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Accessibility: Compliance, Competitiveness, & CompassionLisa Pappas Accessibility AnalystCentral Testing – Process & Research
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AT for People Who Have Low Vision
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AT for People Who Are Blind
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AT for People Who Are Hearing-Impaired
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AT for People With Dexterity Impairments
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Why Produce Accessible Software?
Compliance
Competitiveness
Quality and consistency
Automated test enhancements
Ease-of-use
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Legislative Time Line
1990 1998 2000 2005 Next?
Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA)
Access Board
publishesSection 508
criteria
e-Europe Initiative
U.S. Congress
passes Section 508
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What Does Section 508 Cover?
Software
Documentation
Technical support
Web content
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How ADA Combines with Section 508
Companies with > 15 employees must provide:
Reasonable accommodation
Equal access to information
Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
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How Many People Are Affected?
Some type of disability
Have >1 disability
Visual or Auditory
20%
50%
4%
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Who Benefits from Assistive Technology?
Forrester Research Study for Microsoft
Measured current and potential market of AT
60% of working-age adults likely or very likely to benefit from AT
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Demographic Convergence
LifeExpectancy
Age atRetirement
Incidence ofDisability
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Statistics of Global Labor Pool
We are about to face a demographically driven shortfall in labor that will make late 1990s seem like a minor irritation.
-Anthony Carnevale, Former Chairman of the National Commission for Employment Policy
Source: “It’s 2008: Do You Know Where Your Talent Is? Why Acquisition and Retention Strategies Don’t Work.” A Deloitte Research Study, March 2005.
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Accessibility: A Natural Extension of SAS’ Philosophy
You can pay headhunters to replace the overworked, overstressed employees that leave your company every year, or you can invest that money in keeping your employees happy & productive. To me, it’s a no-brainer.
- Dr. Jim Goodnight
Source: “CEO takes HR to primetime – Between the lines – Jim Goodnight, SAS,” Workforce, December 2002.
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How to Develop Accessible Software and Web Content
Code to platform standards and specifications
Educate at all levels of company
Integrate accessibility into the design and development process
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How SAS Can Help You Produce Accessible Output
SAS/GRAPH and ODS HTML tagset• 8.2 – GACCESSIBLE macro
• 9.1.3 – GOPTIONS ACCESSIBLE
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How to Validate Accessibility (Short List)
Full keyboard operation
Consistent, visible focus
Screen reader reads name and state of controls
Short-cut keys for quick navigation
Text description of all visual elements
On Web, enable to skip repetitive content
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How to Provide Accessible Tech Support
Familiarize Tech Support reps
Recognize the issues
Deliver support documentation in accessible format
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How to Provide Accessible Documentation
For Web-based content, code “valid HTML”
Test for full keyboard navigation
Test with screen reader
Describe all visual elements
Enable skip of navigation or repetitive content
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How to Provide Accessible Software in the Workplace
Buy accessible and verify compliance
Provide AT as needed
Educate developers
Top-down commitment / Bottom-up buy-in
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Benefits of Accessible Workplace and Software
Retention
Recruiting pool
Public opinion
Usability, customer satisfaction
Litigation risk
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Contact Information
Lisa [email protected]
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