Method and apparatus for providing extensible document access to assistive technology providers

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for providing an access engine that functions as an intermediary between a specific object and a renderer.

1 . A method of rendering document objects to individuals with vision impairment, the method comprising the steps of: 
 creating an access engine;    transmitting navigation commands to the access engine during the navigation of a document object;    receiving information related to the document object from the access engine in response to the transmitted navigation commands; and    rendering the received information.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of: 
 querying the access engine for supported navigation actions of the document object.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of rendering the received information includes: 
 providing the received information audibly.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of rendering the received information includes: 
 providing the received information in Braille.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of creating an access engine includes the step of: 
 instantiating the access engine in response to a predetermined event.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of creating an access engine includes the step of: 
 instantiating the access engine when a new process begins.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the method further comprises the step of: 
 querying the access engine for supported navigation modes of the document object.    
   
   
       8 . An apparatus for rendering document objects to individuals with vision impairment, the apparatus comprising: 
 means for creating an access engine;    means for transmitting navigation commands to the access engine during the navigation of a document object;    means for receiving information related to the document object from the access engine in response to the transmitted navigation commands; and    means for rendering the received information.    
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 means for querying the access engine for supported navigation actions of the document object.    
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the means for rendering the received information includes: 
 means for providing the received information audibly.    
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the means for rendering the received information includes: 
 means for providing the received information in Braille.    
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the means for creating an access engine includes: 
 means for instantiating the access engine in response to a predetermined event.    
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the means for creating an access engine includes: 
 means for instantiating the access engine when a new process begins.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the apparatus further comprises: 
 means for querying the access engine for supported navigation modes of the document object.    
   
   
       15 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer usable program code for rendering document objects to individuals with vision impairment, the computer program product including: 
 computer usable program code for creating an access engine;    computer usable program code for transmitting navigation commands to the access engine during the navigation of a document object;    computer usable program code for receiving information related to the document object from the access engine in response to the transmitted navigation commands; and    computer usable program code for rendering the received information.    
   
   
       16 . The computer program product of  claim 15  further comprising: 
 computer usable program code for querying the access engine for supported navigation actions of the document object.    
   
   
       17 . The computer program product of  claim 15  wherein the computer usable program code for rendering the received information includes: 
 computer usable program code for providing the received information audibly.    
   
   
       18 . The computer program product of  claim 15  wherein the computer usable program code for rendering the received information includes: 
 computer usable program code for providing the received information in Braille.    
   
   
       19 . The computer program product of  claim 15  wherein the computer usable program code for creating an access engine includes: 
 computer usable program code for instantiating the access engine in response to a predetermined event.    
   
   
       20 . The computer program product of  claim 15  wherein the computer usable program code for creating an access engine includes: 
 computer usable program code for instantiating the access engine when a new process begins.