Backgrounder for WSTF

Sailesh Panchang
Pronounced: Shailaysh Punchaang
Am Senior Accessibility Engineer at  Deque Systems, a Virginia (U.S.) based company - makers 
of RAMP: a JAWS accessible Web accessibility evaluation and repair tool written in Java. I 
do a lot of functional testing, Website evaluations to support marketing, VB-COM   component 
development and JAWS scripting. I am a JAWS user (since 1996) and feel that I am making a difference when I  demonstrate surfing  the Web with a screen reader. It it is an eye-opener to many audiences including developers who are seeing a piece of assistive technology for the first time.

Am EOWG member since Dec 2002 and have recently started participating on WCAG-WG.
Have worked for large auto/ engineering companies and public accounting/management 
consulting firms in India (1984-1999) doing:
1. Information requirements analysis and documentation - mainly business / accounting  
applications
2. Auditing  computer based applications- highlighting areas for improving controls and   
information flows
3. Meeting gaps in information needs of end users by developing  
- reports by using tools  like Oracle Apps' Financial Statements Generator
- satelite   systems that interfaced with     main application systems
So meeting end user's information needs  has been the  focus of my work  over a greater part 
of the 80s and 90s. I am a chartered accountant (equivalent of a certified public accountant 
in India).
I moved to the U.S. from India in 2000 and got an M.S. from the University of Pittsburgh  
with a research focus on computer access and Web accessibility while gaining an insight into 
assistive technology for various kinds of disabilities and rehabilitation policies /  
legislation .   
Sailesh Panchang
Senior Accessibility Engineer 
Deque Systems,11180  Sunrise Valley Drive, 
4th Floor, Reston VA 20191
Tel: 703-225-0380 Extension 105 
E-mail: sailesh.panchang@deque.com
Fax: 703-225-0387
* Look up <http://www.deque.com> *