Standards harmonization

Hello everybody,

I was reading again and again the document, and it seems to me that any
reader who hasn't a great knowledge about web accessibility could understand
that it's "olny" a matter of people with disabilities; but we all know it
isn't so.

Web accessibility deals with old people trying to use a badly projected web
site, with newbies who have no time to spend to learn how a web site works,
with the major part of internet users, not only with people with
disabilities. And I think we should emphasize this.

Our document, in my opinion, tendentially refers web accessibility only to
people with disabilities; so, here's what I'd modify:

1 - Introduction: "Accessibility of the Web is vital for people with
disabilities": it's true, but it is not the only truth. I'd rather say:
"Accessibility of the Web is vital for people with disabilities and
essential for every web surfer"

2 - Introduction: "However, people with disabilities need widespread and
rapid increase in the accessibility of the Web.". I'd say: "However, people
with disabilities and all web users need widespread and rapid increase in
the accessibility of the Web"

3 - Then, I'd add a new short paragraph in the introduction, showing why
accessibility is essential for each of us, and why any web project should
include accessibility as an essential target to reach.

4 - Key Role of Authoring Tools: "consequently the majority of new content
on the Web continues to present barriers to people with disabilities" may
become "consequently the majority of new content on the Web continues to
present barriers"

After all, I think that one of our main challanges is to disclose web
accessibility as a common interest, as an universal need for the internet,
not only for people with disabilities; otherwise, accessibility will always
be a niche argument, and none will invest a dime on a project which affects
only a small amount of people.

----------------------------------
Roberto Castaldo
www.webaccessibile.org coordinator
r.castaldo@iol.it
rcastaldo@webaccessibile.org
Icq: 178709294
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Received on Saturday, 1 November 2003 14:09:16 UTC