- From: Ann Navarro <ann@webgeek.com>
- Date: Wed, 27 Oct 1999 10:57:49 -0400
- To: Scott Luebking <phoenixl@netcom.com>, kynn-hwg@idyllmtn.com, phoenixl@netcom.com
- Cc: W3c-wai-ig@w3.org
At 09:01 PM 10/26/99 -0700, Scott Luebking wrote: >If someone does not want to learn IE 4/5 and JAWS, is that sufficient >to say the pages are not accessible? Context is important. In an intranet environment, the employee doesn't necessarily have the choice. I can say "I don't want to learn how to use QuickBooks", but if my job requires that I deal with company financial records, and they use QuickBooks, then I'm going to have to learn how to use it, or find another job. Making reasonable accomodations for accessibility DOES NOT mean that the employee can dictate to the employer exactly how the accomodation will be made, including specific software programs, desks, chairs, or anything else. For example: a staff member has complained of exascerbated arm and shoulder pain based on the desk and chair provided (and the available positioning of the keyboard and mouse, etc). The employer needs to reasonably accomodate a more ergonomic workstation for this person, but it doesn't mean they can be ordered to buy an Aeron chair, and the $2500 desk they saw down at Snooty Home Office Supplies, that has the sliding keyboard tray they like. They employer is well within reasonable accomodation to provide the item of their choice (business decision: cost, supplier) provided it solves the problem. Taking that back into the realm of blind users and software - if the employer in a single-browser intranet situation provides a solution that does solve the problem (e.g. provides screen reader software), the employee can't reasonably say "I don't want to learn this", or "I want X instead". The discussion of whether the single-browser support is short-sighted or not is orthogonal to the issue of reasonable accomodation for accessibility. Very valid business reasons drive people to these types of solutions, rather than total cross-browser/cross-platform interoperability. The later is nice, and certainly a good goal, but the former is not in violation. Ann --- Author of: Effective Web Design: Master the Essentials 10/99 - Mastering XML, 12/99 - HTML By Example, 2nd. Ed. Founder, WebGeek Communications http://www.webgeek.com Vice President-Finance, HTML Writers Guild http://www.hwg.org Director, HWG Online Education http://www.hwg.org/services/classes
Received on Wednesday, 27 October 1999 11:07:16 UTC