NYS Forum

IT Accessibility Committee Initiatives and Accomplishments

2005-2006

Note: Priority votes, if any, cast by Strategic Planning Session participants are noted in parenthesis at the end of the initiative.

2004-2005 Key Committee Accomplishments

• Presentations
  • Two sessions at GTC 2004 (Web Site Testing and Usability & Accessibility for Your Web Site)
  • CLEAR Conference, Kansas City
  • SUNY Webinar (with Pat DeCastro, OFT)
  • SUNY Trainings in Central NY (Mike Short with Sharon Trerise)
  • Webmasters' Guild - April (Jason Gleman, CSS) and May (Marilyn Cordell on NYS Policy and Joe Ingrato, Intercon Assoc.)
  • June 2005 repeat session on CSS
• Collaborated with OFT on Policy and Standards Implementation
  • Agency Briefings (Debi Orton and Pat DeCastro)
  • Agency Consultations (ad hoc, most reflected in FAQ)
  • Development of Web Site Usability resource (Jeff Bennett and Steve Baum)
  • Established a section of the Committee's web site to educate and support web developers on Policy and Standards, including:
    • FAQ of agency questions on policy and standards
    • In-depth discussions of each Standard, including plain-English explanation, implementation advice and code examples
    • Ancillary support materials (e.g., side-by-side comparisons of NY Standards, Section 508 and WCAG, list of deprecated elements and attributes along with suggested alternatives, etc.)
  • Established Accessibility Clinics
  • Eliminated validation errors in code for common State banner
• Partnered with the Webmasters' Guild and Forum staff to conduct Web Developer Survey (December), and follow it up with Focus Group sessions leading to a white paper on the state of web development as a discipline in State entities and outlining the issues compromising effective web development in State agencies.
• Worked with Forum staff and Webmasters' Guild to forge partnership with the World Organization of Webmasters (WOW) to leverage their knowledge and certification standards.
• Worked with the GOER to underwrite participants' cost for attendance at February WOW Sessions.
• Worked with Webmasters' Guild, GOER and the PEF Professional Development Committee to
  • Create a comprehensive "Web Development 101" curriculum stressing core skills and standards to achieve accessibility.
  • Write a Project Definition and Request for Proposals (using the OGS Backdrop Contracts) to find a vendor to deliver training on pilot basis.
  • Training should commence in early fall, 2005
• Sponsored an "Accessible Can Be Beautiful" web site redesign contest
• Started a listserv (160 members) and a monthly e-mail newsletter to publicize committee

Projected 2005-2006 Initiatives

• As needed, assist with the web developer training pilot project jointly undertaken by GOER and the PEF PDC
• Analyze pilot training evaluations and determine next steps
• Continue to offer monthly clinics
• Explore the idea of formalizing mentoring relationships to provide support for less experienced web developers
• Identify and act on outreach opportunities with the private sector and localities (1)
• Investigate conferences and other training opportunities with a view toward establishing "scholarships" for State employees to attend
• Continue to work with the Webmasters Guild and WOW to provide information and training opportunities (1)
• Continue to raise awareness of IT accessibility issues with audiences other than web developers; explore feasibility of making awareness training mandatory
• Work with existing organizations (e.g., MATRIX, Training Council, etc.) to raise awareness of the need for accessible IT
• Encourage existing validation tool vendors to develop component to accommodate NYS standards (1)
• Publicize redesign contest and resultant web site redesign/update as proof of concept that "accessible can be beautiful"
• Expand monthly e-mail newsletter to provide more useful information to web developers
• Continue to provide training and information at every opportunity