Re: San Francisco State University and the ADA

[Scott Luebking]
>San Francisco State University has filed or is filing a suit claiming that
>the ADA is unconsitutional.  My concern is that universities will
>start putting web page accessibility on hold until the case
>is finally decided.

Personally, I think this is a good thing, but I'm well aware that I'm in
the substantial minority on this list.  But it emphasizes something I've
been saying for a while: government enforcement of Web accessibility will
not work.  Kynn pointed out a number of selfish reasons to adopt
accessibility guidelines; these will convince people to help themselves.
If they're told to do something "or else", they'll grumble, they'll
protest, they'll delay, and when finally held to it, they'll find creative
ways to obey the letter and violate the spirit.  This appeal *shouldn't*
have made a difference to Web accessibility; because of the strategies
adopted by activists thus far, it has.  If something's an inherent good (as
I believe Web accessibility is), it shouldn't matter whether the government
is an ally, neutral, or an active enemy.  Accessibility makes sense for the
Web publisher; any other approach is risky at best and doomed at worst.

-Chris

--
Christopher R. Maden, Solutions Architect
Exemplary Technologies
One Embarcadero Center, Ste. 2405
San Francisco, CA 94111

Received on Saturday, 16 October 1999 20:15:47 UTC