Introducing a special issue of Information Technology
and Disabilities
PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES: ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Guest Editor: Steve Noble
Policy Analyst, Kentucky Assistive Technology Service Network
It is a distinct pleasure to introduce the first installment of ITD’s two-part special series on public policy issues. This collection of articles, and those that will follow in the upcoming issue, are part of our special theme to address the public policy aspects relating to the emerging civil right of access to information. In a world so dependent upon the flow of information and the operation of information technology, it is clearly a social imperative that all people are afforded equal access to this vital resource. In particular, those who help shape public policy must collectively safeguard this right and ensure that individuals with disabilities do not find themselves on the wrong side of the “digital divide.”
On behalf of EASI, Equal Access to Software and Information, I would like to say a special “thank you” to all the authors who contributed to this series.
Special Theme Articles
THE STATE OF THE
LAW ON TECHNOLOGY AND THE BLIND:
WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT OUGHT TO BE
James Gashel
Director of Governmental Affairs, National Federation of the Blind
Abstract: Lack of access to information because of the inability to read print is a persistent problem for blind and visually impaired persons in employment, education, home life, civic and social life. The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), with over 50,000 members, is having considerable success on the state and federal level to address this issue through legislation and litigation. This article is an overview of important landmarks such as a suit against AOL for lack of access, efforts concerning the Voting Rights bill, the background for Section 508 (which affects the internal and external accessibility of all federal agency electronic and information technology), passage of similar state laws, and other important initiatives of the NFB to address computer accessibility problems affecting all blind and visually impaired Americans. The article demonstrates an approach to access focused on the law of procurement and not solely on nondiscrimination law. It concludes with a look at current and future legislative initiatives.
FEDERAL REGULATION
CREATES ECONOMIC INCENTIVES FOR
COMPETITION, INNOVATION AMONG TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES
Laura Ruby
Program Manager, Regulatory and Industry Affairs
Accessible Technology Group, Microsoft Corporation
Abstract: Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998, which took effect in June 2001, requires all agencies of the U.S. government to ensure that any electronic or information technology (EIT) they “develop, procure, maintain or use” is accessible to people with disabilities. That one change in federal law promises unprecedented new opportunities in employment, education and independent living for more than 54 million Americans with disabilities. Whether that promise is fulfilled will depend largely on how effectively government and industry work together to achieve the goals of Section 508, and to make accessible technology an integral part of American society and our national economy.
STATE IT ACCESSIBILITY
POLICY: THE LANDSCAPE OF TODAY
Diane Cordry Golden
Director, Missouri Assistive Technology
Deborah V. Buck
Director, State IT Accessibility Initiatives, ITTATC
Abstract: Dramatic changes have occurred in recent years related to accessibility of information technology (IT) within state government. With the proliferation of web based services and the clamor for comprehensive e-government initiatives, accessibility for people with disabilities has become a critical issue for state IT policy makers. Supported by legislative imperatives at the federal level, such as Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, part of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, many states have embarked on their own IT accessibility policy development and implementation.
FROM POLICY
TO PRACTICE: ACHIEVING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
Patricia Hendricks
Technology Coordinator, Mid-Atlantic Regional Technology in Education Consortium,
Lisa Wahl
Consultant, Alliance for Technology Access
Judith Stull
Senior Research Associate, Temple University
Center for Research in Human Development and Instruction
Julie Duffield
Research Associate, WestEd- Regional Technology in Education Consortium Project
Abstract: The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 empowers individuals with disabilities to be employed and included in society and prohibits discrimination. In 1998 the act was amended and strengthened by adding provisions covering access to electronic and information technology. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act “requires access to the Federal government’s electronic and information technology.” Although these standards were originally designed for federal government agencies, some state legislatures and local agencies have subsequently required compliance with Section 508.
SHOW ME THE MONEY:
MAKING CURRENCY ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND
Melanie Brunson
Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs, American Council of the Blind
Abstract: In the U.S., coins of different denominations can be readily distinguished by people who are blind and visually impaired because the look and feel of each denomination is different. On the other hand, banknotes are all the same size and texture, regardless of their denomination. While it is true that the images and numerals vary from one denomination to another, much of this information is indistinguishable by people who have limited vision, and cannot be identified at all by people who are blind.
THE CHAFEE AMENDMENT:
IMPROVING ACCESS TO INFORMATION
Alison Lingane
Senior Product Manager, Bookshare.Org, The Benetech Initiative
Jim Fruchterman
President and CEO, The Benetech Initiative
Abstract: In the United States, access to published print material for people with disabilities has been improved by the 1996 passage of the Chafee Amendment to the copyright law (17 U.S.C. § 121 [ 1]). This enables nonprofit organizations or governmental agencies to provide alternative accessible copies of previously published nondramatic literary works in specialized formats exclusively for use by blind or other persons with disabilities. The Chafee Amendment has supported access to information by people with disabilities that affect their ability to access print material, both in and outside the education setting.
