Fwd: CEN Work on a European certification scheme

>Date:         Thu, 7 Apr 2005 09:32:05 +1000
>Reply-To: DCMI Accessibility Group <DC-ACCESSIBILITY@JISCMAIL.AC.UK>
>Sender: DCMI Accessibility Group <DC-ACCESSIBILITY@JISCMAIL.AC.UK>
>From: Liddy Nevile <liddy@SUNRISERESEARCH.ORG>
>Subject: CEN Work on a European certification scheme
>To: DC-ACCESSIBILITY@JISCMAIL.AC.UK
>
>There is a new activity called the CEN/ISSS Workshop on Specifications
>for a European certification scheme concerning the delivery of a
>Quality Mark for Web Content Accessibility. The first meeting will be
>next Thursday (April 13th) in Brussels.
>
>The work programme is contained in the draft business plan, which is
>posted on the CEN/ISSS web-site at
>http://www.cenorm.be/cenorm/businessdomains/businessdomains/isss/ 
>activity/design+for+all.asp
>
>As most of you know, the Dublin Core Usage Board has approved the work
>done on accessibility by the DC Accessibility Working Group in
>collaboration with IMS Global and others. There has been no formal
>announcement as the final details are still being processed.
>
>The approach being adopted by these groups is to say that
>accessibility, in the end, depends on the user getting what they need -
>that is the only real test of accessibility, and it is achieved by
>matching two metadata profiles - the user's needs and preferences and
>the resource or services' accessibility characteristics.
>
>We are all in agreement, then, that we want common vocabulary standards
>for these metadata sets and that we will work with those we developed
>which are available at http://www.imsglobal.org/accessibility/
>
>The position that DC Accessibility therefore will take on this
>initiative in Europe is one of great support. It will be wonderful if
>it is possible to find out about resources and services  in a standard
>way across at least the European resources and services (others are, of
>course, doing the same on other continents).
>
>This means that we will support the development of a qualities
>description mark and hopefully can provide experts to participate in
>this work.
>
>I would like comments on the above and to know of anyone able to
>contribute time and resources to this very important effort.
>
>The full announcement of the meeting and workshop are below.
>
>Liddy
>
>-----------------
>Subject: Announcement of proposal for a new CEN/ISSS Workshop on
>Specifications for a European certification scheme concerning the
>delivery of a Quality Mark for Web Content Accessibility
>
>
>
>Dear Madam, Dear Sir,
>
>The CEN Administrative Board, in its meeting of 1997-12-9/10, agreed on
>the concepts of CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) elaboration within the
>operational framework of CEN/ISSS as is described in the CEN/ISSS
>Workshop Rules of Operation (Resolution CA 31/1997).
>
>In this context, we would like to formally announce the intended
>establishment of a new CEN/ISSS Workshop called WS-WCA. The Workshop
>will take further work that is taking place within the EC IST project
>Support-EAM, and will seek to a first level European agreement on a
>European certification scheme concerning the delivery of a Quality Mark
>for Web Accessibility.
>
>In line with the CEN/ISSS Workshop Rules of Operation, we are now
>asking the CEN Members to consider this Workshop proposal and to send
>back their comments to the CEN/ISSS Secretariat, by 4 March 2005.
>
>We would also like to invite the CEN Members to widely distribute the
>plans for this new Workshop to their national networks.
>
>The work programme is contained in the draft business plan, which is
>made available to the ISSS Forum members attached to this letter, and
>which will be also be posted on the CEN/ISSS web-site at
>http://www.cenorm.be/cenorm/businessdomains/businessdomains/isss/ 
>activity/design+for+all.asp
>
>The Workshop Secretariat is proposed to be taken by AFNOR, in view of
>the fact that they have been in charge of the Workshop's preparation
>together with the Workshop proposers.
>
>The formal Kick-Off Meeting of the Workshop is planned to take place in
>the CEN premises on 29 March 2005. A draft agenda for the meeting will
>be provided in the coming days through the CEN/ISSS web-site.
>
>Nominations for the position of Chairman shall be sent to Luc Van den
>Berghe, ISSS Workshop Manager, at luc.vandenberghe@cenorm.be before 4
>March 2005. The election of the Workshop officials as well as the
>formal allocation of the Workshop secretariat will be carried out
>during the kick-off meeting.

Received on Friday, 8 April 2005 07:51:26 UTC