Website Accessibility Information Clearinghouse
Web Accessibility and the Law
Wednesday, 01 July 2009 06:15
Joseph C. Dolson -- "In the United States, there are no laws binding business to conform to any level of website accessibility. Many government and government-supported organizations are bound by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998, but these rules do not extend to private business concerns. However, even if you conduct business only in the United States, this is little reason to fail to conform to common website accessibility standards found in the WCAG 2.0.
"The Americans with Disabilities Act Regulation for Title III prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in "places of public accommodation," covering businesses and non-profit agencies which serve the public and "commercial facilities." This regulation is highly specific to physical places of business, and imposes strict requirements on any remodeling performed on your place of business or any new construction. While no such law exists to protect the disabled while visiting your virtual place of business online, there is a strong movement from disability advocates to create or adapt existing regulations in order to provide these protections....
"What Should eCommerce Merchants Do?
"Ultimately, ecommerce merchants should ensure their website is as accessible as it possibly can be. Take some time to learn about web accessibility so that you are familiar with the issues at stake before you hire a consultant to review or repair your website. But don't neglect to protect your business because you didn't realize your risks."
WOW Web Design Competition
Tuesday, 30 June 2009 09:06
National Web Design Contest Winners Announced, Web Programming
WOW Web Professional Award is an international contest honoring excellence in the Web profession. WOW Web Design Award categories include:
- WOW Web Design Contest for Students within
- Middle school
- High school
- College and Tech Ed
NewsBlaze.com - "...Challengers documented their progress as they demonstrated their skills in Web Programming (HTML, XHTML and CSS), Web graphics, Web site design, Web accessibility and usability, Web site management, project management, Web multimedia and equally important professionalism.
$190,000 in education scholarships and prizes were generously provided by the following list of contributors:
* Adobe Corporation
* The Art Institute
* Center for Digital Imaging Arts or CDIA at Boston University
* Santa Clara University
* World Organization of Webmasters
Twenty-First Century communications and Video Accessibility Act
Monday, 29 June 2009 18:33
"WASHINGTON, June 29, 2009 -- Late Friday night, Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA) re-introduced the Twenty-First Century communications and Video Accessibility Act, comprehensive legislation designed to expand access for people who are blind or have other disabilities to telecommunications equipment and video programming.
... About the Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act
This legislation would:
- require that mobile and other Internet-based telecommunications devices have accessible user interfaces, and offer people with disabilities use of a full range of text messaging and other popular services that are currently largely inaccessible;
- provide people who are deaf-blind with vital but costly technologies they need to communicate electronically,
- restore the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC's) modest video description rules and unambiguously establish the Commission's current and ongoing authority to expand such regulations, require emergency announcements and similar information to be accessible to people with disabilities through audible presentation of on-screen alerts,
- ensure that video programming offered via the Internet will be described, and call for all devices that receive and playback video programming to employ accessible user interfaces and allow ready access to description; and
- strengthen consumers' ability to enforce their rights to communications and video accessibility through the establishment of a clearinghouse of information about service and equipment accessibility and usability, a meaningful FCC complaint process that holds industry accountable for their accessibility obligations, and judicial review of FCC action to ensure the Commission's own accountability."
Read more: Twenty-First Century communications and Video Accessibility Act
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