THE IMPORTANCE
OF ACCURATELY MEASURING THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE FEDERAL
ELECTRONIC GOVERNMENT: DEVELOPING THE RESEARCH AGENDA
Paul T. Jaeger
Senior Research Associate and EBSCO Fellow, Information Use
Management and Policy Institute
Abstract: Studying the effectiveness of the federal electronic government (e-government) is very important if the e-government is to mature into a completely functional virtual representation of the federal government providing full democratic participation in cyberspace. In order for the e-government to be wholly democratic, it must be fully accessible to all citizens, including individuals with disabilities. Federal law actually requires that all federal e-government websites provide their information and services in a fully accessible manner, though such universal accessibility is nowhere near the actual situation at this point.
Other Articles
WHAT COLOR IS THAT
COMMENT: THE MECHANICS OF ONLINE
COLLABORATION FROM A BLIND STUDENT'S PERSPECTIVE
Stephanie Watts
Freelance Assistive Technology Consultant
Abstract: As the first blind student to attempt to complete the MS in Education, Online Teaching and Learning, program at California State University, Hayward, I am blazing a trail for other students with disabilities who desire to participate in the cyber classroom as online teachers and learners. In this article, I briefly open the window to allow readers a quick view of my experience.
Vol. IX No. 2 December, 2003
Introducing a special issue of Information Technology
and Disabilities
PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES: ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Guest Editor: Steve Noble
Policy Analyst, Kentucky Assistive Technology Service Network
With this second installment, we conclude ITD’s two-part special series on public policy issues. This collection of articles, and those previously published in the October 2003 issue, are part of our special theme to address the public policy aspects relating to the emerging civil right of access to information. In a world so dependent upon the flow of information and the operation of information technology, it is clearly a social imperative that all people are afforded equal access to this vital resource. In particular, those who help shape public policy must collectively safeguard this right and ensure that individuals with disabilities do not find themselves on the wrong side of the “digital divide.”
On behalf of EASI, Equal Access to Software and Information, I would like to say a special “thank you” to all the authors who contributed to this series.
Special Theme Articles
David Baquis
Accessibility Specialist in Technology, U.S. Access Board
Abstract: Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended in 1998 requires Federal departments and agencies, including the U.S. Postal Service, t: o comply with accessibility requirements when procuring, developing, using or maintaining electronic and information technology (E&IT), unless doing so causes an undue burden. This article will discuss the development of the Section 508 Standard and its implications.
ANALYZING RECENT AMERICANS
WITH DISABILITIES ACT-BASED
ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COURT CHALLENGES
Susan B. Kretchmer
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Johns Hopkins University
Rod Carveth
Rochester Institute of Technology
Abstract Websites, just like buildings, can be designed to meet the needs of all people, including those with disabilities. The evolution of disability rights laws has resulted in the understanding that access to information and communication is a civil right for people with disabilities. For example, in the digital age, employees may expect an accessible intranet/Internet environment as a reasonable accommodation; students may expect access to distance learning courses; citizens may expect access to Internet kiosks for voting or participating in business or governmental transactions; and consumers may expect access to electronic textbooks and the Web-based environment. Unfortunately, however, web pages frequently contain major access barriers to effective communication and participation in the cybersociety of the new millennium. Consequently, the digital divide will continue to persist if this issue is not addressed through technological innovations, research, education, outreach, and laws.
WEB ACCESSIBILITY IN POST-SECONDARY
EDUCATION:
LEGAL AND POLICY CONSIDERATIONS
Kurt L. Johnson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of
Medicine;
Director, U.W. Center for Technology and Disability Studies
University of Washington
Sharan E. Brown, J.D., Ed.D.
Research Associate Professor, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies,
College of Education
University of Washington
Dagmar Amtmann, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School
of Medicine;
Assoc. Director, U.W. Center for Technology and Disability Studies
University of Washington
Terry Thompson, M.Ed.
Technology Specialist, Computing and Communication and DO-IT
University of Washington
Abstract: The rapidly increasing use of the web by post-secondary educational institutions in distance-learning programs, on-campus classes, and as a mode of communication to students, faculty, staff and the public, can present significant barriers to users with disabilities if those websites are not accessible. Federal civil rights laws mandate that individuals with disabilities have access to the information contained on the websites. A few states have gone further and passed legislation or otherwise made policy commitments that require state entities -- which do not always apply to post-secondary educational institutions --to develop and maintain accessible websites. To date, however, there is no federal legal mandate that private or public institutions of higher education make their websites accessible. Despite the lack of a specific legal requirement higher education administrations are increasingly developing and implementing institutional policy that requires websites to be accessible for individuals with disabilities. In this article, we will review relevant federal laws and federal agency guidance regarding the duties of institutions of higher education in the area of web accessibility. We will also review some state laws that may have an impact on post-secondary institutions, and sample some policy on accessible IT developed at the post-secondary level.
