Internet Accessibility Hyun Woo Jo Alessandra Zimmermann Alissa Ebong Maddison Brumbaugh David Carter

What is Internet Accessibility? Yaddah yaddah

Background 25 million people in need National Federation for the Blind sued America Online in 1999 Workforce Investment Act 1998 revision of Section 508 ◦ Federal Government has to provide alternative access for those with disabilities in their employ Americans with Disabilities Act ◦ Requires accommodations for employees with disabilities World Wide Web Consortium created the Web Accessibility Initiative of 1998 ◦ Focus on expanding protocols and data formats to make the internet more accessible

Available Methods For the hearing impaired: A special sound card can be used to amplify the sound. Signals that are usually represented through sound can be displayed on the screen instead. For the hand mobility deficits: Keyboard-Assisted Navigation- Although it is inconvenient at times, the tab, arrow, and enter keys can be used to move through the page. On-Screen Keyboard Navigation- a light unit is at the top of the monitor and allows the users to move and position the cursor. Voice Recognition Software- the users can voice their commands through a headset or microphone. For the sight impaired: Braille screens are used with different screen-reading applications. The Screen Readers will read out and describe the content of the page. Voice Recognition can be paired with screen readers so that the computer content and the user input can be managed verbally.

Problems with Current Technology Technology is still developing and there are some glitches and efficiency problems, but the main problem is cost. Person must be professionally evaluated. Much meticulous, redundant paperwork is due to any aid organizations from which financial assistance is sought, including the company that produces the product, the state and federal governments, the school district in which the person resides, and any private aid organizations. It takes a long time for a request to be pushed through the system. Then if it’s granted, the person isn’t eligible for additional assistance for years (commonly 5 to 7).

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