VI Jornadas del Sidar Accesibilidad y Experiencia del Usuario Politicas en el Mundo

1. VI Jornadas del SidarAccesibilidad y Experiencia del UsuarioPoliticas en el Mundo 23 de octubre de 2002 Mike Burks AT&T/ICDRI mburks952@att.net

2. “Technology changes civil rights do not!”- Cynthia Waddell Executive Director the International Center for Disability Resources on the Internet

3. Speaker Introduction • Michael R. Burks • Accessibility Expert AT&T WorldNet Service • Webmaster ICDRI

4. Organization Introduction ICDRI – http://www.icdri.org • Internationally recognized as a public policy center organized by and for people with disabilities • Collects a global knowledge base of quality disability resources and best practices • Provides education, outreach and training based on these core resources • ICDRI seeks to increase equalization of opportunities for people with disabilities by identifying barriers to participation and promoting best practices and universal design of technology for the global community.

5. Law and Policy InitiativesCurrent Standards • W3C WAI WCAG 1.0 • U. S. Section 508

6. Law and Policy Initiatives • UN Efforts • EU Initiatives • Efforts by EU Members • U. S. Law and Policy Efforts • Initiatives in Other Areas

7. UN Efforts • Rule 5 of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for People with Disabilities deals with access to communications • Rule is found at: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/dissre04.htm

8. EU Initiatives eEurope 2002 Action Plan Priorities in the field of e-accessibility: • Policies to avoid ‘info-exclusion’; • Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) guidelines for public websites; • Publication of ‘Design for all’ standards; • Review relevant legislation and standards; • Establishment of national centres of excellence in ‘Design for all’. - Unpublished work of Rianne ten Veen

9. EU Initiatives Activities Since eEurope 2002 adoption • Sep ‘01: Commission Communication eEurope 2002: Accessibility of Public Web Sites and their content • Oct ‘01: Council Resolution on e-inclusion • March ‘02: Council Recommendation on Web Accessibility Initiative guidelines • April ‘02: European network of Centres of Excellence/ National Contact Centres • June ‘02: eEurope 2005 - Unpublished work of Rianne ten Veen

10. EU Initiatives Future Activities • 2002: Adoption of Council Recommendation on e-accessibility • 2003: European Year of People with Disabilities • June 2003: implementation Telecoms package • By end 2004: basic public services in Member States should be accessible for all (key target eEurope 2005) - Unpublished work of Rianne ten Veen

11. Efforts by European Nations Belgium • Web Accessibility is included in the e-government idea but as yet detailed specifications have not yet been developed.

12. Efforts by European Nations Denmark • W3C WCAG, Priority Level One standards are part of the national guidelines for accessible web design; standards for accessible public publications; and advisory activity between public web masters. -From Constructing Accessible Web Sites Chapter 2 By Cynthia Waddell

13. Efforts by European Nations Finland • W3C WCAG, Priority Level One standards have been adopted as part of the Public Administration Recommendations in the JHS 129 Guidelines concerning development of e-Services, Ministry of the Interior, December 2000. See http://www.intermin.fi/juhta/suositukset/jhs129.htm. -From Constructing Accessible Web Sites Chapter 2 By Cynthia Waddell

14. Efforts by European Nations France • In application of the 12th October 1999 administrative guidelines (circulaire), the "Mission pour les Technologies de l'Information et de la Communication" (MTIC) of the Prime Minister has published standards for accessibility of public web sites. This action aims to promote the following documentation and tools among public sector Webmasters, which are already available on MTIC's web site at http://www.atica.pm.gouv.fr/interop/accessibilite/index.shtml -From Constructing Accessible Web Sites Chapter 2 By Cynthia Waddell

15. Efforts by European Nations Germany • The federal government and the governments of the Länder are working on taking up the W3C WCAG, Priority Level One standards. -From Constructing Accessible Web Sites Chapter 2 By Cynthia Waddell

16. Efforts by European Nations Greece • Official adoption of the Guidelines and the practical implementation plan for existing and future public web sites are currently the subject of deliberations under the auspices of the Secretary for Information Society of the Hellenic Ministry of National Economy. -From Constructing Accessible Web Sites Chapter 2 By Cynthia Waddell

17. Efforts by European Nations Ireland • Recommended Government Guidelines on Web Publication for Public Sector Organisations have been published, which include guidelines in relation to accessibility. A target has been set for all government Department web sites to achieve level A compliance by the end of April 2001, with achievement of level AA compliance as a target for the end of 2001. -From Constructing Accessible Web Sites Chapter 2 By Cynthia Waddell

