IT Accessibility Review

Volume 1, Number 1

Around the IT/Web Accessible World

IT Accessible France?

The nations of the European Union are gradually trying to make their E&IT more accessible. Yet, convincing companies to follow government action is another story.According to Jean-Pierre Villain, web remediation specialist for TecAccess, France has made a weak attempt in implementing E&IT accessibility standards. "A recent report shows that only 3 out of the 30 most popular (French) sites use accessible features," said Jean-Pierre, "and just one of them has accessibility level 1." Even though the French government has an official accessibility website, the accessibility level of the actual site is poor. When Jean-Pierre ran "Bobby", the automatic web accessibility validator, it found more than 20 errors, including skipped TAB navigation. Nevertheless, there´s still hope for the French. A government assistant secretary is quite interested in the accessibility subject since one of her friends types with his toes. Furthermore, the French government announced that it would establish an accessibility law for administrative and organizational websites. If it passes, the French law will hopefully be as effective as Section 508 in the United States.

IT Accessibility Arrives in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is one of the most underdeveloped nations in the world. Yet, with the help of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) and ITU (International Telecommunication Union), the African nation is becoming more accessible in information technology. UNESCO and ITU have embarked on a project to build a computer training center, which will include adaptive equipment for Ethiopians with vision impairments. Besides helping blind users develop computer skills, the center will also promote awareness that Ethiopians with disabilities can be productive.

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Italy Passes IT Accessibility Legislation

Italy has started to become accessible beyond architecture. Thanks to the European Union, the ancient country has dived into information technology accessibility. In January 2004, the Italian government established "Provisions to support the access of information technology for the disabled." The law "protects everyone´s right to access to all sources of information and to their pertinent services." The legislation extends to government, education institutions, and businesses.

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