New Online Resource for Accessibility

Under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the Information Technology Technical Assistance Center and Training Center (ITTATC) at the Georgia Institute of Technology, recently increased online resources for states needing information about accessibility issues.

According to Deborah Buck, director of state IT accessibility initiatives for ITTATC, the online overview offers state officials and advocates for IT accessibility a snapshot of the 50 states' laws, policies and standards. There are numerous links to relevant resources in areas affected by the implementation of policies such as federal Section 508 regulations, which have been adopted by several states, and also to W3C standards. Accessibility to technology for persons with disabilities includes application development, Web site design, IT procurement and other topics.

The issue also affects industry as governments increasingly chose to purchase information technology that is accessible. ITTATC's work includes outreach to the private sector with training programs and online resources, according to Buck who is conducting a national campaign to work with state governments to achieve accessibility.

Section 508 requires states to purchase information technology that is accessible to a variety of adaptive devices used by people with disabilities, such as screen readers and alternative keyboards. It also covers accessible design of Web sites and the purchase of hardware such as copy and fax machines. Advocates are quick to point out that accessible technologies benefit all users and, when implemented in the design process, add very little to the cost of most applications.