Committee News and New Content

State and Federal E-Government in the United States, 2002 - In this study, Connecticut was ranked 4th overall in the country, and first in the areas of security policy and privacy policies on state web sites, and first in the area of web sites accessible to people with disabilities.

May 9, 2002 - DOIT Notice to IT Consultants about Web Accessibility Training requirement

Committee Chair's report from CSUN 2002

JAWS for Windows Navigation Keys

Extension granted for certain PDF documents

Web Site Accessibility In the News

Government Technology Magazine, December 2002

Point of View: Accessibility Is Fundamental to E-Government State and local governments are slowly dealing with accessibility in the design of Web sites and electronic services. The 2002 Digital State Survey indicates that a growing number of states now have accessibility statements referencing either World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) guidelines or federal Section 508 regulations. This is encouraging because the federal mandate does not apply to state and local sectors; their efforts are voluntary.
Unequal Access: Patchwork of policies creates uncertain e-government availability for citizens with disabilities There are 54 million Americans with disabilities. Less than one-third of adults with severe disabilities are working, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, and barely half the number of students with disabilities graduated from high school, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
An Inclusive Internet: States discover there's more than one way to improve Web site accessibility Web site accessibility continues to grow in importance as more constituents with disabilities incorporate the Internet into their daily lives.
Accessible Technology Conference Draws International Audience - Government Technology, March 27, 2002 - More than 4,000 people representing 35 countries attended a five-day conference on accessibility technologies, said Harry Rizer, director of the California State University, Northridge Center on Disabilities, which sponsored the conference. http://www.govtech.net/news/news.phtml?docid=2002.03.27-3030000000009733
Government Technology's Supplement - electronic government, Spring 2002 - Across the Disability Divide - States begin the journey to develop accessible Web sites Mentions that Connecticut is one of the states that is leading the way and lists Connecticut's Accessibility Policy as a resource.

Government Computer News

Access Board says Section 508 still rules A judge’s ruling on commercial Web sites has no impact on government sites, which are still required to be accessible to the disabled, according to the federal Access Board.

Smooth the bumpy road to 508 compliance Tools with wizards, customizable rules and details for fixes can help you retrofit Web sites for accessibility

Keys to Access: Making Web pages accessible could be easier and cheaper than you think Government Computer News, April 15, 2002. A key phrase in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 orders employers to “make reasonable accommodations” for disabled employees and others. The directive’s purpose is clear but the words are vague enough to allow organizations to view making some accommodations as unreasonable. What makes an accommodation unreasonable? The shortest answer is cost. http://www.gcn.com/21_8/guide/18381-1.html

State making its Web sites ADA compliant Hartford Business Journal, January 21, 2002 (republished here with permission).

FCW.Com - Index to articles about Accessibility