Seminar for a Web Without Barriers for People with Disabilities: eGovernment for Everyone Presented by Michael Burks and Cynthia Waddell, Juris Doctor Internet Society Disability & Special Needs Chapter House of Diputados Auditorium 12 June 2007 Buenos Aires, Argentina

ISOC Disability & Special Needs Chapter Mission: To Address Needs of People with Disabilities that are Related to the Internet – 650 Million People! Members are Dedicated to Equal Access Chairman: Michael Burks Vice-Chairman: Cynthia Waddell ICDRI Founding Sponsor

eGovernment for Everyone Technology Crossroad The Problem of Web Barriers Benefits of Universal Design Signs of Global Inclusive Society Shift Resources

Published with permission from USGSA

Technology Crossroad Explosive Growth of Electronic Commerce Shift from Web Content Publishing to Interactive Web Applications Web Evolution to Multi-Modality Architecture Global Human Rights Alignment

The Problem People with Disabilities are being locked out from accessing the content of the World Wide Web Why? The Design of the Web Site is Not Addressing Accessibility or Universal Design

Universal Design for the Web Universal Design for the Web ensures that the presentation of content on the Web and the design of Web technology is flexible enough to accommodate the needs of the widest range of users possible, regardless of age, language or disability.

The Problem An Inaccessible Web: People who are Blind or have Specific Learning Disabilities Cannot Use Screen- reading Software that Audibly Reads the Web Page Out Loud Can be a Barrier for People with Busy Eyes, Or in a Dark Room Or They have a Slow Modem

The Problem An Inaccessible Web: People with Mobility Disabilities Who Cannot Use a Mouse and Need Keyboard Access People who have Busy Hands, Or Limited Dexterity Or No Hands Available

The Problem An Inaccessible Web: People Using Speech Technology Input Cannot Access Web Content People with Low Vision Cannot Increase Web Text Size

The Problem An Inaccessible Web: People who are Deaf Cannot access Audio-Streaming or Videos that are not Captioned People Cannot Hear in a Noisy Room or Place

The Problem Web Design Historically Has Not Included Accessible Design for People with Disabilities Web Developers Were Not Trained in Accessible or Universal Design; Web Tools Would Break Accessibility Governments & Businesses Had No Incentive to Address Universal Design

Benefits of Universal Design Benefits Both People with Disabilities AND People without Disabilities Social Benefits Technical Benefits Financial Benefits

Social Benefits of Universal Design Promotes Equal Opportunity for People with Disabilities Benefits People Without Disabilities: Older Adults People with Low Literacy People Not Fluent in the Language People with Low Bandwidth Connections to the Internet and Older Technologies People who are New and Infrequent Web Users

Technical Benefits of Universal Design Reduces Web Site Development and Maintenance Time Reduces Server Load Enables Content on Different Configurations Promotes Interoperability Prepares for Advances in Web Technologies

Financial Benefits of Universal Design Enables Increased Web Site Use & Reduces Maintenance Costs Reduces Government Service Costs by Enabling Citizens to Access Information and Complete Transactions Online Decreases Cost of Upgrading to New Technologies

Signs of Inclusive Society Shift Global Society Shift from Medical Model to Integration and Full Participation Focus on Ability, Integration and Incompatibility between Environment and People with Disabilities Merger of Civil Rights Model with Social Rights Model

Signs of Inclusive Society Shift Growing Recognition of Significant Social Cost if Digital Divide Remains Emergence of Technical Standards for Accessible Design of ICT US: Section 508 Electronic & Information Technology Accessibility Standards Japan: Accessible ICT Requirements are being built into Japanese Industrial Standards European Union: e-Accessibility Initiatives

Signs of Inclusive Society Shift At Least 26 Countries and Jurisdictions around the World have Adopted Accessible Web Design as a Policy or Law Implementation of US Section 508 Accessible Web Rules, W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0, or a Hybrid See 2006 Global Survey Published in Web Accessibility: Web Standards and Regulatory Compliance

Signs of Inclusive Society Shift United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities- Article 9: Accessibility (Built Environment and ICT) Ensure Access on an equal basis to information and communications, including information and communications technologies (ICT) and systems AND emergency services (1) Requires identification and elimination of barriers to accessibility (1)

Signs of Inclusive Society Shift United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities- Article 9: Accessibility (Built Environment and ICT) Requires implementation of minimum standards & guidelines for accessibility of services (2a) Ensure that private entities offering services to the public take into account accessibility (2b)

Signs of Inclusive Society Shift United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities- Article 9: Accessibility (Built Environment and ICT) Requires training for stakeholders on accessibility issues (2c) States Parties must promote access to new ICT and systems, including the Internet (2g) and States Parties must promote ICT at early stage to minimize cost (2h)

Resources The Growing Digital Divide in Access for People with Disabilities: Overcoming Barriers to Participation By Cynthia D. Waddell, Juris Doctor Commissioned by US Dept of Commerce & National Science Foundation for 1999 White House Digital Economy Conference

Resources Critical Issues from a Disability Perspective: Accesibility by Cynthia D. Waddell, Juris Doctor Expert Panel Presentation to United Nations Ad Hoc Committee For Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities addell.htm

Resources Web Accessibility: Web Standards and Regulatory Compliance By Cynthia Waddell, Michael Burks, et al Published by Apress 2006 ISBN:

Contact Information Cynthia D. Waddell, Juris Doctor Executive Director and Law, Policy and Technology Subject Matter Expert International Center for Disability Resources on the Internet (ICDRI)