RE: Americans with Disabilities Act

Stephen- The ADA generally does not specifically refer to online "space" in
anyway. All its provisions apply to "public accommodations" which are
defined in that wonderful way American laws like to define things.
Plaintiffs have had mixed success in applying the ADA "public accommodation"
provisions to web sites in the courts. Basically, there is no good precedent
one way or another. WebAIM has an excellent article on the subject:
http://www.webaim.org/coordination/law/us/ada/

 

The provision of US Law that specific provides for internet accessibility is
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (this section is a later
amendment). However, it applies *only* to U.S. government web sites and the
web sites of those companies who contract with the government. An email from
Jon Hanna appeared just as I was finishing this paragraph that directed you
to the excellent http://www.section508.gov <http://www.section508.gov/> .

 

Hope this helps. For what its worth, those of us who are keen about
accessibility in the states are quite jealous of your Disability
Discrimination Act. It's much stronger and more clear than anything we've
got over hear.

 

 

Colin Lieberman

IT Manager

Disability Rights Advocates

449 15th Street, Suite 303

Oakland California  94612

  _____  

 

 

Hi Sailesh,

 

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate this but primarily the Disabilities
Discrimination Act over here (in the UK) has a section that refers to
Publishing and that now is deemed to be covering the Internet as well as
conventional Publishing. I understood that there was a similar approach in
the US with relating Sections of the ADA that concern the publishing of
material or broadcast of same etc.

 

This was more my line of enquiry.

 

Kindest regards

 

Stephen Morgan

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Sailesh <mailto:sailesh.panchang@deque.com>  Panchang 

To: Stephen Morgan <mailto:sgsmorgan@idamus.com>  ; w3c-wai-ig@w3.org 

Sent: Friday, October 21, 2005 1:44 PM

Subject: Re: Americans with Disabilities Act

 

The ADA predates the Internet and the Web and there are no explicit
references  in it to the Web or online actibities.

Sailesh Panchang
Senior Accessibility Engineer
Deque Systems (www.deque.com)
11180 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite #400
Reston VA 21091
E-mail: sailesh.panchang@deque.com
Tel: 703-225-0380 (ext 105)
 

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Stephen Morgan <mailto:sgsmorgan@idamus.com>  

To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org 

Sent: Friday, October 21, 2005 6:48 AM

Subject: Americans with Disabilities Act

 

Hi,

 

I have been asked to provide a colleague with some information about the
specific areas of the ADA that relate to online Activities. I know where to
find the relevant info with regards to the DDA over here in the UK but I am
not as familiar with the ADA.

 

Anyone got any pointers?

 

Kindest regards

 

Steve Morgan