Dan,
You pose some very important questions and, I for one, am interested in the 
path to discovering the answers.
Deborah

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dan Rossi" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 10:48 AM
Subject: Re: [VICUG-L] inaccessible websites


Are there metrics for what makes a site quote accessible quote?  I know
that the w3c has guidelines, but who gets to say if a site is accessible
or not.

I found it surprising when SouthWest got sued because just a couple of
weeks before the announcement of the suit came out, I had purchased
tickets on their site.

Over on another list, I am trying to help someone out who feels that the
audible.com site is very inaccessible, yet there are many blind people who
use that site regularly with no, or minimal issues.

If one blind person can use a site, does that mean it is accessible?  If
one blind person cannot use a site, does that mean it is inaccessible?

Obviously, it isn't one of those extremes, so how do you measure
accessibility and who gets to make the final call?

I am honestly not trying to be provocative, I am trying to find a real
answer, because I am often asked this question and I don't have an answer.
The confusion seems to come from the fact that you can build a site that
adheres pretty closely to the WAI guidelines, and still have a site that
some blind people will have trouble with.  Conversely, it is pretty easy
to build a site that fails a lot of the tests for accessibility, but is
not actually inaccessible.

Thanks for any help.

-- 
Blue skies.
Dan Rossi
Carnegie Mellon University.
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
Tel: (412) 268-9081


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