| Entire Accessibility Web Action Plan |
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| Monday, 01 July 2002 10:00 |
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Accessibility Web Action Plan
Download the latest version of AWAP in: TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY As peak industry associations, the Internet Industry Association (IIA) and the Australian Interactive Multimedia Industry Association (AIMIA) are committed to the basic principle underlying the DDA … that people with a disability have the same fundamental rights as the rest of the community. Further, the IIA and AIMIA have identified other barriers, in addition to disability, that also affect accessibility and these will also be addressed. The IIA and AIMIA have therefore joined together to develop and implement the industry's first Accessibility Web Action Plan. This Plan encourages web accessibility awareness and helps members develop and maintain accessible websites. The IIA and AIMIA encourages others to use the Plan as a template, and as such holds no copyright or commercial confidentiality restrictions. The Taskforce strongly encourages review, adoption, adaptation or implementation. However, adoption or reproduction with attribution to IIA / AIMIA requires permission from the Taskforce Chair. Vision Aim Objectives
Strategies and Actions Evaluation INTRODUCTION The Internet Industry Association (IIA) and the Australian Interactive Multimedia Industry Association (AIMIA) are committed to the basic principle underlying the DDA … that people with a disability have the same fundamental rights as the rest of the community. Further, the IIA and AIMIA have identified other barriers, in addition to disability, that also affect accessibility and these will also be addressed. The IIA and AIMIA have therefore joined together to develop and implement the industry's first Accessibility Web Action Plan. This Plan encourages web accessibility awareness and helps members develop and maintain accessible websites. This Plan is a way for IIA and AIMIA to provide a best practice model for their members. The Plan assists them to create sites that are accessible both to people with disabilities, as well as other identified barriers, in the provision of Internet or online based goods, services and facilities. IIA and AIMIA believes the adoption of common standards by all Australian websites will promote the confidence of users in online services, and the accessibility of online Australian information and services. Our organisations also believe there is a sound business case and commercial benefit for building and implementing accessible and usable websites. It is therefore IIA and AIMIA's intention to ensure members are aware of accessibility issues and that they work towards providing accessible online services. To support this direction, IIA and AIMIA have agreed to the adoption of the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines as the common best practice guide for all Australian websites. This decision will ensure that people with disabilities, as well as those experiencing other identified barriers, can use the online resources provided by Australian websites. These guidelines are widely recognised internationally, and have the support of Australia's Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC), disability groups and rural groups.
Internet Industry Association (IIA) - www.iia.net.au The IIA is Australia's national Internet industry organisation and represents a broad range of companies doing business on the Internet. On behalf of its members, the IIA provides policy input to government and advocacy on a range of business and regulatory issues, to promote laws and initiatives, which enhance access, equity, reliability and growth of the medium within Australia. Australian Interactive Multimedia Industry Association (AIMIA) - www.aimia.com.au AIMIA is a focal point for all individuals and organisations interested in interactive multimedia. AIMIA offers a forum to network and discuss a wide range of industry issues, including technology, content, copyright, interface design, interactivity and government programs. AIMIA is represented by Chapters across the nation, offering both a local and national focus and a consistent voice to state and federal governments. The Web Accessibility Taskforce The Web Accessibility Taskforce as part of the Digital Bridge Taskforce is an initiative of the IIA. Web Accessibility is a priority for this Taskforce and is fully endorsed and supported by AIMIA. The priority for Web Accessibility is to promote the importance of web accessibility and online resources to assist businesses and individuals in the development of accessible web content and services. Information and services provided by the Taskforce are concisely targeted so as to enable rapid incorporation of accessibility techniques into new and existing websites. Specific consideration is given to the needs of citizens who utilise enabling technologies to read web and interact with content that they would otherwise be unable to access (eg. blind people). Consideration is also given to users with other restrictions such as low bandwidth (eg. rural areas), low GNP nations, physical or cognitive issues. The Taskforce is working with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) and the Federal Attorney-General's Department, both of whom have offered their full support for this initiative. This document was initially developed under the now defunct Web Accessibility Taskforce, and has now been adopted and updated by the Digital Bridge Taskforce. The development process incorporated regular Taskforce meetings, dedicated brainstorming sessions, consultation and feedback. CONSULTATION PROCESS ON THE DRAFT The Boards of the IIA and AIMIA are committed to this Plan and have fully endorsed this draft for community comment. It is the intention of the Taskforce to seek review and input prior to release of final from the following:
Websites that are hosted in Australia are obliged by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 to ensure information and services provided, are accessible by people with disabilities. The objective of the DDA, to eliminate discrimination on the grounds of disability, is compatible with our members' objectives of creating or maintaining successful businesses. In implementing an Accessibility Web Action Plan, the Taskforce believes business and the community sector, as a whole, will benefit significantly. An Action Plan will assist to increase market share for our members and enhance the image of their business. We also believe the whole community will benefit from the additional economic participation of people with a disability. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, people with disabilities comprise over 18% of the Australian population. And that figure does not take into account Australia's aging population. When we also consider their friends, relations and colleagues, who are also affected by discriminatory features of the provision of goods, services and facilities, it is clear that eliminating discrimination makes good business sense. In addition, the respective objectives of the IIA and AIMIA are clearly complementary to those of the DDA and this Action Plan. The law does not discriminate - are you liable? Ignorance of the DDA would not protect a service provider from a discrimination complaint. The recent case of Maguire v SOCOG shows the liability of service providers if they do not build accessible websites. A retailer whose website does not comply with the requirements of the DDA has the same liability as a retailer whose bricks and mortar store does not comply with the requirements. The DDA covers those pages developed or maintained for purposes relating to employment; education; professional services; banking; insurance; financial services; entertainment or recreation; telecommunications services; public transport services; government services; sale or rental of real estate; sport; activities of voluntary associations; administration of Commonwealth laws and programs.
