From: Julie Dawson 
Subject: Re: ADA guidelines for webpages? (fwd)
Thought this might interest many folks out there.
Julie Dawson
"Out of many''''one people."
We give of ourselves to share with each other.
we receive from each other to empower ourselves.
Blessed be the Almighty who blesses His people.
Julie, AKA Magnolia in NJ.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 14:35:40 -0400
From: David F 
To: Julie/C 
Subject: Re: ADA guidelines for webpages? (fwd)
Hi Julie, I thought of you as you do Rehab stuff.
I did not read this posting thru and so I don't know if they
talked
about blind stuff, too.  Just thought you'd be interested.
It isn't my thing in a big way, but I know you try to be on top of this stuff
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From: Michael Aldrich 
Subject:      Re: ADA guidelines for webpages? (fwd)
To: Multiple recipients of list SLIS-L 
Some food for thought for current and future web designers . . .
****************************************************************
Michael H. Aldrich
Government Documents Librarian          Ignorance and prejudice
Ingram Library                          And fear
State University of West Georgia        Walk hand in hand.
Carrollton, GA 30118-2000               -"Witch Hunt" by Rush
Phone: (770)830-2357
Fax: (770) 836-6626
e-mail:  maldrich@westga.edu
http://www.westga.edu/library/depts/govdoc/docshome.html
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 14:08:48 -0700
From: Prentiss Riddle 
To: Multiple recipients of list 
Subject: Re: ADA guidelines for webpages?
> Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 12:26:54 -0700
> From: Wilfred Drew 
> Subject: Re: ADA guidelines for webpages?
>
> Thanks for all of the suggestions for links to sites that
> have information about amking sites accessable.  I guess
> what I am after is the actual ADA policy and official
> recommendations.  I am already doing most of the things
> suggested by the various sites.  Need the official word on
> the subject.
I've been on the trail of the same thing, and it seems to be an elusive
beast.
An announcement of an ACRL/NEC conference entitled "Widening the Door:
Access to Web-Based Resources for Users with Disabilities" last April
mentioned "a recent Department of Justice ruling" on ADA and web
design.  It took some effort to find anyone associated with the
conference who could give us a citation, but eventually they referred
us to:
        National Disability Law Reporter, vol. 10, issue 6, 9/11/97 (?)
The NDLR contained a short article which read:
        "More and more businesses are using Internet web pages as a
        marketing tool.  To what extent does the ADA require such pages
        to be acessible to people visual impairments?  In response to
        an inquiry from a United States senator, the Justice Department
        advised that ADA requirements do apply to Internet web pages
        Entities subject to Title II or III of the statute must provide
        effective communication, the agency said, regardless of whether
        they generally communicate via print, audio or computerized
        media such as the Internet.  If a covered entity uses the
        Internet to communicate regarding its programs, goods, or
        services, then those communications should be offered through
        accessible means.  One way to do so is to provide web page
        information in text format that is accessible to screen reading
        devices that are used by people with visual impairments.
        Another acceptable option, according to the Justice Department,
        is to make known, in a screen-readable format on the web page,
        the availability of other accessible formats such as Braille or
        large print."
I haven't seen the full NDLR ssue myself; apparently there's a more
complete (?) version available for a fee.
But exactly what the DOJ said and whether it represented a mandate on
web design is still unclear to me.  I'm in the same boat as you -- I
believe I'm doing the right thing already, and wish it were a bit easier
to find out whether there's a letter of the law I should be adhering to
as well.
-- Prentiss Riddle ("aprendiz de todo, maestro de nada") riddle@rice.edu
-- Webmaster, Rice University / http://is.rice.edu/~riddle
-- Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of my employer.
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