Re: Legal requirements RE: statistics

the aol issue was not a web issue but a software issue.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Charles McCathieNevile" <charles@w3.org>
To: "SHARPE, Ian" <Ian.SHARPE@cambridge.sema.slb.com>
Cc: "WAI (E-mail)" <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
Sent: Friday, January 11, 2002 12:13 PM
Subject: Legal requirements RE: statistics


Ian,

Actually I believe that the Americans with Disabilities act would also
apply
to the Web (it was the law under which an American blindness
organisation
sued AOL over accessibility of their service), and to more organisations
thatn are covered by section 508.

Definitely the equivalent Australian legislation applies, as shown by
the
case of Maguire v SOCOG - the "Sydney Olympics case". There are other
countries with similar legislation - the UK and Portugal are two that I
know
of.

I think the big issue is, as you say, awareness - not just of the fact
that
it has to be done, but also how it can be done.

The Education and Outreach group of WAI - http://www.w3.org/WAI/EO works
on
promoting this information, and they have a page on policies that are
known
to cover Web accessibility in various countries.

(I am not a lawyer - if you want real legal facts you need a skilled
lawyer
with experience of the particular area, or a very skilled one who can
learn
it)

cheers

Charles McCN

On Fri, 11 Jan 2002, SHARPE, Ian wrote:

  Simon, couldn't agree more with your sentiment but sadly am not so
confident
  that legislation will ensure sites are made accessible. As far as I'm
aware
  only 508 in the US ensure sites/software purchased by US government be
  accessible. (That's my understanding anyway, maybe I'm wrong?) Even
this
  limited legislation isn't even true in the UK. It should be!! And the
rest!!

  The other big problem we have is simply awareness of accissiblity
issues.

Received on Friday, 11 January 2002 12:36:18 UTC