Abstract user interface representations: how well do they support universal access?

This paper examines four XML languages for abstract user interface representation: UIML, XIML, XForms and AIAP. It discusses whether the high level architectures of these languages support the requirements of universal usability by allowing use of personal interfaces. Specific technical requirements include separation of data from presentation, explicit declarative representation of interface elements, their state, dependencies, and semantics, flexibility in inclusion of alternative resources and support for remote control and different interaction styles. Of the languages examined, XForms and AIAP provide the best match to the requirements. While XForms requires an appropriate delivery context to provide full access, the AIAP standard will include specification of the context in which the language is to be used.