18. Efforts by European Nations Italy • On March 13th, 2001, the Ministry of Public Function signed a Cabinet Resolution with the title: "Linee Guida per l'organizzazione, l'usabilità e l'accessibilità dei siti Web delle Pubbliche Amministrazioni". See the following web sites: • http://www.funzionepubblica.it/download/pdf/accessibilita.pdf • http://www.governo.it/sez_dossier/linee_web/direttiva.html -From Constructing Accessible Web Sites Chapter 2 By Cynthia Waddell

19. Efforts by European Nations Luxemborg • In February 2001, the government adopted a national action plan: e-Luxembourg. The Guidelines will be included in the e-government concept (one of the six main targets of the e-Luxembourg programme). -From Constructing Accessible Web Sites Chapter 2 By Cynthia Waddell

20. Efforts by European Nations Netherlands • The Guidelines have been recommended by the Minister of Public Health, Welfare, and Sport in February 2001. There is ongoing development of adoption plans. -From Constructing Accessible Web Sites Chapter 2 By Cynthia Waddell

21. Efforts by European Nations Sweden • Accessibility to information is included in the government bill "From patient to citizen – a national action plan for disability policy". • A government ordinance concerning state government authorities and their responsibility for implementing the disability policy has recently been issued. -From Constructing Accessible Web Sites Chapter 2 By Cynthia Waddell

22. Efforts by European Nations United Kingdom • The current guidelines for UK government web sites were published in late 1999. • These guidelines are currently being investigated by the Office of the e-Envoy, and a draft is available at http://www.open.gov.uk/dev/neil/. -From Constructing Accessible Web Sites Chapter 2 By Cynthia Waddell

23. U. S. Law and Policy Efforts Federal • Federal Government Web Sites controlled by Section 508 • Other areas come under other laws such at the Americans with Disabilities Act

24. U. S. Law and Policy Efforts State by State California • The Chancellor’s Office of California Community Colleges issued Distance Education Access Guidelines for Students with Disabilities in August 1999.  • http://www.htctu.fhda.edu/dlguidelines/final dl guidelines.htm

25. U. S. Law and Policy Efforts State by State California • The Chancellors office has issued  Guideline for Producing Instructional and other Printed Material in Alternate Media for Persons with Disabilities.   • http://www.htctu.fhda.edu/amguidelines/am33000.htm  

26. U. S. Law and Policy Efforts State by State Connecticut • The state of Connecticut is addressing web accessibility with the CMAC Web Site Accessibility Subcommittee (CMAC-AC) • http://www.cmac.state.ct.us/access  • kathleen.anderson@po.state.ct.us

27. U. S. Law and Policy Efforts State by State Kentucky • An "Information Technology" bill was passed through an amendment to SB 315, a larger bill to create the Governor's Office of Technology. • The bill with the amendment was signed by Kentucky's Governor, Paul Patton.

28. U. S. Law and Policy Efforts State by State Maine Accessibility in Information Technology • Website Accessibility Policy for State Websiteshttp://www.state.me.us/CIO/accessibility/webpolicy.html • All State websites must comply with these accessibility standards.

29. U. S. Law and Policy Efforts State by State Missouri • The state of Missouri is taking proactive action to make all electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities.  • http://www.dolir.state.mo.us/matp/matc_eainit.htm 

30. U. S. Law and Policy Efforts State by State New York • New York has issued a policy to make all state websites accessible to people with disabilities.  • The have issued a formal policy to this effect through the Office of Technology.  These guidelines can be found at: • Technology Policy 99-3 http://www.oft.state.ny.us/policy/AccessCharter.htm  

31. U. S. Law and Policy Efforts State by State North Carolina • North Carolina has adopted a Policy that all electronic and Information Technology used by entities under the Aegis of the IRMC in the state of North Carolina be accessible to people with disabilties.  The report of the committee that developed these guidelines is found at: • http://irmc.state.nc.us/access/.

32. U. S. Law and Policy Efforts State by State North Dakota • On September 25, 2001, North Dakota issued its website accessibility policy. • http://www.state.nd.us/itd/planning/doc/dp005-01.pdf

33. U. S. Law and Policy Efforts State by State Pennsylvania • "All Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Web sites must adhere to existing Commonwealth of Pennsylvania policies and restrictions regarding Internet and Intranets."  Quoted from the Policy Statement, for additional information go to: •  http://www.oit.state.pa.us/oit/Policy/view.asp?Q=16655  

34. U. S. Law and Policy Efforts State by State Texas • The Department of Information Resources proposes new rule §201.12 concerning state web sites.http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/archive/November121999/PROPOSED/administration.html#60 • Revised version can be found at:http://www.state.tx.us/Standards/S201-12.htm

35. U. S. Law and Policy Efforts State by State Utah • The state of Utah adopted web accessibility guidelines on January 9, 2001.  The standards page is located at: http://www.dced.state.ut.us/gils/standards.htm • The Utah accessibility standards document is located at: http://www.cio.state.ut.us/Docs/Itpsc01/0101Tab13WebStd01.09.01.doc • The User Name is user the password is the same.

