Web Accessibility on your homepage:

I am viewing your homepage, http://www.w3.org/ , this morning, 2002/03/25, and I am disappointed to see that you have not applied your own Web Accessibility guidelines when describing some "Icons".

As someone who is totally blind, and is relying on Web Accessibility when viewing a Web site, accurate descriptions of images on a Web site is important to me. So that you know what I am writing about, here are the descriptions that I am referring to:

Icons/right 

Icons/rightRDF

Icons/rightXML

Icons/rightW3C

Icons/rightIsaViz

Icons/rightW3C

Icons/rightRequirements

I am further troubled when I find similar descriptions on the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) homepage, http://www.w3c.org/WAI/ . 

/Icons/rightNews 

/Icons/rightAbout

/Icons/rightParticipation 


You may notice some duplication in the above lists, but this is how my Screen Reader, JAWS For Windows V4.02, has read your pages to me. I am also guessing that the way in which I have identified the "Icons" to you, you are now getting the same information that I get when reading the two homepages identified above.

I have been given the responsibility of introducing and ensuring that the new Web site for my employer, The City of Calgary, is accessible. As part of my work, I have been referring people to your Web site for both information on how to make a Web site accessible, as well as an example of a Web site that has applied accessibility standards. 

I hope that this is just an oversight on your Web Developers part, and the problem that I have identified will be fixed right away.

Thank you in advance!


Stephen Dawes  <B.A., B.Sc.>
The City of Calgary
	Web Business Office #8300
	PO Box 2100 Postal Station M.
	Calgary, Alberta, Canada. T2P 2M5
Phone: (403) 268-5527
Fax:   (403)  268-6423
Email: stephen.dawes@gov.calgary.ab.ca >
Internet: http://www.gov.calgary.ab.ca

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Received on Monday, 25 March 2002 12:20:36 UTC