NYS Forum IT Accessibility Committee Meeting

March 12, 2009, 2:30-4:00 p.m.
Forum Offices, 24 Aviation Road, Colonie

Attendees: Kathy Farrell (SUNY-ESC), Kim Fraim (DOH), Mike Hritcko (NYSIF), Dee McCumber (DOH), Joel Obuchowski (SID), Debi Orton (GOER), Lizette Rivera (OPDV), Lisa Rosano (CQCAPD), Mike Short (DCS)

We did a brief go-around to introduce regulars to new attendees.

Old Business:

  1. Agency Consulting - Debi and Mike worked with OFT on the resurrection of the online validation tool; Debi worked with CQCAPD on drafting contract language designed to ensure the accessibility of a non-web application; Debi worked with an agency she couldn't remember on form layout.

    Debi also relayed a request from Ben Ettlinger, NYPA, for a newsletter feature article on the accessibility issues that older people face. Debi asked Becky Stegman, the Office for the Aging CIO, for background information, and got enough to work with for the article. After the Webmasters' Guild session on Rich Internet Applications, it was also suggested that we do a feature article on the potential accessibility issues related to RIA/Web 2.0 presentations. Debi asked Mike Hritcko for help with that article. Kathy Farrell suggested that we include an article on the accessibility community available through LinkedIn, and Lizette Rivera suggested an article on Flash accessibility. Mike Hritcko said he had some links on the topic and said he'd forward them for inclusion in the meeting minutes - here they are:

    Creating Accessible Flash:

    http://www.webaim.org/techniques/flash/

    http://www.adobe.com/accessibility/products/flash/

    http://www.rnib.org.uk/wacblog/flash/accessible-flash-banner-ad-guidelines/

    http://www.paciellogroup.com/blog/?p=61

    Usability:

    http://www.nngroup.com/reports/accessibility/flash/

    http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20021014.html

    Captions:

    http://www.adobe.com/accessibility/products/flash/captions.html

    Quick & Easy Flash Prototypes:

    http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/quick-and-easy-flash

  2. Validation Tool - CIO/OFT has picked up funding for the Online Validation Tool for the remainder of this calendar year. At present, it is available to previous users at the former URL: http://nysf.hisoftware.com.

  3. Training
    1. Accessibility for Executives: Health (Dee McCumber / Kim Fraim) - Dee shared her PowerPoint presentation with Mike and Debi, and the co-chairs agreed that it was a good presentation. Debi had her copy with her and passed it around the table. Mike Hritcko asked if the presentation would be available online, and Debi agreed to post it with the minutes.

      After some discussion, we decided to try and schedule a session for one half-day some time between April 21 and April 23. Dee and Kim will check their availability, then Mike and Debi will make a formal request for session support. Jeff Bennett offered his services in doing a presentation of Jaws, which has proven very effective in raising awareness in the past. Dee and Jeff will handle the first part of the presentation, and the second half of the session will consist of roundtable sessions on various aspects of accessibility, which Debi and Mike explained in the context of the meetings CIO/OFT hosted when Executive Order 3 came out (requiring webcasting of public meetings). Several core interests were represented at each of seven or eight tables, and attendees moved from table to table in ten or fifteen minute intervals. Debi asked Mike if he remembered whether there was any suggested content for the table moderators, and Mike said that he'd check his notes.


  4. Discussion about remainder of Forum program year - Beginning with the Accessibility for Executives session in late April, here are the other programs we are planning with estimated target dates:
    1. JAWS training at the CIO/OFT Technology Academy - May
    2. Attorney General Briefing on Web Accessibility Requirements - May
      (Note: Lisa Rosano noted that the CQCAPD Counsel, Greg Jones, is planning something similar for attorneys and ADA officers.) Dee has some contacts at the AG's office and will get contact information for Debi.
    3. Search Engine Optimization and Accessibility - October
      Kathy Farrell and Lizette Rivera will work on an outline for a session that exposes some of the hidden benefit of using semantically correct, syntactically correct markup.
    4. Writing for the Web - November
      Kathy Farrell, Lizette Rivera, and Debi will work on an outline for this session, covering reading levels, clear language, how users read on the web, and how to optimize content for the medium.
    5. Basic Web Development Skills at the CIO/OFT Technology Academy - Marilyn Cordell said that CIO/OFT was interested in offering a "web basics" class, and Debi reminded her that the Successful Web Communications curriculum was ready and waiting. Debi promised to follow up with Marilyn, who was unable to attend.

Next Meeting:

April 9, 2009
2:30-4:00 p.m.
Location: Forum Offices, 24 Aviation Road, Colonie