- From: Scott Luebking <phoenixl@netcom.com>
- Date: Tue, 26 Oct 1999 12:42:14 -0700 (PDT)
- To: charles@w3.org, cynthia.waddell@ci.sj.ca.us, jonathan@signbrowser.free-online.co.uk, mburks952@worldnet.att.net, phoenixl@netcom.com
- Cc: kynn-hwg@idyllmtn.com, w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
Hi, Cynthia I may have not been very clear in the distinction I was making about providing specialized computers. One type of specialized computer is one where a standard computer is configured by adding additional available hardware/software. It is my understanding that it is not unreasonable to expect universities to provide this type of specialized computer. A second type of specialized computer is one where specialized hardware and/or software is researched and created for a particular purpose. I may be wrong, but it doesn't seem that 504/ADA is requiring that universities spend money to create this type of specialized computer for disabled students. Is my understanding of this incorrect? Scott > Scott, > I highly recommend that you read my paper "The Growing Digital Divide in > Access for People with Disabilities: Overcoming Barriers to Participation." > It was commissioned for President Clinton's first national conference on the > digital economy and provides a legal update on access to electronic and > information technology. Please take a look at the discussion impacting > universities and libraries. Ever since Section 504 of the Rehabilitation > Act of 1973, universities that have computer labs have been required to > provide specialized computers so that students with disabilities have equal > access. It quickly became obvious that a second layer of accessibility was > needed when the computers equipped for students with disabilities could not > access the internet. The first ADA case was filed against a university for > failing to provide screenreaders for the computer. We then saw that even if > the computer stations were properly equipped, they could not access the > internet if the web pages were not designed to be accessible. For a full > discussion of the legal requirements for universities, please see my paper > at http://www.aasa.dshs.wa.gov/access/waddell.htm. > > Cynthia D. Waddell
Received on Tuesday, 26 October 1999 16:31:21 UTC