Universal Access to the World Wide Web

Universal Access to the Universal Access to the World Wide WebWorld Wide Web

•Thomas R. Neiss, Assistant Provost for Network Technology Services, State University of New York, System Administration, Albany, NY

•[email protected]

CNI - San Antonio 2000 Thomas R. Neiss

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State University of New State University of New YorkYork

• 64 Campus public higher education 64 Campus public higher education system of New York Statesystem of New York State

• 380,000+ students380,000+ students

• 40,000+ staff40,000+ staff

• Millions of web pagesMillions of web pages


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What is Universal (Web) What is Universal (Web) Accessibility?Accessibility?

• The content or service offered on a The content or service offered on a site is universally accessible if the site is universally accessible if the end user can choose their preferred end user can choose their preferred method of acquiring the information method of acquiring the information and interacting with that site. and interacting with that site.


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The Web is a way of life, The Web is a way of life, for those fortunate.for those fortunate.

• But, the information highway is a dead end road filled with insurmountable obstacles for those using assistive technologies, older equipment and the latest technologies

• Information Technology was more accessible five years ago than it is today.


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How did this happen?How did this happen?

• Ad hoc web development, with few Ad hoc web development, with few standards and little impact assessmentstandards and little impact assessment

• Rapid web technology developmentRapid web technology development

• Poorly trained and uninformed Poorly trained and uninformed developersdevelopers

• Lack of tools and resources for learning Lack of tools and resources for learning about the issuesabout the issues


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Today SituationToday Situation• Lack of awareness of the technical and legal Lack of awareness of the technical and legal

issues about accessibilityissues about accessibility

• Lack of training or training that does not Lack of training or training that does not include accessibility include accessibility

• Accessibility is not (yet) a design criteriaAccessibility is not (yet) a design criteria

• Most think it (accessibility) is too hard to doMost think it (accessibility) is too hard to do

• Remediation, however is not easyRemediation, however is not easy


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Federal InitiativesFederal Initiatives• Americans with Disabilities Act 1990Americans with Disabilities Act 1990

• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act 1973 1973

• Section 508 of the Workforce Section 508 of the Workforce Investment Act 1998Investment Act 1998

• Section 508 delayed until March 2001Section 508 delayed until March 2001


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NYS takes the leadNYS takes the lead

• Technology Policy 99-3 - Universal Technology Policy 99-3 - Universal Access to the Web 9-30-99Access to the Web 9-30-99

• Priority 1 Level A by 9-30-2000Priority 1 Level A by 9-30-2000

• World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)– Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)

– W3C - Web Content Accessibility W3C - Web Content Accessibility GuidelinesGuidelines


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Everybody BenefitsEverybody Benefits

• Persons with disabilities identified the Persons with disabilities identified the need, but need, but everyoneeveryone benefits from curb cuts benefits from curb cuts and automatic doors and increasingly from:and automatic doors and increasingly from:– Speech recognitionSpeech recognition

– Voice synthesis and digitized voiceVoice synthesis and digitized voice

– Closed captioningClosed captioning

• New technologies require it! PDA’s Web Phones, New technologies require it! PDA’s Web Phones, Internet phones, WebTVInternet phones, WebTV


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Strategies that ‘Strategies that ‘just make just make sense’sense’• Inform everyone of the policy and its requirements, and the Inform everyone of the policy and its requirements, and the

benefitsbenefits

• Develop or use existing curricula to train students on Develop or use existing curricula to train students on accessible web designaccessible web design

• Provide training for your staff that includes accessibilityProvide training for your staff that includes accessibility

• Include accessibility requirements in contracts with vendorsInclude accessibility requirements in contracts with vendors

• Include accessibility requirements in the designInclude accessibility requirements in the design

• Make universal accessibility a way of lifeMake universal accessibility a way of life - - It’s not that hardIt’s not that hard


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If the technology ( or the If the technology ( or the web site) isn’t ready yetweb site) isn’t ready yet

• PDF files - Provide text or html -PDF files - Provide text or html -Conversion utilities are availableConversion utilities are available

• Provide alternative methods (in Provide alternative methods (in accessible form)accessible form)

• For fill in forms, provide assistanceFor fill in forms, provide assistance


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SUNY supports Universal SUNY supports Universal Access to the Web Access to the Web

• Doing so willDoing so will– Increase our ability to attract, educate and Increase our ability to attract, educate and

graduate students with disabilitiesgraduate students with disabilities

– Increase our ability to hire, retain and Increase our ability to hire, retain and promote staff with disabilitiespromote staff with disabilities

– Remove potential legal actionsRemove potential legal actions

– Position SUNY as a leader in disability Position SUNY as a leader in disability rights and servicesrights and services


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What SUNY has doneWhat SUNY has done• Advised campus president’s of policyAdvised campus president’s of policy

• Presidents appointed Web Accessibility ContactsPresidents appointed Web Accessibility Contacts

• Provided awareness through meetings, sessions, Provided awareness through meetings, sessions, listserv’slistserv’s

• Conducted survey on complianceConducted survey on compliance

• Serving on NYS Information Technology Access Serving on NYS Information Technology Access Steering CommitteeSteering Committee

• Conducts monthly trainingConducts monthly training


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What can you do?What can you do?• Develop an Accessibility StrategyDevelop an Accessibility Strategy

• Advise managers/staff/faculty/students of what Advise managers/staff/faculty/students of what universal access really meansuniversal access really means

• Include accessibility requirements in web site Include accessibility requirements in web site designdesign

• Insist upon (and provide) proper trainingInsist upon (and provide) proper training

• Assume the responsibility of providing access to Assume the responsibility of providing access to electronic information for everyoneelectronic information for everyone


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What can you do?What can you do?• Understand the laws and responsibilities Understand the laws and responsibilities

associated with universal accessibilityassociated with universal accessibility

• Spread the word - Universal Accessibility “just Spread the word - Universal Accessibility “just makes good sense”makes good sense”

• Work with your Disability Services or ADA officesWork with your Disability Services or ADA offices

• If you are still not convinced visit a blind staff If you are still not convinced visit a blind staff member and have them access the web with member and have them access the web with JAWSJAWS


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ResourcesResources• World Wide Web Consortium www.w3.orgWorld Wide Web Consortium www.w3.org

• Web Accessibility Initiative www.w3.org/waiWeb Accessibility Initiative www.w3.org/wai

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Web Content Accessibility Guidelines www.w3.org/tr/wai-webcontentwww.w3.org/tr/wai-webcontent

• The WAI’s Curriculum for WCAG 1.0 A self The WAI’s Curriculum for WCAG 1.0 A self teaching guide for Web Content Accessibility teaching guide for Web Content Accessibility www.w3.org/wai/wcag-curricwww.w3.org/wai/wcag-curric

• NYS Office for Technology NYS Office for Technology www.oft.state.ny.uswww.oft.state.ny.us


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ResourcesResources• ValidationValidation

– Bobby- Bobby- www.cast.org/bobbywww.cast.org/bobby

– Lynx browser Lynx browser www.fdisk.com/doslynx/lynxport.htm www.fdisk.com/doslynx/lynxport.htm

– Accessibility-Prompt toolkit Accessibility-Prompt toolkit http://aprompt.snow.utoronto.ca/http://aprompt.snow.utoronto.ca/

– W3C html Validation http://validator.w3.org/W3C html Validation http://validator.w3.org/

– W3C CSS Validation http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-W3C CSS Validation http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/validator/

Documents

Universal Access to the World Wide Web