- From: Charles McCathieNevile <charles@w3.org>
- Date: Sun, 2 Dec 2001 02:32:23 -0500 (EST)
- To: WAI AU Guidelines <w3c-wai-au@w3.org>
Accomapnied by the usual press release hype <grin/> cheers Charles -- Charles McCathieNevile http://www.w3.org/People/Charles phone: +61 409 134 136 W3C Web Accessibility Initiative http://www.w3.org/WAI fax: +1 617 258 5999 Location: 21 Mitchell street FOOTSCRAY Vic 3011, Australia (or W3C INRIA, Route des Lucioles, BP 93, 06902 Sophia Antipolis Cedex, France) ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 15:42:00 -0500 From: RetroAccess <comments@retroaccess.com> To: RetroAccess Email: ; Subject: AccessEnable We wanted you to be the first to know that AccessEnable is now available. We welcome your questions and comments. Please contact us at comments@retroaccess.com Sincerely, The RetroAccess Staff http://www.retroaccess.com ---------------------- AccessEnable Launches Giving Web Site Owners the Ability to Meet Federal Requirements Ann Arbor, Mich. - Nov. 27 - The AccessEnable software product launches today to address mandatory compliance issues related to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. This new product is from RetroAccess, a provider of automated tools that enable Web site owners the ability to rapidly conform to established standards - from disability regulations, to corporate brand management to banking compliances and regulations. Targeted to government agencies that must conform to federal regulations, AccessEnable is an online tool that evaluates, reports, and corrects accessibility errors on Web sites. Mandated by Congress and enforced by the Department of Justice, all federally sponsored sites - which includes federal departments, agencies and contractors who provide services or products to federal agencies - must conform to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act by June 21, 2001. This law establishes a set of enforceable standards ensuring that people with disabilities have comparable access to and use of information from Web sites. Imagine not being able to cross the Digital Divide and access the Internet. For the one in five people in the United States with a disability, this may be a problem. While the Internet has the potential to broaden the lives and increase the independence of people with disabilities, statistics show that the disabled are only one half as likely to use the Internet than those without disabilities according to Falling Through the Net: Toward Digital Inclusion, A Report on Americans' Access to Technology Tools. "AccessEnable meets the market need for Web site accessibility and compliance," said Stephen Markel, co-founder and president of RetroAccess. "There is a recognized societal need for all people, regardless of disabilities, to have full access to Web site content. Additionally, all federally sponsored agencies must be compliant today with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. AccessEnable provides these organizations the ability to meet new federal requirements." In addition to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has published a comprehensive set of accessibility guidelines that will influence future standards called the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). "RetroAccess addresses the market's need for complete solutions to rapidly conform to Web site standards," said Richard Eidswick, managing director of Arbor Partners, LLC. "Web site owners, such as federal agencies and other government supported organizations, now have a comprehensive solution in AccessEnable, a product specifically designed to address the new federal requirements for Web site accessibility." A common error in most Web sites today is the lack of alternative text for images. The ALT attribute is used to describe, in words, the information portrayed by an image. Visually-impaired users often utilize special software to read the content of a Web site. If the ALT attribute is not used, the user may not be receiving all of the available information. AccessEnable is unique to the market in that it not only identifies the accessibility violations in the Web site code, but it provides multiple reports on errors, assists in the removal of accessibility barriers and documents compliance status to improve legal standing. AccessEnable has significant advantages over manual procedures because it packages the process, rules set, and reporting mechanism in a fast, easy-to-use application. "AccessEnable provides significant advantages over manual site corrections and other tools in that it is a complete, efficient and easy-to-use tool," said Tom Brinck, RetroAccess co-founder and chief usability officer. "AccessEnable can be used by all professionals - Web site programmers, administrators and auditors - and is a comprehensive solution that evaluates, corrects, reports and archives." AccessEnable is generally available today. Pricing is determined on the number of Web site pages. This ranges from $49.99 for 100 HTML pages, to $250 for 2,500 HTML pages, to $2,000 for 40,000 HTML pages. A free demo of the product is available at www.retroaccess.com. RetroAccess is led by co-founders Stephen Markel and Tom Brinck - who combined have nearly 20 years expertise in user-centered Internet solutions and emerging technologies. Brinck is an industry thought-leader in human computer interaction. Most recently, he was the principal author of the book, Usability for the Web: Designing Web Sites that Work. Markel brings more than 10 years of expertise in establishing and growing successful companies and divisions to RetroAccess. RetroAccess also provides consulting services including compliance testing, site optimization, development of compliance and guideline strategies, and ongoing maintenance planning and implementation. Future RetroAccess products will address additional disability standards (ADA), banking compliance and regulation (FDIC), and corporate branding guidelines # # # About RetroAccess RetroAccess provides automated tools to enable Web site owners the ability to rapidly conform to established standards. RetroAccess' first generally available product, AccessEnable, is an online tool that evaluates, reports, and corrects accessibility errors on Web sites. Making Web sites accessible ensures that people with disabilities have comparable access to information and resources on Web sites. Compliance with accessibility standards is mandated for all Federal Web sites (Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act) and is becoming increasingly important for state and local governments, federally-regulated industries and non-profit organizations. Future products will address disability standards (ADA), banking compliance and regulation (FDIC), and corporate branding guidelines RetroAccess is based in Ann Arbor, Mich. For more information, please visit www.retroaccess.com. Contacts: Julie Conrad Airfoil Public Relations conrad@airfoilpr.com 734-332-8900 734-694-0671 (cell) Deb Lewis Airfoil Public Relations lewis@airfoilpr.com 734-332-8900 -- -- RetroAccess Staff ---------------------------------------------- RetroAccess Opening the Internet to Everyone comments@retroaccess.com www.retroaccess.com 315 W. Huron, # 140 Ann Arbor, MI 48103 USA + 1 (734) 665-9307
Received on Sunday, 2 December 2001 02:32:23 UTC