- From: Julie Howell <JHOWELL@rnib.org.uk>
- Date: Fri, 04 Aug 2000 12:22:04 +0000
- To: w3c-wai-eo@w3.org
I regret I cannot attend today's meeting, but append a progress report from the UK. I welcome questions or comments. - RNIB report on accessibility of online shopping. On 7 Sept RNIB will publish a campaign report entitled "Get the message: making online shopping accessible to blind and partially sighted people". We tested 17 high street stores (their Web sites) against 5 accessibility criteria: - legibility - alt-text - correct implementation of frames - navigation (buttons with alt-text, links able to 'stand alone') - Bobby test The purpose of the report is to raise awareness of the Web accessibility issue in the UK (amoung Web designers and companies). The report will be available free of charge over the Web and in other formats. I will alert this group when the report is available. - UK Charity Awards: Charity Internet Site of the Year. RNIB judged this category as the awards organisers (Charity Times magazine) wished to ensure that accessibility was taken into account. Awards ceremony will take place on 6 September. - Local Government Association Web Awards. A new category was introduced this year 'RNIB Content and Accessibility Award'. This was won in June by Kirkless Metro Borough Council see http://www.kirkleesmc.gov.uk/ - RNIB is planning to produce a research report on the accessibility of Online banking at the beginning of 2001. - We are working with the UK's largest supermarket (grocery) 'Tesco' to build a fully accessible online home shopping store. Launch expected October 2000. - Goverment Websites continue to be redesigned according to the Government Web Guidelines RNIB co-authored. As a result, e-Government is steadily becoming more accessible. I will be writing an article for Government IT magazine which will discuss the progess in this area. - Under UK disability law (Disability Discrimination Act), there have yet to be any cases regarding Websites. However, there has been great interest in the AOL/NFB case in this country (I have appeared on national TV and national radio in the past week commenting on this), and we maintain a watching brief. Best wishes Julie Howell Campaigns Officer (Internet) Royal National Institute for the Blind 224 Great Portland Street, London W1N 6AA, UK Jhowell@rnib.org.uk Tel. +44 (0)20 7391 2191 Fax. +44 (0)20 7391 2104 1.7 million people in the UK experience a serious sight problem or blindness. Poor Web design prevents many disabled people from getting the most from the Web. Support our campaign for better Web design! http://www.rnib.org.uk/digital Watch our video 'Websites That Work' on the Web at http://www.rnib.org.uk/digital/wtw.htm
Received on Friday, 4 August 2000 07:24:00 UTC