36. U. S. Law and Policy Efforts State by State West Virginia • In 2001, West Virginia passed SB 476 in the legislature. It covers visually impaired individuals. Other advocacy groups in West Virginia plan to broaden the language of the IT Access Act to include other disabilities.

37. Initiatives in Other Areas • There is also important work going on in other areas.

38. Australia • Online information and services must be accessible to people with disabilities under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA). • Australian Commonwealth Websites must be accessible as well. • See: http://www.govonline.gov.au/projects/standards/accessibility.htm -From Constructing Accessible Web Sites Chapter 2 By Cynthia Waddell

39. Canada • In May 2000, the government of Canada adopted a policy for all federal government organizations that requires conformance to W3C WCAG Priority 1 and 2 Checkpoints. • This "Common Look and Feel for the Internet" policy is found at http://www.cio-dpi.gc.ca/clf-upe/.

40. Japan The e-Japan Policy program for barrier-free access has resulted in significant policies impacting the accessible web. On 29 March 2001, the government IT Strategy Headquarters announced a number of policies, such as: • Web sites of ministries and agencies shall be accessible so that government information on the Web can be easily utilized by people with visual disabilities • Official Gazettes distributed over the Web will be tailored to the needs of people with visual disabilities . -From Constructing Accessible Web Sites Chapter 2 By Cynthia Waddell

41. Japan • So that people with visual and hearing disabilities can enjoy broadcast services just like people without disabilities, R&D activities on production technologies for broadcast programming will be conducted with the costs of programming for closed captions, explanatory narration, and sign languages to be subsidized • School environments for children who are blind or deaf and with other disabilities will be addressed so that computers can be utilized by the students • R&D activities will be conducted to provide children in hospital with the ability to study through the Web • -From Constructing Accessible Web Sites Chapter 2 By Cynthia Waddell

42. Japan • IT equipment and systems that can be easily used by the elderly and people with disabilities shall be developed • Technologies will be developed to enable the elderly and people with disabilities to use the Internet easily, an accessibility checking system of web sites will be created, and verification experiments will be conducted for the promotion of a barrier-free environment of information access -From Constructing Accessible Web Sites Chapter 2 By Cynthia Waddell

43. New Zealand • Proposed Guidelines for New Zealand government web sites have been developed by Government Information Managers' Forum (GOVIS) with the help of the web developers support forum. • http://www.govt.nz/egovt/guidelines/web-guidelines/index.html

44. Singapore • The The National Internet Advisory Committee • (NIAC)released their 2001 report that discusses disability issues including greater education and promotion of web accessibility requirements at Paragraph 4.11 of the report. The NIAC noted the availability of guidelines to assist web site designers in designing accessible web sites and encourages their use. • The report is available at: http://www.sba.gov.sg/sba/detailed.jsp?artid=362&typeid=1&cid=0&bSubmitBy=true. -From Constructing Accessible Web Sites Chapter 2 By Cynthia Waddell

45. Conclusion Summary and Challenges Ahead • Basic Standards are needed • Developers of EIT and web technology will not have to meet several different standards. • There must be something on which to base legal and policy decisions • As technology evolves, standards for accessiblity must evolve as well. • If not technology will move on, and people with disabilities will be left behind….again.

46. Conclusion Progress Made Legal and Policy Mandates are insuring progress in the accessiblity of web sites and EIT. Much of the progress made in techniques and software such as web production tools, and assessment tools are due at least in part to accessibility laws and policies being implemented on a global scale.

47. Conclusion Progress to Come When Universal Access is truly an integral part of the design of all new products then we will have taken the road to including everyone.

48. References • Constructing Accessible Web Sites, Chapter 2, by Cynthia Waddell, Published by glasshaus, April 2002 • Collected Works Of Cynthia Waddell: http://www.icdri.org/CynthiaW/cynthia_waddell.htm • Unpublished work of Rianne ten Veen • RESNA: Assistive Technology Act Projects' Activities and Initiatives: http://www.resna.org/taproject/policy/initiatives/508.html#ata

49. Acknowledgements • Cynthia Waddell, Executive Director ICDRI • Rianne ten Veen, Advisory Board ICDRI • Jose Luis Pardos, Board of Directors ICDRI

50. New Book – Released April 2002 Includes Global Survey of Accessible Web Law and Policies as well as In Depth Look at Section 508 Order at www.ICDRI.org for Discount