Here's a couple articles a friend of mine typed up asking for my comments
on them.  I have my own opinions on this stuff, and will be chatting with
him about them, but perhaps others can write to him as well to post their
opinions as well.  Please don't swamp the guy, since he's only curious,
and doesn't really have any clout to get anything done about any of it.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 14 May 1999 09:40:47 -0400
From: Ed Farabaugh <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Web site access for the disabled


Hello again dot dot dot

Travis, I believe I told you I am working part time (about 2 hours
each morning) as the "Morning Cleanup Editor" for an online daily 
electronic newspaper - WorldNetDaily.com, operated by Joseph Farah, 
a former newspaper editor in Sacramento, California.

Not only are their exclusive articles interesting and informative --
and often political in nature --  but many of the external links to 
other publications are just as valuable. Incidentally the web site
currently averages around three million "hits" as well as several
hundred thousand unique visitors each day.

In 1997, when Mr. Farah began criticizing the federal government
in general, and the Clinton Administration in particular, he was
quickly visited by the Internal Revenue Service. He noticed that 
the agents were more interested in the content of his publication 
than they were in his tax records. When he questioned them, they
admitted that it was a "political audit." He used the Freedom of
Information Act to collect evidence that his and other publications
were on a "hit list." They simply wanted to silence him. 

I won't bore you with the details, but he raised so much hell that 
eventually members of congress noticed, and United States Senate 
held hearings on I R S abuse [I watched most of it on C-SPAN last
year]. The day after the hearings ended, the Commissioner of the 
I R S resigned and some other heads rolled (so to speak). The result 
is what they are now calling the "new friendlier I R S." 

Currently, Mr. Farah is involved in a lawsuit against the federal 
government, on behalf of himself and others for violation of his 
First Amendment rights.

So much for my comments about WorldNetDaily.

Last week, they featured an article about Internet access for the 
disabled. I will paste the article and the contents of a link at 
the end of this email.

Basically it says that some of the federal regulators would like to
force - under penalty of law - all web site providers and programmers 
to provide 100 percent access to the disabled community - for some
reason they concentrate more on visual disabilities than on
physical disabilities, but they imply that special equipment needed
for computer access for the physically disabled is also part of
their agenda.

As you well know, I am totally in favor of assisting anyone who
needs help with technological improvements to help them to be
better informed and productive. I will follow this email with some
of my opinions on this, and hope you will respond and give me 
the benefit of your experience as well.

Here's a clip of the article in WorldNetDaily, as well as another
one linked to it:

--- CLIP FROM NEWS ARTICLE AT:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_dougherty/19990505_xnjdo_handicappe.shtml

INTERNET NEWS

Handicapped-accessible websites?
New regulations may spread  to private online businesses

By Jon E. Dougherty
© 1999 WorldNetDaily.com

It's no joke. It's not a rumor. It's not another
example of an online urban legend. The
government is really seeking to mandate
that websites are accessible to "the
handicapped."

In what many see as a confusing breach of
voluntary Internet etiquette and a Pandora's
Box into Big Brother online intrusion, the
federal government announced a new set of
rules last week that will ultimately change
the way Americans see, use and build ...
websites.

An obscure rule buried in the Workforce
Investment Act of 1998 will soon mandate
that all government-operated websites be
accessible to handicapped persons, and
critics of the measure fear that Sect. 508 of
Public Law 105-220 will soon become
mandatory for privately run websites as
well.

In a few months, all government-run sites
must comply with the new regulations. By
Aug. 7, 2000, any vendor who operates a
Website and does business with the federal
government must also comply with the
rules.

Specifically, the regulations state that
"individuals with disabilities who are
members of the public seeking information
or services from a federal department or
agency to have access to and use of
information and data that is comparable to
the access to and use of the information and
data by such members of the public who are
not individuals with disabilities." websites
"will be required to restructure their content,
design and underlying technologies,"
according to Freedom Forum, which recently
completed a study of the new rules.

Members of the Electronic and Information
Technology Access Advisory Committee
said for non-governmental sites the rules
would be "voluntary," but could be made
mandatory if site operators refused to make
the necessary changes.

The government is expected to release a
report next month spelling out the
requirements and defining the aspects of
Internet publishing that will be included in
the changes.

"One preview of what the barrier board may
publish next month," according to Freedom
Forum, "is contained in its own notices,
which state that, in addition to conventional
html and pdf versions available online, all
online information must also be available
from the agency via audio text and TTY, as
well as 'cassette tape, Braille, large print, or
computer disk.'"

The standards were initially published in the
Federal Register last August.

Most committee members helping devise the
new standards were representatives of
people with disabilities. Those groups
represented were the American Council of
the Blind, the American Foundation for the
Blind, Easter Seals, the National Association
of the Deaf, the National Federation of the
Blind and United Cerebral Palsy Association.
Three representatives of the computer
industry -- IBM, Microsoft and NCR -- were
also on the advisory committee.

Some of the most common changes
recommended for websites include adding
technologies so blind Internet users can have
a site's text translated into audio or Braille,
programs which boost text and graphics for
visually impaired users, and "switches that
respond to minute movements, eye positions
or even mental states."