Can your business afford to turn away customers? Customers care when they cannot read text on a page; find information; be left waiting for pages to load; or when they are unable to access a website because their browser or platform is incompatible. If they cannot find the product or the information they're looking for customers will go elsewhere. For companies doing business on the Internet it is important to remember that customers will be operating under a wide range of circumstances. They may live in rural Australia and experience a slow connection; they may not speak (or understand) English fluently; they may have low vision or mobility restrictions, hearing loss, blindness, neurological problems or difficulty understanding some information. A website that is accessible benefits everybody … pages load more quickly, information is accessed in a logical manner and the site can be viewed on any browser. Other benefits include forward compatibility with emerging technologies (such as WAP, mobile phones and palm devices) and, attractiveness to search engines. Companies must demonstrate that their business appreciates and understands the needs of their customers, does not discriminate against any customer, and adapts well to new technologies and business/social environments. Giving everyone an opportunity to access a website is giving a business a competitive edge and a chance to grow. Additionally, customers are beginning to expect that the companies they do business with, understand their role in today's global and social world. Customers expect companies to act as good corporate citizens and to be able to demonstrate they are responsible in the environments in which they operate. Customers are increasingly expecting companies to play an active social, environmental and commercial role in the communities in which they do business with. The cost involved in developing an accessible site from the beginning is marginal compared to the valued added from increased traffic, customer retention or transaction revenue. However development costs rise exponentially if you are redesigning a large site from the ground up. Add to this the risk of a lawsuit or impact on brand and reputation associated with bad publicity and it is worth getting it right the first time. As providers of online services, Internet companies have a responsibility to educate their own customers, and inform them of their legal responsibilities. In addition, as providers of valued web services, companies are in an excellent position to argue the business benefits of accessible design. This Plan is a dynamic document that is to be reviewed annually. This Action Plan focuses entirely on web accessibility. It deals specifically with websites that are developed and/or housed in Australia. Although the Plan is specifically targeted at IIA and AIMIA members, it has equal relevance to the entire Internet industry. In accordance with section 61 of the DDA, an Action Plan must include provisions relating to: The devising of policies and programs to achieve the objects of this Act;
The IIA/AIMIA Accessibility Web Action Plan aims to meet these provisions. The Plan adopts the broad definition of disability used in the DDA that includes physical, intellectual, psychiatric, sensory and neurological disability. It also covers physical disfigurement and the presence in the body of an organism capable of causing disease, such as HIV. In addition to the disabilities identified above, Australians experience other barriers to online services. These barriers include low bandwidth, older technology or the lack of technology. Technology barriers critically limit use of online services particularly in rural and regional Australia. By adopting an accessible design methodology providers contribute to universal access of online goods and services. The Plan addresses the liability of IIA/AIMIA and their members in their roles as providers of goods and services, in a way which:
IIA and AIMIA have identified a number of beneficiaries from the strategies in this Plan:
Disability Barriers The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) estimated that in 1998, approximately 3.6 million people or nearly 18% of the Australian population had some kind of disability. Approximately 3.2 million of these people with a disability experienced some specific restriction in their core activities, including access to schooling or employment. A further 3.1 million people have an impairment or long term condition that may, at times, restrict their every day activities. Communication is identified in the ABS study as one of the fundamentally important activities underlying all aspects of everyday life. 16% of the total Australian population experiences profound to mild restrictions in a core activity. The ABS study identifies self-care and mobility as well as communication as core activities. The largest segment of people with a disability [who experience difficulties with communications] continues to be persons with a hearing impairment, and persons who are severely/profoundly deaf. Other relevant, though smaller segments include:
Technical Barriers The major technical barriers facing web users are low bandwidth and older technology. These two issues conspire to affect the way in which people access online goods and services. Low bandwidth has meant that many people can only experience the web by limiting the information served to them. ABS figures indicate that 30% of rural and regional dwellers surf the web with graphics turned off. This reflects the limited bandwidth available - 30% of Australians access the web using bandwidths less than 14.4kbps. Access to computers and newer technologies also limits access to online services. As newer browsers and faster computers become available, costs can limit the adoption or acquisition of newer technology. When providers use newer technologies to deliver goods and services the inability for the technology to be backwards compatible can be a barrier. An example is the variations between older and newer browser versions.
