Web accessibility: the Law!

Subject: [VICUG-L] Comments from Assistant AG AGAIN concerning web accessibility

Below is a very interesting and exciting excerpt from a presentation thatAssistant Attorney General Tom Perez made last week at a law symposium atNFB's head quarters.

Eric, ebridges@acb.org
*** Excerpt***
Technology has revolutionized our economy and culture. It has made communicating, obtaining information, entertainment, education and good seasier and more efficient. But many of these technologies, from Web sites tocell phones, from ticket kiosks to TV set-top devices, are either in whole or in part inaccessible to persons who are blind and other people with disabilities.

And though we have seen some voluntary efforts by companies once the matteris brought to their attention, far too many companies choose to forgo what Ibelieve must be a profitable investment in making their products andservices accessible to all consumers. We have a population that is aging,and making products accessible will only increase their customer base. The technology to make electronics accessible exists, and is relatively affordable to implement.



Let me be clear. It is and has been the position of the Department of Justice since the late 1990s that Title III of the ADA applies to Web sites. We intend to issue regulations under our Title III authority in this regard to help companies comply with their obligations to provide equal access.


Companies that do not consider accessibility in their Web site or productdevelopment will come to regret that decision, because we intend to useevery tool at our disposal to ensure that people with disabilities haveequal access to technology and the worlds that technology opens up.