Joseph Farah, editor of WorldNetDaily and
host of the Farah News Hour, said he
understands the concepts behind making the
Internet more user-friendly for impaired
people. However he, like many
content-heavy website owner/operators,
doesn't believe the federal government has
any constitutional authority to tell
publishers -- online or offline -- how they
conduct their business.

"I'm sure the federal government would just
love attempting to force independent
muckraking efforts on the Internet into
channeling their precious resources away
from investigative reporting into
government corruption toward complying
with bureaucratic regulations," he said. "I
assure you WorldNetDaily will be among
the first to challenge such heavy-handed
government coercion in the courts by
reminding Washington that, in America, we
have something called the First
Amendment."

But not everyone disagrees with the
government's plan.

Microsoft Corporation has been actively
researching and developing products, as
well as holding public education conferences
which will help webmasters comply with the
regulations mandated by the government.

"Websites must be made reasonably
accessible to people with disabilities to avoid
discriminating against them," said Microsoft
in a public statement regarding their efforts
to create a more accessible Internet.
"Accessibility often costs little extra if it is
designed in from the beginning."

One aspect that some webmasters are
questioning is the cost of adding such
technology to their sites. WorldNetDaily
contacted Microsoft in an attempt to learn
what the average site owner might spend on
compliance, but they did not return phone
calls before press time.

Others wonder how they could make their
sites more "internationally oriented." Sites
such as http://www.freerepublic.com"
FreeRepublic consist mainly of user
contributions, either through reposting of
press articles or in a chat format. Whether or
not the technology exists to convert the
thousands of web pages at Free Republic into
several different languages represents a
problem in time and in ability.

Chat sites post messages in real time,
therefore a program would have to be
developed that would simultaneously
translate the text into a number of different
languages and, perhaps, post it to a number
of different web pages.

"It's a mess," said Farah. "Personally, I
thought most congressmen had already
promised us they weren't going to regulate
the Internet in any way, shape or form.
Guess they just lied, again."


Jon E. Dougherty writes a daily Internet column
and is the co-host of Daybreak America on
Catholic Family Radio. He is also the editor of
the weekend independent newsmagazine USA
Journal Online. He can be reached by email.


---new article---
(from hyperlink in paragraph about Microsoft above)

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/1999/Apr99/Tools4LifePr.htm

Microsoft Teams With Tools for Life to Provide
PCs To People With Disabilities

Innovative Program Gives New Life to Old Computers

ATLANTA - April 21, 1999 - As part of its continued effort to
make computer technology accessible to all individuals, Microsoft
Corp. is teaming with Tools for Life, a program operated by the
Georgia Department of Human Resources, to update and distribute
80 PCs for free to people with disabilities. More than 20 volunteers,
many with disabilities themselves, will be on hand at the Atlanta
Explorer Conference, April 21 and 22, to update computers donated
by Hewlett-Packard Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. and load them
with new Microsoft® software. The computers will then be delivered
to regional Tools for Life centers throughout the state where
recipients will receive training before taking home their new
computers.

Microsoft's contribution to the project includes software valued at
$23,000 and a long-term commitment to support Tools for Life's
mission of enabling Georgians with disabilities through the use of
technology.

"Microsoft is working hard both locally and at the corporate level to
extend access and training to people with disabilities," said Marty
Paradise, general manager, Southeast District, Microsoft. "A major
part of this effort involves supporting the important work of
organizations like Tools for Life."

The PC recycling event at Explorer, Microsoft's annual technology
and business conference and exposition held at AmericasMart
Atlanta, is part of Tools for Life's effort to enable the over 900,000
Georgians with disabilities to be more independent and successful in
school, at work and in the community. In March 1998, Tools for Life
established the ReBoot Computer Re-utilization Project to focus
specifically on computer recycling, distribution and training. To date,
ReBoot has donated more than 450 computers and 800 parts to
individuals throughout the state and has become a model for PC
recycling programs across the country. The ReBoot project receives
federal funding through Tools for Life and is a statewide
collaborative effort of many nonprofit organizations, including Touch
the Future Inc. and Friends of Disabled Adults and Children
(FODAC).

"People with disabilities need computers and software that will help
them in school and at work," said Peggy Rosser, director of the
Georgia Division of Rehabilitation Services. "The Georgia ReBoot
program puts donated computers in the hands of people with
disabilities. Microsoft has been a big help to the program by
donating software and working to remove employment barriers for
people with disabilities."

According to Carolyn Phillips, ReBoot project director, "There is a
wide and growing gap between people who have computers and
those who don't, and we are committed to narrowing that gap for
people with disabilities. More career paths are opened and barriers
are eliminated when people with disabilities have access to a
computer and information technology tools. Thanks to our
collaboration with Microsoft, people with disabilities are using their
ReBoot computers to excel at school, in the workplace and in
society."

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader
in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide
range of products and services for business and personal use,
each designed with the mission of making it easier and
more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of
personal computing every day.

Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp.

-- 

Ed Farabaugh
Fleetwood, Pennsylvania USA
[log in to unmask]
[log in to unmask]
ICQ 169083
World Wide Pager: wwp.mirabilis.com/169083

This message was printed on recycled electrons.


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