News

Error message

Deprecated function: Array and string offset access syntax with curly braces is deprecated in include_once() (line 14 of /home/mediacc/public_html/themes/engines/phptemplate/phptemplate.engine).

WA Government announces WCAG implementation timelines

no
Show on home page

The State Government of Western Australia has formally announced that it will aim to achieve WCAG 2.0 ‘A’ or ‘AA’ compliance by the end of 2013 across the whole wa.gov.au domain.

The types of websites that fall under the requirements include public facing websites, intranets and extranets. While ‘A’ level is the minimal requirement for these sites, the government has identified ‘AA’ as the preferred option. 

The WA strategy is based on the Federal Government’s National Transition Strategy (NTS), which will aim to have WCAG 2.0 ‘A’ compliance by the end of 2012.


Top of page

CAP THAT! helps Australian teachers boost literacy and inclusion with captions

no
Show on home page

In the lead-up to National Literacy and Numeracy Week, Media Access Australia has today launched CAP THAT!, a new campaign asking teachers Australia-wide to turn on captions in the classroom to boost literacy and inclusion for students.

With proven benefits for all students, captions - subtitles that include speech and other sounds - are a tool already available on many DVDs, online videos and TV programs used in the classroom. By simply turning captions on, teachers can help bridge the gap for Deaf and hearing impaired students, ESL students, struggling readers and students with learning disabilities, while benefiting the whole class.


Top of page

Hearing date set for JetBlue Accessibility Case

no

A date has been set for the hearing of the disability access case against JetBlue Airways, with the airway asking the magistrate to dismiss the case.

The case was brought against JetBlue Airways in October 2010 for the inaccessibility of their website and airport check-in kiosks for people who are blind or vision impaired.

The hearing is set for 22 July 2011 in the federal house in San Francisco. Further details about the court hearing are available from the Law Office of Lainey Feingold.

JetBlue is not the only travel website that has accessibility issues.


Top of page

Florida State University sued for inaccessible eLearning system

no

Florida State University is the latest US institution to be sued under the Americans with Disabilities Act for failing to provide learning materials that were accessible to two blind students.

The students, Christopher Toth and Jamie Principato, were unable to access homework and tests in a mathematics class because the eLearning system, eGrade, was incompatible with screen reader technology.

Furthermore, students were required to use small remote-control ‘clickers’ to answer multiple-choice questions during lectures, which were also not accessible to Toth and Principato.

The students’ case was filed with help from the National Federation of the Blind, which has filed similar accessibility complaints against other institutions.


Top of page

US project to improve web access for low-income Deaf and hearing impaired

no

Communication Services for the Deaf (CSD), a US not-for-profit organisation promoting access for Deaf and hearing impaired Americans, has been awarded US$14.9 million towards a project to improve access to Internet-based services for people who are Deaf and hearing impaired.

Project Endeavor’ will distribute equipment, provide broadband services and connect low-income Deaf and hearing impaired individuals to both broadband and technical assistance.

According to its website, Project Endeavor’s main goals are:


Top of page

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - News