Re: Accessibility is for all users

At 08:32 AM 6/15/2004, Roberto Castaldo wrote:
>...think we should try and transfer a simple but very important concept: 
>Web accessibility is not only for people with disabilities.

Since this point gets made over and over and over I think perhaps there 
should be a small statement (boiler plate) that explains the EO and general 
WAI attitude about this.

We have belabored this endlessly and the present situation is that there 
are no documents that do not address the benefits to everyone from 
accessibility, even though they do this in various ways. The fundamental 
issue is that the WAI was formed to ensure/further accessibility for PWD. 
The benefits to everyone are of course important and central, but within 
the context of WAI documents, we have, after much wrangling (much of which 
is not readily apparent to newcomers to the Working Groups), decided to 
deal with PWD concerns first and essentially tout the benefits to everyone 
as, while not an afterthought, not the central issue.

I believe that we reached consensus on this a few years ago. Perhaps times 
have changed, but there should be some "policy statement" addressing this 
issue that will not die.

--
Love.

Everyone/everything/everywhere/always connected 

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