Making Web sites and technologies accessible

In the mid 1990s surveys showed a clear digital divide between the "have and have-nots"-divisions that aligned primarily along economic and educational lines. Hispanics, Blacks, Native Americans, and people living in rural areas had less access to the Internet than did higher-income citizens and those living in urban areas. By 2000, the digital divide had narrowed for these groups, but other digital divides were becoming apparent. Chief among them are Americans with disabilities who have problems accessing the Internet. Their disabilities may include (1) visual disabilities, (2) hearing disabilities, (3) learning/cognitive disabilities, (4) physical/motor disabilities, and (5) seizure disorders. Technical communicators can play a major role in helping to make Web sites and other technologies accessible for people with disabilities. The presentation: (1) briefly reviews federal regulations; (2) suggests strategies for making Web sites more accessible; (3) provides a listing of URLs to guide Web development; and (4) identify needed interface research to bridge the disabilities digital divide