[thelist] Flash, usability, accessibility

Chris Kaminski chris at setmajer.com
Sat Jun 8 04:52:01 CDT 2002


Thus spake Martin Burns:

> In any case, let's pretend for a moment that you've been approached by
> the DOJ, or an organisation, or a private individual, who is accusing
> you of being non-accessible to a particular disability.
>
> What's your best defence? Being accessible.
> How do you prove it? "Here's how we meet these independent standards of
> accessibility"
> Which standard is going to give you your strongest argument in the US?
> The one that the DOJ already agrees provides sufficient accessibility.
> WAI would be the next one.

Martin, since your CV is silent on the matter, would you please enlighten me
as to your qualifications for giving advice on U.S. Federal law? Where and
when did you earn your Juris Doctor? In which state(s) have you passed the
Bar exam?

I am either misunderstanding your arguments, or they run counter to those
put forward by practicing lawyers in the U.S, who are far less certain about
the general applicability of Section 508 of the Workforce Investment Act of
1998, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973-1992 and the Americans With
Disabilities Act of 1990 to privately-owned Web sites not belonging to
government contractors. I would be interested in your background so that I
might better evaluate your claims vis a vis those I have heard elsewhere,

I would also be interested in your opinion of the potential liability of
text-based sites that do not provide an image-based or audio alternative for
users with learning impairments.

Lastly, I would very much like to read the previous post you've referred to
several times. I have searched the archives for the last three weeks or so
and cannot find it. A subject line or specific date would be most helpful.

Thank you.


chris.kaminski == ( design | code | analysis )

------------------------------------------------------------
    People demand freedom of speech as a
    compensation for the freedom of thought
    which they seldom use.
    ---------------------------------<< Soren Kierkegaard >>




More information about the thelist mailing list