[11783] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
EASI NEWS FOR YOU 10/31/97
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Prof Norm Coombs)
Fri Oct 31 20:09:43 1997
Date: Fri, 31 Oct 1997 17:04:20 -0600
From: Prof Norm Coombs <NRCGSH@ritvax.isc.rit.edu>
To: PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
EASI NEWS FOR YOU 10/31/97
EASI Equal Access to Software and Information
PO Box 18928
Rochester NY 14618
EASI@EDUCOM.COM
(716) 244-9065
CAN WE ERADICATE PRINT DISABILITIES?
What is a print disability? People who cannot read print or hold
a book and turn pages are frequently viewed as having a print
disability. However, before print there was no such disability.
Now, information technology permits the display of information in
many formats permitting a variety of ways to access information,
and we have the possibility of obliterating this barrier to
information for millions. Frequently, designers of information
and of display systems inadvertently erect new needless barriers.
October witnessed two announcements about web access projects
that are important.
1 Announcement by public tv station WGBH:
"The Web Access Project, a part of the CPB/WGBH National
Center for Accessible Media (NCAM), is pleased to announce that
the updated NCAM Web site is now available at
http://www.wgbh.org/ncam. Here you will find general
information about the Web Access Project (as well as all
other NCAM projects), information on obtaining the Web Access
Symbol, links to other accessibility related sites, and
samples of captioned and described QuickTime movie clips.
Additionally, you will find improved and expanded
instructions on creating your own captioned and described
movie clips."
2 NSF has announced a web access initiative. "I commend the
National Science Foundation, the Department of Education and the
W3C for continuing their efforts to make the World Wide Web
accessible to people with disabilities," said President Clinton.
"The Web has the potential to be one of technology's greatest
creators of opportunity -- bringing the resources of the world
directly to all people..."
The National Science Foundation, with cooperation from the
Department of Education's National Institute for Disability and
Rehabilitation Research, has made a three-year, $952,856 award to
the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative to
ensure information on the Web is more widely accessible to people
with disabilities.
"The World Wide Web Consortium realizes the critical
importance of the Web for people with disabilities, and is
committed to making the Web Accessibility Initiative a success,"
said Judy Brewer, new director of the W3C International Program
Office. "We are proud to host this unique partnership. Through
the International Program Office, we will be coordinating with
industry, government, and disability communities to ensure that
needs related to accessibility are addressed throughout the
consortium's work, and that the message of an accessible Web is
carried as broadly as possible."
Issues of accessibility are timely this month: October is
National Disability Employment Awareness Month; the Access Board
will soon be releasing its guidelines for accessibility of
telecommunications products.
EASI is dedicated to working to guarantee access in school, work
and home to information technology and computer systems. Check
our web at www.rit.edu/~easi or join our discussion list easi on
the listserver: listserv@maelstrom.stjohns.edu.
EASI also sponsors online workshops: EASI-WEB, Dec. 1, how to
design web pages accessible to everyone including people with
disabilities. With everyone designing their own page and every
business going on the web, knowing how to make web pages that
link people to information rather becoming fly traps or people
traps is crucial.
ADAPT-IT, Dec. 1, workshop on making your institution's info tech
and computer systems accessible. EASI-SEM, Jan. 5 1998, has a
focus on the unique problems of access to science and math.
Registration and syllabi information is at
www.rit.edu/~easi/workshops.html
These workshops can be taken from your workplace or home and
entirely over the internet. Each lasts about a month with
opportunities for interaction with instructors and other
participants. This is not independent study; it is a virtual
classroom.
Norman coombs, Ph.D.
Chair of EASI
