I think this report suggests strongly that if we don't start to write  
metadata about the resources we have, the few that are useful will  
not be found and those that may be used to augment or supplement them  
will never be found! This is my considered opinion after working for  
nearly ten years now with the problem of inaccessibility and the many  
approaches to solving it. Now, the problem is not only one for people  
with disabilities, bad enough, but also one for the rest of us who  
are mobile and so all the time meeting inaccessibility problems for a  
range of reasons.

I am very very concerned! I would like to see those responsible for  
metadata step up to offer what they can to help with this, as soon as  
possible.

Liddy


Begin forwarded message:
>
>> Report highlights website accessibility concerns Lexis Nexis (UK),  
>> March 06,
>> 2006
>>
>> A report published by the UK Cabinet Office reveals that only 3  
>> percent of
>> public sector websites has met a minimum standard of  
>> accessibility. Lawdit
>> Solicitors lawyer Jason Lysandrides discusses the findings with Lucy
>> Trevelyan...
>>
>> Only 3% of 436 public sector websites met a minimum standard of
>> accessibility, a report published by the UK Cabinet Office reveals  
>> - and not
>> one met the standard demanded by a European Parliament Resolution  
>> (EPR) of
>> 2002.
>>
>> Lawdit Solicitors lawyer, Jason Lysandrides says it has been a legal
>> requirement for UK websites to be 'accessible' since 1999 and all  
>> websites
>> are required to make "reasonable adjustments" to ensure their  
>> websites may
>> accommodate all users.
>>
>> He says: "The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 was introduced  
>> with the
>> intention of tackling the discrimination which many disabled  
>> people face.
>> The part of the DDA that states websites must be made accessible  
>> came into
>> force on 1 October 1999 and the Code of Practice for this section  
>> of the Act
>> was published on 27 May 2002.
>>
>> He says on 1 October 2004 changes to the DDA were made which  
>> removed the
>> small employer exemption thus requiring all employers to make all  
>> their
>> services accessible including websites, intranets and extranets  
>> accessible;
>> made police and fire services legally obliged to make their websites,
>> intranets and extranets accessible; and required service providers  
>> to make
>> physical adjustments to their premises where these features make it
>> impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people to use  
>> the service
>> they provide.
>>
>> He says:"The Disability Rights Commission formulated a code of  
>> practice. The
>> Code does not impose legal obligations, nor is it an authoritative  
>> statement
>> of the law - that is a matter for the courts. However, the Code  
>> can be used
>> in evidence in legal proceedings under the DDA. Courts must take into
>> account any part of the Code that appears to them relevant to any  
>> question
>> arising in those proceedings."
>>
>> "If a website fails to comply with the DDA then a disabled person  
>> can make a
>> claim against the company/proprietor if the website makes it  
>> impossible or
>> unreasonably difficult to access information and services. If a  
>> company has
>> not made reasonable adjustments and cannot show that this failure is
>> justified, then it may be liable under the DDA, and may have to pay
>> compensation and be ordered by a court to change the website."
>>
>> Lysandrides says that in the UK, no case has been brought to court  
>> so there
>> is no case law guidance.
>>
>> He adds: "In any event, case law can only provide broad guidance -  
>> what
>> websites have to do may vary from site to site. What is important,  
>> however,
>> is the outcome. The DDA requires that organisations make what it  
>> refers to
>> as "reasonable adjustments", to its services to ensure that a  
>> person with a
>> disability can access that service. This means making changes to  
>> websites -
>> which offer 24-hour service, and a variety of features not  
>> available via,
>> for example, a telephone service - so that disabled people can use  
>> them."
>>
>> The research, carried out by AbilityNet, Royal National Institute  
>> for the
>> Blind (RNIB), the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID),  
>> Dublin
>> City University and the Society for Information Technology Management
>> (Socitm), found the reasons for failure were no different to  
>> similar studies
>> of private sector websites, such as text alternatives missing from  
>> images
>> and navigation that becomes impossible for anyone unable to use a  
>> mouse.
>>
>> Lysandrides says that despite the DDA and the guidelines,  
>> according to
>> recent reports there has been a significant failing in all sectors in
>> respect of website access.
>>
>> "While financial incentives are to be applauded they are clearly not
>> providing for widespread compliancy. Nevertheless what is critical
>> regardless of legal sanction or incentive is that the Internet  
>> community is
>> led by example. In order for organisations to become compliant it is
>> essential that public sector websites lead the way. If local and  
>> national
>> government do not provide for sufficient access, which it is  
>> submitted would
>> do well to comply with the highest level of priority, then it will  
>> always be
>> an uphill task to encourage the private sector and others."
>>
>> He adds: "Ultimately it will be the groups themselves who are  
>> unable to or
>> have difficulty with access that will influence change. This will  
>> either be
>> from a commercial perspective, ie only using those compliant  
>> websites, but
>> where so many websites fail to address access it is unfortunate  
>> that formal
>> legal remedy will be the likely solution sought."
>>
>> (07/03/06)
>>
>>
>> http://nxtpresa.butterworths.co.uk/freelaw/news/DailyNewsItem.asp? 
>> nid=4895#4895