- From: Scott Luebking <phoenixl@netcom.com>
- Date: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 20:33:28 -0800 (PST)
- To: <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
Hi, I think that such a web site is important. Part of my believe is that disabled people need to be self-advocates and such a site would give them some of the necessary tools. I lean towards using the carrot and stick approach. I usually like to start off with a soft sell, i.e. just giving them the information about what is needed. If no response, clarifying more about how the current condition is affecting my life as a fellow human being. If still no response, then I go to the stick bin. (The web site could be the "stick bin".) Often, I need to only lightly hit them on the shins with the stick to get them to pay attention. Having worked at a public university on and off, I've seen enlightenment work only part of the time. Many times enlightenment loses to budgetary bulliness or bureaucratic backwardness. Scott >On Thu, 19 Mar 1998, Scott Luebking wrote: > >> Hi, >> Can WAI establish a web site for legal information concerning >> web accessibility? It be great to have a one-stop shopping center. >> It would need to be broken down by country. > >JW:: I understand that in the early stages of the WAI, a project of this >kind was attempted, but that reliable information was not readily >obtainable. I think there is definitely scope for such a site. However, >the primary task of the WAI educational effort should be to persuade >authors and software developers to adopt universal design strategies out >of a sense of justice and responsibility, rather than to raise the threat >of legal liability. It is preferable to appeal to the high ethical >standards and integrity of web content providers and software developers >than to base one's argument on the provisions of antidiscrimination law. >Nevertheless, it may be useful to provide information concerning the >relevance of anti-discrimination laws in different countries to the >provision of web-based documents and services. The Human Rights and Equal >Opportunity Commission in Australia has already done so by releasing a >discussion paper, a reference to which is included in the WAI page author >guidelines.
Received on Thursday, 19 March 1998 23:33:31 UTC