RE: Accessibility

Government Computer News, www.gcn.com, does not have a section or reporter
devoted to accessibility on the internet.  This is such a critical issue for
People With Disabilities (PWD) and also with the Federal, State and Local
governments that are required to maintain web sites and web applications
that are in compliance with the American Disabilities Act.

Furthermore, I find this to be ironic, GCN is a published for people in the
Federal State and local government, yet the GCN web site is itself a barrier
to accessibility.  That is, by using frames your web site is a barrier to
PWDs and everyone else.  For example, you cannot bookmark pages which is a
constant source of frustration because I need to navigate each time from the
beginning; and frames do not print pages the same across all browsers; and
saving files can be a problem.  I commend you on the foresight to use
<NOFRAMES>; however, the site is still frustrating to use.

I encourage other personnel copied to review this web site and render their
opinion.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at
202.208.7270

Robert Neff

------------
Here is a copy of an email that is pertinent to the discussion. I sent this
to InternetWeek who is sponsoring the BOTI.

TO:  Managing Editor and Debbie Rizzo

No where in the BOTI competition (article enclosed below) is there a
category for web sites OR web applications designed to be accessible to
everyone. I would like to think that for each category (one through eleven)
there could be two sub categories: one where designers and companies are not
concerned with accessibility and the second for those web sites and web
applications that are accessible to everyone to include People With
Disabilities (PWDs).

For your information, the American Disabilities Act requires Federal, State
and Local governments to be accessible to everyone.  I would hope that this
category could be included.

As a subscriber, I am interested in accessibility because my customer is a
Federal Agency.  As a matter of fact, I have not seen Accessibility
addressed.  I would hope that a leading internet magazine that covers the
internet would be concerned about the W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative
(WAI), www.w3c.org/wai and its attempts to publish page authoring guidelines
for designers and its education and outreach program.

I ask that Internet Week support a section DEDICATED to Accessibility.  I
think you could convince your sponsors of this need because PWDs are a
marketable audience that use the web to purchase products and obtain
information.  If they can't access the web site, then they cannot purchase
their product or review information!

Many of us would be more than willing to provide insight. Here are some
examples for some articles.
Interview a person who is blind and let him/her show you how they access the
web.
Interview a person who is deaf and let him/her show you how they access the
web.
Interview a person with low vision person and let him/her show you how they
access the web.
Interview a person who is quadriplegic and let him/her show you how they
access the web.
Interview Judy Brewer, Chair of the WAI.
Review the software PWDs use to access the web.
Review a web site for accessibility on a weekly basis.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at
202.208.7270

Robert Neff

----------
 I have attached an article below from CMP Media's InternetWeek and Network
Computing.  They are sponsoring the third annual Business on The Internet
(BOTI) Awards, http://www.internetwk.com/BOTI.  There are eleven categories.

1. Best Business Information Site
2. Best Consumer Information Site
3. Best Business-to-Business Electronic Commerce
4. Best Business-to-Consumer Electronic Commerce
5. Best Extranet Application
6. Best Intranet
7. Best New Web-Based Intranet Application
8. Best Web-to-Legacy Application Integration
9. Best Site Design
10. Best Public Service Site
11. Most Innovative Site

Article:
Has the Internet revolutionized the way your organization does business,
either internally or with its suppliers and customers? Does your
organization have a leading-edge intranet, Web site or e-commerce site?
Stand up and be recognized for your hard work. CMP Media's InternetWeek and
Network Computing are sponsoring the third annual Business on The Internet
(BOTI) Awards. These prestigious awards will be given to the 11 end-user
organizations who have the most innovative use of Internet technology in
their companies.

Deadline for entry is Friday, January 29, 1999. Submit the BOTI entry form
below If you have questions, contact Debbie Rizzo at drizzo@nwc.com.

The BOTI Awards will be judged by a panel of InternetWeek and Network
Computing editors and industry leaders. The BOTI Award winners will be
announced at a gala event in Los Angeles at InternetWorld 1999 and will be
profiled in print and online.  To see last year's winners,
http://www.internetwk.com/BOTI/boti98.html

Received on Tuesday, 29 December 1998 14:53:31 UTC