The University of Texas at Austin's Accessibility Institute has been one of the most important organizations in the *world* regarding promoting accessibility in technology. It has been an organization that has greatly influenced the lives and work of many (including me).
http://www.utexas.edu/research/accessibility/ Today, I received the following petition. I am flabberghasted that, at a time when new tech tools are becoming more widely used and the push for accessibility regarding these tools has never been more important, UT is closing this institute, without debate. Colleages on the Digital Divide Network -- this is a chance to take a stand and say that tech accessibility for people with disabilities remains a burning issue and a major part of battling the Digital Divide. Knowbility.org has created an posted an online petition you can take just a few minutes to sign, and then distribute to other networks. Please take the time to do this. Or, you can write directly to the decision makers at UT: Dr. Stephen A. Monti [EMAIL PROTECTED] Executive Vice Provost The University of Texas at Austin A supporter wrote the following summary about the Institute): ><http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/SavetheInstitute>Save the >Accessibility Institute Petition > >At 09:03 AM 8/27/2008, Mike Moore wrote: > > > > >1. The Accessibility Institute at the University of Texas will >be closed effective August 29th 2008. > >2. Proposals to move the work to >the College of Information and/or the College of Computer Science >have not been accepted. Although >those institutions are capable of conducting the research there are >no specific funds, faculty, or researcher > positions to support this work. > >3. The two primary researchers >from the Accessibility Institute are no longer available. The >founder and Director, John Slatin, PhD >passed away last spring and Kay Lewis, PhD has accepted another >position. > >4. The University's IT >department has few resources dedicated to accessibility. Two systems >analysts are assigned 15% of their time >each to oversee accessibility for the University's 1M+ web pages. > > > > > It is very disappointing that the University >has made this decision. The University of Texas has the stature, >funding, reputation, and experience necessary to >attract researchers and faculty needed to continue and build the >Accessibility Institute. All that the University's >administration seems to lack is the interest. > > > > The UT Accessibility Institute through Dr. >Slatin was able to considerable influence on the development and >implementation of accessibility standards >world-wide. This included the formation of the W3C Web Accessibility >Initiative and the WCAG 1.0 and 2.0 as well >as the US Access Board and the Section 508 standards. Although I >have tremendous admiration and respect for John, > I do not believe that he would have been as influential had >his advocacy not been backed by the solid research conducted at the > Institute and the prestige of the University >of Texas. The loss of the UT Accessibility Institute is a loss for >the University, the State of Texas, the >nation, and the world. Most importantly it is a loss for millions of >disabled people who have benefited from the >research, education, and advocacy that was conducted through the >Institute. > > > > The University runs promotional commercials >during sports broadcasts where Walter Cronkite, speaks about the >influence of the University. "The University >of Texas, what starts here changes the world." This was certainly >true of the Accessibility Institute. By closing >the Institute, the University of Texas is signaling that >accessibility is not a priority anymore. I can only hope that > this decision does not change the world. > > > >Today I am ashamed of my alma mater. > (this message was posted to the Digital Divide Network by the following person, who did NOT attend UT, but is disturbed by this action nonetheless) -- <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Ms. Jayne Cravens MSc Bonn, Germany http://www.coyotecommunications.com Volunteer Coordinator http://www.aidworkers.net www.ivisit.com id: jcravens.4947 <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list [email protected] http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