Language and Culture - Not everyone speaks English as a first language. According to 1996 ABS Census, 16.9% of Australians spoke a language other than English at home. The information above not only indicates the extent of disability, and other barriers, within the community but also highlights the need for the Internet industry to effectively cater for this growing segment of the population. The Accessibility Web Action Plan initiatives recognise the needs of these groups. This Plan aims to ensure effective communication and presentation solutions are available to all Australians. As the Internet continues to evolve, new ways of communicating, transacting and interacting are rapidly emerging. The IIA and AIMIA will continue their commitment to consultation, to ensure that they not only understand the diverse Internet-based needs of people with disabilities and other identified barriers, but that they can continually provide better tailored solutions to them. As a result of a variety of Federal Government initiatives a large proportion of Federal, State and Territory government services are now provided online. Many of these sites have taken accessibility into account so that Federal and State Government services generally meet the requirements of DDA. Local governments and private sector providers do not have as good a track record. It is essential that any organisation not providing an accessible service consider its online presence with a view to implementing accessibility principles. The last review of online services by IIA/AIMIA indicated that less than 10% of members' online services met the requirements of the DDA. This limited adoption of universally accessible design fundamentals requires concerted effort to overcome, particularly with a complaints based legalistic framework. The main barrier to provision of accessible services and to the implementation of this Plan is the voluntary nature of the members' involvement with IIA/AIMIA. An important role for IIA/AIMIA will be to encourage members to develop their own Plans for accessibility of their sites. The Internet Industry Association (IIA) and the Australasian Interactive Multimedia Industry Association (AIMIA) believe the Internet offers a profound opportunity for all Australian people and businesses, and that the Internet should be accessible to all. Vision Aim OBJECTIVES
OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS The following section explains the Strategies and Actions for each Objective.
Strategies to Support the Objective
Actions to Support the Objective
Strategies to Support the Objective
Actions to Support the Objective
OBJECTIVE 3: IIA AND AIMIA CONSIDERED LEADERS IN WEB ACCESS PROMOTION Strategies to Support the Objective
Actions to Support the Objective
OBJECTIVE 4: THE AWAP IS CURRENT AND RELEVANT Strategies to Support the Objective
Actions to Support the Objective
Evaluation - process of determining whether the Plan is effective, using performance measures to see if we objectives are being met. Evaluation is concerned with outcomes. Review - process of looking again at the overall direction and priorities of the Plan to ensure relevance. The Web Accessibility Taskforce will be responsible for monitoring the AWAP. To achieve effective monitoring, the AWAP will be a permanent agenda item on all Taskforce meetings. During discussion on the item, AWAP action items will be addressed to identify what needs to be done to achieve the outputs of each task and activity.
The Digital Bridge Taskforce, in consultation with AIMIA and HREOC, will review the AWAP at least annually, as indicated in the task list. A revised AWAP will be prepared in November of each year to ensure enough time for IIA and AIMIA Board approval and submission to HREOC. The submitted AWAP will be launched early each year with a Press Release. The monitoring, evaluation, review and amendment of this Plan will occur on an ongoing basis. The Plan is a dynamic document and it is intended for the Plan process to be cyclical, with feedback from previous Plans continuing to influence the development of new Plans and strategies into the future. From time to time amendments may be made to the Plan - they may not necessarily be published at the time. Amendments may occur in the following circumstances:
This Plan is to be marketed broadly, as per the strategies and actions, in order to:
The Plan's message will be promoted through use of the acronym ACCESS: Accessible sites enjoy many benefits. The Plan is intended to be used as a template by others and as such holds no copyright or commercial confidentiality restrictions. The Taskforce strongly encourages review, adoption, adaptation or implementation of this Plan. However, adoption or reproduction with attribution to IIA / AIMIA requires permission from the Taskforce Chair.
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| Last Updated on Monday, 30 January 2006 01:50 |