1. Special Session on Web Accessibility AAATE 2009 Conference, Florence – September 1 st, 2009 Accelerating Web Accessibility: Migrating to WCAG 2.0 and Ensuring Vigilance over Emerging Technologies Roberto Scano WCAG 2.0 and a new government initiative

2. About me W3C AC Rep. For IWA/HWG W3C WCAG Working Group Member W3C ATAG Working Group Member Expert of ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG 5 'Software ergonomics and human-computer dialogues' Co-author of italian accessibility Law technical requirements (4/2004) and technical manual as a consultant for CNIPA (National Centre for Informatic in Public Admin.) Consultant for DDIT (Department for Digitalization for the P.A. and Technological Innovation) in the Prime Minister Office (PCM) Member of the DDIT / FORMEZ Accessibility Observatory

3. Topics 4/2004 Law and public websites 2009: Law update and WCAG 2.0 application Italian Goverment Web Accessibility Initiative

4. 4/2004 law and public websites 4/2004 Law Law since Jan 17th, 2004. 22 WCAG 1.x requirements since July 8th, 2005. Accessibility requirements for public Web sites.

5. 4/2004 law and public websites Issues Difficulty in finding products that respect the compliance No accessibility culture in both Web professionals and in the Public Administrations

6. Solutions New Web-CMS made in Italy. Promotion of a Design for All approach by CNIPA (courses and training) and Web acessibility experts. IWA association seminars for education and outreach. 4/2004 law and public websites

7. There is an official translation work in progress (coordinated by IWA/HWG). Law is different than a Recommendation: Need to select WCAG 2.0 success criteria with law-like rewording. Need to guarantee that Italian Web sites that are compliant with 4/2004 Law still conform to the Law update. Need to have all success criteria measurable objectively. 2009: law update and wcag 2.0 application

8. Italian Goverment Web Accessibility Initiative DIT together with FORMEZ create an Accessibility Observatory with two main goals: Involve the USERS in the public Web site accessibility evaluation through the LINEA AMICA government Web site. Update of the national regulation to WCAG 2.0 recommendation

9. USERS INVOLVEMENT Citizen that find accessibility problems in public Web sites open a public ticket. The backoffice accessibility team evaluate the item and forward to the public Web site owner suggestions about how to solve the problem. The solution is published in the Web site. The ticket is closed. Italian Goverment Web Accessibility Initiative

10. USERS INVOLVEMENT The Accessibility Observatory Will contain also best practices and useful techniques for developing compliant Italian Accessibility Law Web sites. Will be public available on the Linea Amica web site at the following address… http://accessibile.gov.it Italian Goverment Web Accessibility Initiative

11. Thank you! More info: www.innovazionepa.gov.it www.lineaamica.it www.accessibile.gov.it http://robertoscano.info/about http://www.iwa.it