UNIVERSAL DESIGN: IS IT
REALLY ABOUT DESIGN?
Jim Tobias
President, Inclusive Technologies
Abstract: Universal design (UD) of information technology products is usually portrayed as either an approach to design or a set of recommended and deprecated features. In either case, the focus of UD advocates has been on design per se. However, there is evidence that informational issues are the principal barriers to broader market success for UD. Consumers (and clinicians, caregivers, and third-party payers) are not sufficiently aware of the benefits of “UD products” or mobilized to shop for them.
AUSTRALIAN EXPERIENCES WITH
ACCESSIBILITY POLICIES POST THE SYDNEY OLYMPIC GAMES
Andrew M. J. Arch
Accessible Information Solutions
National Information & Library Service, Australia
Oliver K. Burmeister
Swinburne Computer-Human Interaction Laboratory
School of Information Technology
Swinburne University of Technology, Australia
Abstract: Australia enacted its Disability Discrimination Act in 1992, prior to the now ubiquitous World Wide Web. However, the “Maguire v. Sydney Olympic Games Organising Committee” High Court case in 2000 clearly demonstrated that the Australian Disability Discrimination Act applies in the online world. While Government in Australia was the initiator of establishing accessibility policy for online activity and eGovernment, many of these policies have remained unchanged since the late 1990s. During 2002, other sectors of the economy have come to the fore with respect to online accessibility policy and 'leapfrogged' the government with policies that sometimes leave the government position looking languid. This paper reviews the current online accessibility policies and guidelines of federal and state governments in Australia and contrasts these positions with the high levels of accessibility expected in the future in the banking, education, legal and multimedia sectors as a result of recent industry policies declarations.
RESEARCH ON WEB ACCESSIBILITY
IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Terry Thompson
Technology Specialist, Computing and Communication and DO-IT
University of Washington
Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph. D.
Director, DO-IT Program; Assistant Director - Information Systems,
Computing & Communications; Affiliate Associate Professor, College
of Education
University of Washington
Dan Comden
Adaptive Technology Consultant, University of Washington Adaptive Technology
Lab;
Technology Coordinator, DO-IT Program
University of Washington
Abstract: Several studies have used the automated tool Bobby in evaluating the accessibility of postsecondary educational institutions’ websites to people with disabilities. However, determining many aspects of web-content accessibility requires human judgment. With the present study, two web accessibility “experts” manually evaluated critical web pages of 102 public research universities using a 5-point rating scale that focuses on each site’s “functional accessibility,” i.e., whether all users can accomplish the perceived function of the site. The results of each evaluator approximate a normal distribution, and the evaluators’ results are positively correlated with one another (r = .597), suggesting that the procedure has inter-rater reliability. Also, the evaluators’ combined results are positively correlated with those obtained by using Bobby on the same sample (r = .595). Using these evaluations, the researchers were able to identify a distinct cluster of promising practices in web accessibility.
FACTORS INFLUENCING ADOPTION
OF WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES:
KEY POLICY ISSUES, BARRIERS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Paul M.A. Baker, Ph.D.
GCATT/Georgia Institute of Technology
Christine Bellordre
GCATT/Georgia Institute of Technology
Abstract: While wireless communication and other information linked technologies have rapidly achieved widespread levels of adoption, a significant array of stakeholder groups have been effectively excluded, not as much by active intent as by inadvertent oversight and lack of awareness. Many of these technologies routinely used by the general population are frequently inaccessible to persons with disabilities. Barriers to the use of these technologies by people with varying disabilities may be subtle, but never the less very real.
Announcements
WEB-4-ALL
WEB ACCESSIBILITY THROUGH SIGHT, SOUND AND TOUCH
Abstract: Industry Canada’s Web Accessibility Office is working with other federal government departments to develop accessibility standards for Government of Canada Web sites. It is also heading up an innovative pilot program that is placing more than 1000 assistive technology devices, called Web-4-All, in public Internet access sites across the country. With Web-4-All, users simply swipe a smart card into computers equipped with the technology, and their preferences, such as having text enlarged or read aloud, are instantly loaded.
Abstract: In past years, ITD has assembled “special issues” devoted to a single focused topic. In recognition of the upcoming 2004 U.S. presidential election, Information Technology and Disabilities invites articles for a special issue to examine access to voting and voting technology for persons with disabilities. This special issue will come out in late October or early November of 2004, immediately before the election.
