Policies Relating to Web Accessibility

Legislation: Disability Discrimination Act 1992

Responsible Ministry: Attorney General's Department; Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission; Federal Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts

Relevant Documents:

• NOIE - Better Practice - Standards - Accessibility standards home page from The National Office for the Information Economy (NOIE).
• NOIE - Accessibility projects home page from The National Office for the Information Economy (NOIE)
• Commonwealth Guide to Minimum Web Site Standards
• Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC):
  • Disability Rights Page
  • World Wide Web Access: Disability Discrimination Act Advisory Notes
  • Accessibility of electronic commerce and new service information technologies for older Australians and people with a disability

Additional information:

• Accessible E-Commerce in Australia: A discussion paper about the effects of electronic commerce developments on people with disabilities" by Tim Noonan, for Blind Citizens Australia
• Decision of HREOC in SOCOG case [formerly at "http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/ddadec/0/2000/0/DD000120.htm"]
• Accessibility: Online Access for People with Disabilities
• Digital Divide Narrows for People with Disabilities - HREOC Press Release October 2002
• Internet still covered under Australian Discrimination Law - HREOC Press Release September 2002

Legislation: Canadian Human Rights Act of 1977

Responsible Ministry: Attorney General; Canadian Human Rights Commission; Treasury Board of Canada, Secretariat

Relevant documents:

• Canadian Human Rights Act of 1977 Office Consolidation [formerly at http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/LEGISLATION/chra-lcdp.asp?l=e]
• Common Look and Feel for the Internet
• Government of Canada Internet Guide, [French] Guide d'Internet du Gouvernement du Canada - in particular, the section on Universal Accessibility
• Policy on the Provision of Accommodation for Employees with Disabilities, [French] Politique sur l'obligation de prendre des mesures d'adaptation pour les personnes handicapées dans la fonction publique fédérale

Additional information: -

Legislation: -

Responsible Ministry: [Danish] Ministeriet for Videnskab, Teknologi og Udvikling (Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation)

Relevant documents:

• [Danish] Handicap ingen hindring, 2002 (Disability, No Problem (Action plan for use of information technologies and telecommunication by people with disabilities))
  
• Action for Change: IT Policy Plan, 1997
• Freedom to Choose: Action Plan for IT Use by People with Disabilities, 1996
• [Danish] Netpublikationer - Statens standard for elektronisk publicering [formerly at http://www.fsk.dk/fsk/publ/online-pub/] (Internet Publications - Standards for Electronic Publishing)
• [Danish] Rapport fra Arbejdsgruppen om tilgængelighed og grafiske brugergrænseflader, 1998 (Report from a working group on accessibility and graphical user interfaces)

Additional information:

• [Danish] Offentlige hjemmesiders tilgængelighed, 1998 (The Accessibility of Governmental Homepages, by the Equal Opportunities Center for Disabled Persons)

Legislation: -

Responsible Ministry: European Commission, Information Society

Relevant documents:

• European Commission: index of accessibility documents
• European Union, Council of the European Union: Accessibility of Public Websites -- Accessibility for People with Disabilities: Council Resolution, 2002
• European Union, Economic and Social Committee: Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee, 2002
• European Union, Committee of Regions: Opinion of the Committee of Regions, 2002
  
• European Parliament: eEurope 2002, Accessibility of Public Websites and their Content, 2002
• European Commission: eEurope 2002, Accessibility of Public Websites and their Content, 2001
• eEurope 2000-2001, An Information Society for All, Participation for all in the knowledge-based economy, 2001
• Text of HEART Study Horizontal European Activities in Rehabilitation Technology [formerly at: http://www.hi.se/fou/forelasning/gunnar.htm], 1993

Additional information:

• EC: Speech from Commissioner Erkki Liikanen on "Making Websites Accessible to People with Disabilities"
• Draft petition for accessibility of the Internet in the European Union [formerly at http://www.acessibilidade.net/eeurope/], 1999
• Request for feedback on draft petition by Francisco Godinho of PASIG [formerly at http://www.acessibilidade.net/index_eng.html], 1999

Legislation: -

Responsible Ministry: [Finnish] Sisäasiainministeriö (Ministry of the Interior), [Finnish] Julkisen hallinnon tietohallinnon neuvottelukunta (JUHTA) (Advisory Committee on Information Management in Public Administration)

Relevant documents:

• [Finnish] Julkishallinnon WWW-sivuston suunnittelun ohjeet (Instructions for the design of a Web site in public administration)

