Re: Phrase with "from using the web" - Re: w3.beta Comments for discussion

Hello EOWG members,

I did not participate to your debates for a long time but I followed the
last discussion with interest.
I worked on seniors accessibility difficulties and on WCAG 2.0.

What seemed much important for me is that accessibility question do not
only concern people with disabilities.
A website respecting WCAG 2.0 will not only be much more accessible for
disabled people, it will also help the elderly and also people WITHOUT
disabilities. In a lot of countries of Europe, most websites challenge
the ergonomic and usability rules.

So for me, accessibility is a public concern.

I think if you want it to become a public concern, you have to present
it as a public concern.

I think seniors are a numerous target group that will make accessibility
considerations to be a priority for the next years (the age pyramid is
turning upside down). You should perhaps insist on the seniors' case.

An other idea that I found to be important is that W3C standards evolve
and that they will adapt to new needs, new researchs and new
technologies. A lot of countries that have a legislation about
accessibility do not refer to W3C standards but to local set of rules. I
find it strange because they do not consider the necessity of evolution.
It is a great idea to insist on the necessity to refer to evolving
standards and to a group that remains studying accessibility. This will
much legitimate your job.

These are my comments on your work.

By the way, great idea to make a new website that looks much more sexy
for people without disabilities AND that remains accessible to disabled
persons ... You also have to convince commercials that it is possible to
make websites sexy AND accessible.

Isabelle
 


Shawn Henry a écrit :
> catherine wrote:
>> Finally, I reiterate that, for the content at the aforementionned
>> URL, second paragraph, last sentence, it is preferable to convey that
>> innaccessible ressources exclude people (and not "disable people"). I
>> really do feel that it puts a negative spin on the state of
>> disability that is unnecessary in this context.
>
> Hi Catherine,
>
> Several EOWG participants like the phrase as it is at the end of this
> paragraph:
> "The web is a flexible medium that enables most people with
> impairments to use the web just as well as anyone. Think about what
> this means: There is inherently no such thing as a disability using
> the web. ...However: When websites and web tools are not accessible,
> they disable people from using the web."
>
> With the addition of "from using the web" does this still bother you?
> Can you say more about it to help us understand your perspective?
>
> (Note that that paragraph is likely to be rewritten -- but it still
> helps us to know your perspective so the rewrite can take it into
> account.)
>
> Thanks,
> ~Shawn

-- 
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Isabelle Motte
Coordinatrice du stage multimédia CUD
Biologie - UMDB
Facultés Universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix
Rue de Bruxelles,61
5000 Namur
081/724386
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