- From: Charles (Chuck) Oppermann <chuckop@MICROSOFT.com>
- Date: Tue, 31 Mar 1998 14:42:22 -0800
- To: love26@gorge.net, w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
<< The attached speech was given by Judy Heumann at the Microsoft campus in connection with the "Accessibility Summit" sponsored by MS recently. >> A few corrections with the message below. Microsoft recently hosted an "Accessibility Day" and "Advocate Day" at our Redmond campus. The "Accessibility Summit" was something we did in mid-1995 and had a entirely different focus. "Accessibility Day", with Bill Gates, Judy Heumann and Gregg Vanderhieden speaking was for Microsoft employees and we had a terrific turnout and great response. "Advocate Day" was designed to gather feedback from various disability groups and get lengthy time for product groups to present product plans and get critical feedback directly from users and their representatives. We also held separate meetings with accessibility software vendors to communicate directly with various product groups. << At WWW6 I asked Chuck if the disability manager had to approve of software before it was released he said that that not only was not happening but likely would not. This is changing at MicroSoft and will be a prevalent procedure. >> No one person at Microsoft signs off on software. This will (hopefully) never be the case. We have implemented a series of initiatives to help make sure Microsoft follows best practices with regard to accessibility. One of them is a accessible design checklist that each product group will be held to by regular reviews conducted by Bill Gates and Paul Martiz. For more information, read the headlines at http://microsoft.com/enable/. Charles Oppermann Program Manager, Active Accessibility, Microsoft Corporation mailto:chuckop@microsoft.com http://microsoft.com/enable/ "A computer on every desk and in every home, usable by everyone!" -----Original Message----- From: love26@gorge.net [mailto:love26@gorge.net] Sent: Wednesday, March 25, 1998 3:35 PM To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org Subject: [Fwd: File: "JH-SPCH TXT"] The usual context of the word "initiative" is typified by the phrase "take the initiative" meaning to lead the way and I feel that we must be more assertive in our efforts if we are to be taken seriously by both our clients, which I take to be people who are currently "enjoying" less than ideal access to the World Wide Web, and our audience which is those connected either through personal authorship of or the provision of tools for the purpose of placing content on the Web. The attached speech was given by Judy Heumann at the Microsoft campus in connection with the "Accessibility Summit" sponsored by MS recently. The tone of it is what I have been trying to urge on our output: not exactly a threat but a firm resolve to change how these things are done. The famous "bottom line" invoked to excuse non-compliance with clear regulations requiring accessible software must be shown to include the certainty that people who deliberately avoid providing accessibility will one day be sitting in the same chairs that the "leaders" of the tobacco industry used when facing a congressional committee. The various WAI working groups should always be operating from strength that is not *just* morally and ethically sound, but also advising vendors, many of whom are members of the Consortium, that the actions we are recommending are actually requirements and what we are "negotiating" is the "how" not the "if" of accessible software for accessing the Web. At WWW6 I asked Chuck if the disability manager had to approve of software before it was released he said that that not only was not happening but likely would not. This is changing at MicroSoft and will be a prevalent procedure. Therefore we must concentrate on: what comprises accessibility; how to provide it; how to tell if it has been provided. We are better off not to enter into any discussion of why to provide it in any sense other than what Ms. Heumann brings out in the attachment. Her tone is not that of a beggar seeking a handout but of a representative of an entire nation explaining in remarkable detail, right down to keystrokes, what's been wrong and suggestions on how to fix it. I don't believe we should show any less initiative than she does. -- Love. ACCESSIBILITY IS RIGHT - NOT PRIVILEGE http://dicomp.pair.com
Received on Tuesday, 31 March 1998 17:43:47 UTC