Hello! No harm done.

I have added a link to "Skip Intro" on the home page (for users with slower
access) that takes you directly to a page with more content and the same
level of navigation. This is the first link on the home page.

Our use of Flash comes from a strong directive from our marketing and sales
department. Our studies show that the organizations in the market we target
do indeed, universally have high speed access. Again, we are committed to
universal accessible design for our target market -- not the entire world.
This means we are committed to using animation and other bells and whistles
and making them accessible or as in this case, avoidable. This doesn't mean
it is the only way we build projects. When our audience is the whole world,
we use development techniques that address those constraints.

While the visuals may not be of value to some, they are of great value to
many others and the value lies in keeping the animation on the home page.

I hope you will revisit our site, move past the intro and critique the
other things we have done to improve accessibility.

Rosemary

On Thu, 14 Jun 2001 11:44:12 -0400, David Poehlman <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

>I mean no harm here but there seems to be more compromise than is
>necessary or perhaps justifyable here.  the target you site is filled
>with individuals with disabilities who may or may not have a high speed
>connection and for many the flash is just purely an obstacle.  if you
>can't do without it, link to it and instruct those who want it to follow
>that link.  Targets are non principle anyway because the web is world
>wide.  One blind guy giving you high marks is not enough.
>