----- Original Message ----- From: "BlindNews Mailing List" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2007 5:58 AM Subject: Think Your Company Web Site Is Accessible? Think Again
> EarthTimes.org > Tuesday, November 13, 2007 > > Think Your Company Web Site Is Accessible? Think Again > > By Press Release > > CARLSBAD, CA -- 11/13/07 -- Accessing Web sites, specifically by persons > who are blind or visually impaired, has recently been a subject of rising > interest -- especially to Garry Grant, President and CEO of Search Engine > Optimization Inc., a professional search engine marketing firm. Grant's > daughter, Amber, 18, has been blind since birth. > Visually impaired individuals, like Amber, are able to use the Internet to > manage money, shop and perform a variety of other tasks by installing > "screen reader" software on their computers that searches for codes > embedded on Web sites. These codes enable text and graphics to be read or > described audibly. The software also lets the blind navigate sites by > using keystrokes instead of a mouse. However, not all Web sites are > optimally designed for use by Internet consumers who have visual > impairments. > > In a quest to make Web sites more accessible to the visually impaired, SEO > Inc.'s Grant, along with the National Federation of the Blind and other > advocacy organizations, is encouraging retailers to make the necessary > changes that will allow users with "screen reader software" and other > technology to navigate and listen to the text throughout their Web sites. > > "I just don't think the awareness and knowledge to become Section 508 > compliant or to have a site that is at least navigable for adaptive > technologies is quite clear," says Grant, whose SEO Inc. professional > search engine marketing firm assists businesses in making their sites more > visible in the major search properties, as well as making their Web sites > more accessible to the visually impaired. Making a Web site more > accessible, he notes, can include tagging images with word descriptions, > allowing the software to "read" those images aloud. There also are many > other factors often overlooked -- those that actually help the adaptive > technologies work correctly. > > "It's a win-win situation for companies to make these changes... and by > doing so, they not only broaden their visibility online, but they open > themselves up to a completely new user demographic, ultimately, allowing > for easier navigation and the ability to make purchases." > > The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires stores, restaurants and > other businesses to provide access to people with mental and physical > disabilities. Since the Internet emerged, several lawsuits have focused on > what Web site owners should be required to do to make their pages > accessible to the disabled. Perhaps one of the most prominent in recent > years is the legal action initiated against Target Corp. by the National > Federation of the Blind and a consumer group, which charge that the big > retailer violates federal and California laws in failing to make its Web > site user-friendly to visually impaired consumers. Last month, U.S. > District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel granted class-action status to the > lawsuit, alleging that Target Corp. is in violation of California law and > the ADA because screen-reading software doesn't work on parts of its Web > site, essentially making it unusable for blind people. > > While the case against Target may be months away from being settled, it is > already beginning to raise awareness globally about the work and rewards > of accommodating the needs of online shoppers with disabilities, explains > Grant. > > Robert Stigile, President, NFB, California, supports Grant's efforts. "The > recent decision on the Target lawsuit is a major break in the case, for it > tells Target that they will indeed need to change their Web site so that > blind Americans will be able to shop there," says Stigile. > > When this suit is over, he adds, all companies will eventually need to > change their Web sites so that they are accessible to the visually > impaired. "After all, blind Americans are people who want to shop > online... they want to purchase items just like sighted people do, and > should be able to," says Stigile. > > According to Grant, business owners need to understand that taking the > proper steps to make their Web sites accessible to the blind and visually > impaired does not always entail a huge price tag. "It's more a matter of > some thought behind it, and a little bit of hard work." > > For more information about SEO Inc. call toll-free at (877) 736-0006 or > visit www.seoinc.com. > > About Search Engine Optimization Inc.: > > Search Engine Optimization Inc. is an integrated search engine marketing > company that specializes in achieving high rankings for their clients on > the Internet's major search engines. SEO Inc. creates highly targeted > optimization campaigns geared towards unique online business objectives. > Leveraging more than 40 years of combined Internet marketing experience, > SEO Inc.'s certified search engine specialists have developed and honed a > suite of highly effective, proprietary optimization and marketing > methodologies that have placed more than 700 leading corporations in the > top rankings of world's leading search engines. > > http://www.seoinc.com/ > > Posted : Tue, 13 Nov 2007 05:00:33 GMT > > > http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,221937.shtml > BlindNews Mailing List > Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] with "subscribe" as subject > > Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] with "unsubscribe" as subject > > Moderator: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Archive: http://GeoffAndWen.com/blind > > RSS: http://GeoffAndWen.com/BlindNewsRSS.asp > > More information about RSS feeds will be published shortly. 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