.attrib
Default content model (text | *)
Optionality This element may be omitted when activating this module.

The following model restrictions apply to this element:

  • The braille element must neither be empty nor contain only whitespace.

The tour element

The tour element is associated with a tactile graphic or a simplified alternative image, and provides orientation. In addition, the tour can explain how to explore the tactile or simplified image.

The tour element
Local name tour
Namespace http://www.daisy.org/ns/z3998/authoring/features/description/
Default usage context d:tactile , d:simplifiedImage
Default attribute model Block.attrib
Default content model (z3998.Block.class)+ | (text | z3998.Text.class | z3998.Phrase.class)+
Optionality This element may be omitted when activating this module.
The simplifiedImage element

The simplifiedImage element contains a simplified version of the source image. The element may contain one or more identical images in different formats.

The simplified image may also include an explanatory tour .

The simplifiedImage element
Local name simplifiedImage
Namespace http://www.daisy.org/ns/z3998/authoring/features/description/
Default usage context d:body
Default attribute model Block.attrib
Default content model (z3998.object.block+, z3998.feature.description.tour?)
Optionality This element may be omitted when activating this module.
The brlFormat attribute

The brlFormat attribute expresses processing information for a d:braille element.

The attribute takes as its value one or more tokens.

The brlFormat attribute
Local name brlFormat
Namespace None
Default usage context d:braille
Default value(s) NMTOKENS
Optionality This attribute must not be omitted when activating this module.
The DIAGRAM Description Feature - Implementations
Schema Language
z3998-feature-description.rng RelaxNG

Activation of this module depends on the global-classes and Core modules also being activated.

Informative References

Informative schemata

The following informative schemata are available:

z3998-feature-description-standalone.rng

A standalone RNG schema is available for download in zip or tar-gzip format. This schema allows basic validation of standalone instances of this feature.

Supporting software

Refer to the Z39.98-AI community portal for information on available software tools.

Examples

A minimally complete example of a description is available.

Appendix 1: Listing of modules in the normative schema

The below list represents the modules at the time of version 1.0 of this feature.

The occurrence of the keywords "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in documentation fields embedded in these modules are to be interpreted as described in RFC2119.