You Are Here: 2003-2004 Best Practices Award Winners
POLICY
Office for Technology
New York's Policy for Web-based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications
Background
As New York and all government agencies across the country expand e-government, it is imperative that we ensure that the disabled, underserved, and marginalized populations have access to usable public web sites. Inaccessible, unreadable government online services affect real people - those who often can no longer find what they need in the offline world, as governments migrate critical information and services to cyberspace. In some instances, brick-and-mortar government offices have closed their doors, leaving behind a friendly message: "for further information or assistance, please visit our website." This is unhelpful, at best, for folks who are offline or lack the skills or abilities to access e-government services. In particular, people with disabilities, such as the visually impaired, continue to struggle with government websites that don't address their accessibility needs.
Clearly the gap between public need and government action is more than a subject merely for academic debate. In the US, millions of people are effectively cut off from these increasingly essential resources as long as government information and services are not offered appropriately to accommodate their needs. Addressing this gap in New York state has always been central to e-government initiatives. The New York State Office for Technology has led the way in New York state.
Accomplishment
On June 21, 2004 the Office for Technology (OFT) issued a new Statewide Technology Policy regarding Accessibility of State Agency Web-based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications (P04-002) and an accompanying standard (S04-001). Governor George E. Pataki has a strong commitment to making digital government services available to all New Yorkers. This accessibility policy and standard are an important part of realizing his vision for a "government without walls" and making digital government services available to the largest possible audience.
The purpose of the policy and the accompanying standard is to make New York State agency web-based intranet and Internet information and applications accessible to people with disabilities. The policy replaces and supersedes OFT's earlier policies, 96-13 and 99-3, regarding accessibility.
OFT did not work alone in its efforts during the development and review process for the policy and standard. An IT Accessibility Steering Committee comprised of accessibility experts from nine state agencies, including the Office of the Advocate for Persons with Disabilities and the Center for Technology in Government was formed and assisted OFT tremendously. Also, workgroups were formed by the Steering Committee that provided detailed review of the standard with a final review of the policy and standard by the Forum's IT Accessibility Committee and the State CIO Council.
The policy, which contains a phased compliance schedule for state agencies, was developed with the intent to make State agency web sites as accessible as possible. To allow OFT the flexibility to meet the needs of agencies and to allow inclusion of the latest technology in the area of accessibility, the policy and standards are based on the W3C and federal Section 508 guidelines. OFT will monitor changes to the W3C and Section 508 guidelines and update the New York State policy and standard to adopt appropriate changes.
Contact:
- Patrick DeCastro
- Office for Technology
- Empire State Plaza
- Swan Street Building, Core 4
- Albany, NY 12220
- (518) 473-1955
- patrick.decastro@oft.state.ny.us
- Julie Leeper
- Office for Technology
- Empire State Plaza
- Swan Street Building, Core 4
- Albany, NY 12220
- (518) 473-0224
- julie.leeper@oft.state.ny.us