Weblogs: Web Accessibility

Accessible electronic voting

• Herald Tribune: Paper trail is a must for voters
• NY Journal News: Survey critical of polling booth access
• Oakland Tribune: Paper trail for e-votes mandated
• Pantagraph: Voting rights championed for disabled

  "One in five citizens in our nation is disabled, so why is it that public policy-makers ignore our issues? Because we don't vote."

• Register: Electronic voting debacle
• Indystar: Accessibility concerns may move polling places
• TechNewsWorld: Canada marks first Internet election in North America

Software and Hardware

• Creative Mac: Adobe enhances GoLive CS -- uses Watchfire WebXACT online service.
• ic Berkshire: Not all computers byte, if firms tap into technology

  In Japan the average age of its female population is more than 50, with its men soon expected to pass that milestone too, prompting its government to take access to technology more seriously.

• BusinessWire: Open Text Corporation: New software offers correspondence tracking for government agencies; improves communication and compliance with e-government laws
• Colorado News: CU explores high-tech aid

  For the final exam, Kozar asked students to turn off their computer monitors and "blindly"surf the Internet.

Real-world accessibility

• CBS Market Watch: Realty industry tries old approach

  The idea of specializing in marketing homes to seniors is one that is "gradually building momentum," said John Tuccillo, an Arlington, Va.-based real estate consultant. "Why? Because we're all aging; the country's aging."

• Lowell Sun: Lowell's champion for disabled speaks from experience

  For more than a decade, Renault has cajoled, charmed and pressured Lowell officials to have the city as well prepared for the disabled as he is for the outside world. Renault's top priority is public transportation, but he also scrutinizes the city's physical infrastructure.

• KSL News: Disabled group protests at Dillards
• WBAL Channel: Businesses need better disabled accommodations
• Oregon Barometer: A new perspective on disability

  Tuesday, the wheelchair tour offered students a first hand view of what it is like to enter some of the buildings on campus while being in a wheel chair.

• CarConnection: GM Mobility helps disabled
• San Mateo Daily Journal: The evolution of the handicap skater -- inline skates as a "common wheelchair"

Websites

• Daily Yomiuri: Helping the elderly lead active lives
• BusinessWire: ScanSoft and the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind offer visually-impaired people audio access to The New Zealand Herald
• Detroit Free Press: Mike Wendland: Web site critic says it's all about speed, accessibility

  King said the sites of President George W. Bush and the nine major Democratic candidates "violate speed and accessibility guidelines."

• Internet Magazine: Government sites fail accessibility test
• ZDNet UK: Government sites continue to flout standards

  Only four of the sites tested passed tests for compliance with the W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative guidelines. Every one of the other 58 sites failed to meet the basic Priority 1 requirements -- the most basic level of accessibility

• ZDNet UK: Anti-spam tricks block the blind -- W3C: Inaccessibility of visually-oriented anti-robot tests
• out-law: Newspaper web sites fail on disabled access
• Times: Website services must be open to all disabled people

  The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 clearly covers website accessibility. This has been clarified further by a code of practice from the Disability Rights Commission last year and by the publication this summer of International Standard ISO/TS 16071.

• FCW: IT execs optimistic about e-gov

  Despite efforts from OMB officials to raise the visibility of the need to comply with accessibility requirements, that topic was ranked last out of 25 in the survey for the second year in a row. "While Section 508 compliance continues to be a hot political topic, it does not appear to be of concern to the senior IT community," the survey said.

• UTSA Today: UTSA team takes second in statewide Web site accessibility design competition mentions web accessibility resource Knowbility.org
• ZDNet UK: Robot-busting ploy 'shuts out the blind'
• CNet: W3C criticizes antirobot tests

Government

• Washington Technology: Section 508: Built into business

  "When I first was following Section 508, industry was in a big tizzy about what impact it would have on their product lines," he [Ray Bjorklund] said. "It's just a course of business now. It doesn't seem like anybody is crashing and burning over the 508 requirements."

• FCW: E-gov includes accessibility, privacy
• FCW: GovBenefits.gov expands offerings -- Providing greater accessibility for citizens using screen readers or other technology.
• PR Newswire: Government Disability Conference opens to record attendance and Section 508 Best Practices Awards -- links to Section 508: IDEAs
• GCN: Accessibility benefits every user

  "Accessibility to people with disabilities applies equally to people who have none"

• GCN: Apps, other techniques can help agencies comply with 508

  an HHS survey about Section 508 found that Web designers across the department "do understand that they cannot use color to convey information."

• GCN: Justice ready to release survey on Section 508 compliance

  In passing the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998, Congress charged Justice with surveying agency Section 508 compliance every two years.

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