- From: Kelly Pierce <kelly@ripco.com>
- Date: Mon, 1 Mar 1999 23:09:40 -0600 (CST)
- To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org, Trace information access list <uaccess-l@trace.wisc.edu>
Date: Mon, 01 Mar 1999 12:28:24 -0800 From: BART Webmaster <webmaster@bart.gov> To: Kelly Pierce <kelly@ripco.com> Cc: JEANNANDI@aol.com, Denero@aol.com, Marty <denero_M@vta.org>, Waddell@aol.com, Cynthia <cynthia.waddell@ci.sj.ca.us>, Barbara Rhodes <brhodes@pacbell.net>, jgammon@uclink4.berkeley.edu, Lainey.Feingold@aol.com, Esq. <Lfeingold@california.net>, Randy Tamez <r_tamez@pacbell.net>, ssander@BART.dst.ca.us Subject: BART website Mr. Pierce: This is in response to your February 13, 1999 inquiry regarding the accessibility of BART's website for you as a blind computer user. Please be advised that BART's website is in compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). Information contained on the website is accessible directly through the Internet and is also offered through other alternate accessible formats. Further, BART is completing it's implementation of the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) reccimmendations. As you may know, the W3C is the international industry and academic group that sets Internet standards. The WAI is the authoritative reference for website accessibility. I expect BART's website to conform to WAI standards next week and I look forward to receiving additional input from the disabled community on this process. You also commented in your correspondence that there is no way to order fare cards over the Internet using your browser, Lynx. You believe that this lack of usability is a denial of access to our program because of your disability. Based on my research, I have found that while the ticket sales page cannot be accessed by older browsers in general and newer browsers that are not properly configured, it can be accessed by most versions of Netscape Navigator or Communicator, Microsoft Internet Explorer, and Lynx with built-in SSL support. It appears that the lack of usability of BART's ticket page with your browser is a technology issue. It is not a denial of access by BART because of your disability. Notwithstanding, I am continuing to look into the problem you posed regarding certain browser configurations that do not support secure servers because a solution would benefit and provide options for the non-disabled as well. I spoke on the telephone with Cynthia Waddell, JD, ADA Coordinator for the City of San Jose and author of a paper entitled, "Applying the ADA to the Internet: A Web Accessibility Standard" (http://www.rit.edu/~easi/law/weblaw1.htm). Jean Nandi referenced this paper as a good resource - and it was. Ms. Waddell was extremely helpful in outlining the complexity of online access issues. However, we were unable to reach any specific conclusion regarding the secure server issue. Ms. Waddell suggested that I contact other leaders in this field for advice. Accordingly, I have emailed members of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) involved in the WAI through a discussion group addressing accessibility problems (w3c-wai-ig@w3.org). I also emailed Judy Brewer, the International Program Director for the WAI W3C effort. In addition, I have emailed the Trace Research and Development Center discussion group (uaccess-l@trace.wisc.edu). As you may know, Trace is a non-profit research center focusing on universal, accessible design. I look forward to hearing what the experts say on the matter. When I have more information, I will let you and the ABC know more about it. Thank you again for your input. -- Timothy J. Moore Online Marketing Manager San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) 800 Madison Street, LMA-4 Oakland, CA 94607 voice: (510) 464-7128 fax: (510) 464-7175 email: webmaster@bart.gov
Received on Tuesday, 2 March 1999 00:09:41 UTC