Legislation: -

Jurisdiction: -

Relevant documents:

• [French] Circulaire du 7 octobre 1999 relative aux sites internet des services et des établissements publics de l'Etat, 1999 (Government circular of 7 October 1999 concerning internet sites by state public establishments and services)
  

Additional information:

• Translation of extract from government circular: "People responsible for web site will particularly pay attention to provide access to information to all Internet users, notably people with disabilities, blind users, visually impaired or hearing impaired. They will find on the MTIC site [formerly at http://www.mtic.pm.gouv.fr/standards/accessibilite/] a document on this topic. They can also refer to the level 1 recommendations of the World Wide Web Consortium devoted to accessibility of Web Content which are available at the same address.

Legislation: [German] Barrierefreie Informationstechnik Verordnung (BITV) [PDF file]

Responsible Ministry: -

Legislation: -

Responsible Ministry: -

Relevant documents: -

Additional information:

• Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) 2001 Hong Kong Digital 21 Strategy, 2001
• Building a Digitally Inclusive Society, Web Accessibility

Legislation: -

Responsible Ministry: -

Relevant documents:

• Maharashtra Right to Information Rules, 2000
• Karnataka Right to Information Act, 2000
  

Additional information: -

• Karnataka Right to Information Act, user guide [formerly at http://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/kria/kria_user_final.pdf]
• Maharashtra Right to Information Act, user guide [formerly at http://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/miro/mrio_userguide.pdf]

Legislation: -

Responsible Ministry: Department of the Taioseach and Government Information Services

Relevant documents:

• Recommended Guidelines for Public Sector Organizations [formerly at http://www.irlgov.ie/taoiseach/publication/webpg/guidelines.htm]

Additional information:

• Taioseach Launches New Guidelines for User Friendly Public Sector Web Sites [formerly at http://www.irlgov.ie/taoiseach/press/current/16-11-99.htm]

Legislation: -

Responsible Ministry: -

Relevant Documents:

• Directive of the Government of Italy regarding Web Accessibility [formerly at http://www.governo.it/sez_dossier/linee_web/direttiva.html]

Additional information:

• [Italian] Atto Camera 3486: Norme per il diritto di accesso ai servizi e alle risorse telematiche pubbliche e di pubblica utilita' da parte dei cittadini diversamente abili (Chamber of Deputy Act nr. 3486: Norms for the right to access to the services and the resource of public administrations and public utilities for people with disabilities)

Legislation: -

Responsible Ministry: Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications

Relevant documents:

• e-Japan Priority Policy Program, 2001
• Press release mentioning Web accessibility from Ministry of Post and Telecommunications [formerly at http://www.mpt.go.jp/pressrelease/japanese/tsusin/000523j501.html]
• Press release: Toward Diffusion of Websites with Excellent Accessibility Verification experiments for the diffusion of websites with excellent accessibility for the elderly and people with disabilities
  

Additional information:

• The Role of Universal Design: Closing the Gap of Digital Divide in Japan [PDF file]
  

Legislation: -

Responsible Ministry: State Services Commission; Government Information System Managers' Forum (GOVIS)

Relevant documents:

• New Zealand Government Web Guidelines Version 2.1

Legislation: [Portuguese version formerly at http://www.mct.pt/novo/legislacao/despachos/cneinter.htm], 1999 ( Resolution of the Council of Ministers Concerning the Accessibility of Public Administration Web Sites for Citizens with Special Needs)

Responsible Ministry: -

Relevant Documents:

• [Portuguese] Comissão de Assuntos Constitucionais, Direitos, Liberdades e Garantias Petição pela Acessibilidade da Internet Portuguesa, 1999 (Report and Resolution of the Portuguese Parliament concerning the "Petition for the Accessibility of the Portuguese Internet")
• Phase I Accessibility Requirements for Implementation of Resolution 97/99 [formerly at http://www.acesso.mct.pt/acesso/vis_en.htm]
  

Additional information:

• Links to policy documents at Portuguese Ministry of Science and Technology [Portuguese formerly at http://www.acesso.mct.pt/doc.htm]
  
• [Portuguese] Proposta de alteração à legislação (Portaria nº. 989/93) - Prescrições mínimas de segurança e saúde respeitantes ao trabalho com equipamentos dotados de visor (Discussion of amendments to Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations law)

Legislation: [Spanish] LEY 34/2002, de 11 de julio, de servicios de la sociedad de la información y de comercio electrónico (LSSICE) [PDF file], 2002 (LAW 34/2002, of 11 of July, services of the information society and electronic commerce).
Accessibility addressed in [Spanish] "Quinta. Accesibilidad para las personas con discapacidad y de edad avanzada a la información proporcionada por medios electrónicos." ("Fifth. Accessibility for elderly and disabled persons to information provided by electronic media") on page 293.

