Sites Must Retool for Disabled By: Bo Snider

Summary The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 made websites more accessible for disabled people by making all government websites, and government websites contracted out to private companies more user friendly for all types of people. The websites were required to update their technology and design, so that different groups of people are able to use the websites. The goal of the project was to make the same information that is available to users without disabilities to those who have them.

Benefits The new websites that have been made to fit people with disabilities allow them to use the same technology and information that those without disabilities use. It will also enable people with handicaps to purchase products off the internet and to stay connected with others. The result will be billions of dollars more spent on products because they can be easier to obtain for those who can have a difficult time getting those specific products.

Limitations The act created problems with designers and technologists because of the pace technology is advancing, and having to create a new computer language that all computers can read. Although creating the computer language will be difficult to do, once it is established it will be placed on all the new computers rather than all the older computers. If the language is used on the older computers it has a greater chance of disabling the computer.

The Regulations of the Act Should provide text alternatives to graphics, audio, and images. Should not rely on HTML tables for layout and design, as is commonly the case on thousands of sites. Such tables may only be used for tabular data. Must be navigable without the use of a mouse or similar device. Such guidelines are intended to allow more sites to support devices such as screen readers, which take code intended for a monitor and send it to a speech synthesizer or a refreshable Braille display. In that way, a user who can't read a Web site can hear it.

Hyperlink This article can be found at: 99/05/ /05/19556