- From: Michael R. Burks <mburks952@worldnet.att.net>
- Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2001 12:24:19 -0400
- To: "'Uaccess-L'" <uaccess-l@trace.wisc.edu>
- Cc: <sec508@trace.wisc.edu>, "WAI Interest Group" <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
Published on December 19 and recently placed online by the US Department of Education, the final report of the Web-Based Education Commission (WBEC) constitutes the "most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken of education and the Internet." Chaired by Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey, the WEBC urged the new administration and Congress to fully embrace e-learning, address gaps in Internet access, and revise certain regulations that they believe impede innovation. Users can read the full text of the 169-page report in its entirety or in five parts in .pdf format. Even though the report at: <http://www.ed.gov/offices/AC/WBEC/FinalReport/> appears to have up before section 508 took effect, I find it an interesting commentary on how the commission really feels about access to education for people with disabilties, that this report is available only in PDF format. This is one of the most inaccessible formats possible. Even with the newer reader many people still have issues with PDF. It is a format that is designed for printing and should never be the only format available. This says to me, that they really don't care and the commission, by allowing this, shows great contempt for the issues involving people with disabilties and distance education. PDF files are easy to make, too bad they could not take the extra time to make the report accessible. I personally hate PDF files, they are hard for me to read and to navigate. I find it incredibly contemptuous of this commission to post the report in this format alone. Sincerely, Mike Burks Webmaster and Public Information Officer www.icdri.org
Received on Thursday, 9 August 2001 06:34:27 UTC