Weblogs: Web Accessibility
Accessibility in the News: August 2003
Sunday, August 31, 2003August has been a quiet month for web accessibility, the main news items are Macromedia's announcement of the accessibility features of its upcoming MX 2004 Dreamweaver and Flash, and the statistic that over 20% of FTSE 100 companies fail the basic WCAG checkpoint of not relying on scripting and applets. Two nice stories about catering for the over sixty fives in terms of accessibility. And a little more into the RNIB legal action - they've confirmed they are proceeding with legal action against two companies owing to an inaccessible website. No other cases are currently pending.
Web Accessibility
- GCN: Macromedia simplifies Web accessibility kit
- Security Focus: IE bugs keep coming - IE flaws result of accessibility features.
- Benicia: Ata announces new interactive information service -- The Hub "a prime example of how the Internet can promote a higher degree of technology usability for people with disabilities."
- Builder.com: Use metrics to justify dropping browser support -- "Accessibility and adherence to W3C standards are much more important factors to consider when building a site than whether Netscape 4.7 users can render your style sheet properly."
General accessibility
- eye: The price of dignity -- "According to Statistics Canada, as many as 16 per cent of Ontarians are disabled. It is estimated that within two decades one in five people will have a disability.", in response to an editorial from July 2003: eye: Access and ability -- "If, as McMahon says, Canadians with disabilities have $25 billion in annual disposable income, and if 40 per cent of the population (and climbing) is over 65, with all the increasing number of disabilities that implies, shouldn't these simple numbers be placed in front of the businesspeople in question for them to decide whether they want to dip into this particular honey pot?"
- Daily Yomiuri: Senior-friendly products good for all - "By 2025, one in four Japanese citizens will be over 65 years old"
- PCWorld: Online prescriptions -- "the average age of a Medco mail-order customer is about 65. So the site is designed for accessibility. Buttons and tabs are large, and users can navigate via their keyboards - handy for those lacking the dexterity to use a mouse."
- Allan Appel: $25,000 awaits city judged most accessible in nation
- North Coast Journal: Cleaning the privies -- "Restrooms have been harder to find in recent years because many merchants have quit allowing public access. Due to requirements of the federal Americans With Disabilities Act, if a restroom is open to the public, it must meet all requirements for wheelchair accessibility. Many existing businesses do not."
UK accessibility
- NetImperative: RNIB enforces web accessiblity laws - August 22: "The RNIB has today confirmed that it has taken action against two websites that have failed to comply with web accessibility laws."
- out-law: FTSE 100 web sites failing basic accessibility tests - failing the "accessible without requiring scripts or applets" guideline.
- Register: BT.com is a FTSE 100 web laggard - official
- Revolution: Green Flag unveils faster website offering - adhereing to WCAG1.0 as "part of our marketing strategy, which aims to release the full potential of our brand"
- OJR: A Visit With a digital architect - 1997 BBC web design: "we conceived of an imaginary professor of arts in South Asia who had a 14.4k connection to the net, and a fairly-ancient PC for browsing. We'd fail if he couldn't see our site."
- Kablenet: Pushing for access -- "Plans to improve the UK's public sector websites will need more money, says an industry expert"
Things that blind people get up to...
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