Position paper for the workshop MOBILE WEB INITIATIVE

 

By Enrique Varela

 

Member of the SC of WAI and AC of W3C

In the name of FUNDACION ONCE

 

 

• The web is getting more and more ouside of the PCs environment
• Technologies created by W3C have been always more than a helping hand for disabled people
• The guidelines from WAI had helped and are helping designers, programmers and website managers to make more and develop services available for all, including disabled people.
• Principals of W3C had been a crucial pilar to support and maintain a system in wich everybody can access with no matter what computer, country, tech level etc.
• Disabled people had almost reach a world full of services and opportunities to get more and more integrated with these technologies in the society giving it by their side, their knowledge and ideas, being members of this society with the same rights and duties.
• Disabled people had done a long way getting access to the new world that the INTERNET is.
• Now, new technologies are cropping up getting disabled people more than one step back
• W3C has to be once again two steps forward to get all people involved in the new INTERNET dimension caused by the needs portable devices will demand in the near future.
• Portable devices such as PDAs or Mobile Phones are the new barrier for some of disabled people, especially for blind people and those who have big problems moving hands.
• Even when some of the new OSsfor these devices have accessibility capabilities, almosnt none of them are able to get the websites properly.
• Now, blind people can exchange SMSs, navigate their agendas, getting calls nowing who is calling… But it is not possible for them browsing the web with their Mobile Phones.
• Ergonomy is being a big problem for disabled people as well. It is getting difficult to type with the new keyboards.
• Design for all is many times forgotten when new devices are lounched.
• W3C and the manufactures should get more deep on these problems.
• W3C needs to create standars on accessible websites on portable devices.
• Evenm W3C should hav a close contac with technologies such as semantic conversational interfaces.