Monday, 10 March 2008 - 5:00PM
Abstract:
Recent federal court rulings in National Federation of the Blind v. Target have dramatically expanded the scope and application of U.S. disability law to business web sites that used to fall outsides the law’s reach. This panel will explain address the legal changes arising from that case:
- who’s now covered by the law
- the potential consequences of ignoring the law and disabled users
- what kind of compliance the law requires
This panel will also cover a number of simple, concrete tips you can take to make sure the business web site you develop can accommodate your users’ needs.
Anitra Pavka - anitrapavka.com
Michael Wasylik - Attorney, Ricardo & Wasylik PL.
Why worry about accessibility?
Standard arguments to begin with…
- Target case: 8 highly paid lawyers vs. good web designers - not even a contest.
Audience:
- Worldwide, those with disabilities is about 10% (650 million)
- world’s largest minority
US:
- 10 million visual impairments
Section 508 (Rehab Act of 1974) - for government and government services
Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990
- Title III applies to private business and requires “public accommodations”
- Although it does not apply to web sites explicitly, web sites are increasingly becoming public accommodations. However, ADA references a physical space.
In 2002, Southwest Airlines won a case vs. Access Now, Inc. ruling that the ADA did not apply to their web site.
Rendon v. Valleycrest Prod. Ltd.
Telephone access to the gameshow, Who Wants to be Millionaire was considered a place of acc and telephone service was a service
The Target case would not apply to Amazon or 37Signals since they have no brick and mortar stores.