Responsible Ministry: [Spanish] Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (Ministry of Science and Technology); [Spanish] Comunidades Autónomas, (Regional Governments)

Relevant documents: -

Additional information:

• [Spanish] INFO XXI: La Sociedad de la Información para todos (INFO XXI: Information Society for All)

Legislation:

• The Disability Discrimination Act 1995, Part III Access to Goods and Services
• Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001
• The Disability Discrimination Act 1995, Part IV Education

Jurisdiction: -

Relevant Documents:

• Department of Education and Employment, Ministry of Equal Opportunities
• Office of the e-Envoy
• Disability Rights Commission
• Disability Policy Division of the Department for Work and Pensions

Additional information:

• Guidelines for Government Websites, 2002, updated 2003
• The New Code of Practice to Part III of this Act [formerly at http://www.drc-gb.org/drc/InformationAndLegislation/Page331a.asp]
• Guidance notes from the Disability Rights Commission regarding The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 - Part IV Education [formerly at http://www.drc.org.uk/drc/Campaigns/Page431.asp]
• DISinHE's (Disability Information Systems in Higher Education) Disability Legislation [formerly at http://www.disinhe.ac.uk/resources/topics/dda/]; questions/answers on Disability Discrimination Act [formerly at http://www.disinhe.ac.uk/resources/topics/dda/dda.asp]; Implications for Higher Education Institutions [formerly at http://www.disinhe.ac.uk/resources/topics/dda/implications.asp]; Disability Legislation and Implications for Higher Education [formerly at www.disinhe.ac.uk/resources/bulletins/bulletin.asp?id=21]
• JISC Senior Management Briefing Paper 15, Disability, Technology and Legislation: New Pressures and New Opportunities for Further and Higher Education Institutions and Staff [formerly at http://www.jisc.ac.uk/pub01/smbp15.html]
• Cabinet Office Press Release on Net Gain for Britain's Public Services [formerly at http://www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/1999/news/991209_services.htm]

Legislation: Telecommunications Act of 1996

Responsible Ministry: Federal Communications Commission; Access Board

Relevant Documents:

• Access Board's Final Rule on Section 255: Telecommunications Act Accessibility Guidelines
• Report of the TAAC (Telecommunications Access Advisory Committee)

Additional information:

• Access Board's Section 255 FAQ
• FCC's Section 255 Information
  

Legislation: Rehabilitation Act, Section 504 (1973)

Responsible Ministry: Department of Justice; Department of Education

Relevant Documents:

• US Department of Education's  Requirements for Accessible Software Design

Additional information: -

Legislation: Rehabilitation Act, Section 508 (1986, amended 1992, amended 1998)

Jurisdiction: Department of Justice; Access Board; General Services Administration

Relevant Documents:

• General Services Adminstration's Section 508 site on FirstGov
  
• Section 508 Final Rule
  • Section 508 Proposed Rule: Overview to NPRM and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking text
• EITAAC Final Report [formerly at http://www.access-board.gov/pubs/eitaacrpt.htm] (Report delivered to the Access Board by the Electronic and Information Technology Access Advisory Committee).
• Section 508 Federal Acquisition Regulations
  
• Section 508 Questions and Answers [formerly at http://www.access-board.gov/eitaac/section-508-q&a.htm] by the Access Board
• Department of Justice Section 508 Home Page (includes self-evaluation information for US federal agencies [formerly at http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/508/508docs.html], and US Attorney General's memorandum to all federal agencies on Section 508 [formerly at http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/508/memohead.html])
• US Department of Education's Requirements for Accessible Software Design

Additional information:

• FCC's discussion of Section 508 [formerly at http://www.fcc.gov/dtf/ab508.html]
• Assistive Technology Act of 1998
• Working space for EITAAC maintained by the Trace Research & Development Center
• WAI comments on Section 508 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
• Attorney General's speech on Section 508

Legislation: Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)

Responsible Ministry: US Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division

Relevant Documents:

• Hooks vs. OKBridge, No. 99-50891, Brief of the United States as Amicus Curiae in Support of Appellant. Addresses issues including "Whether a company that offers services solely on the internet is subject to the public accommodations provision of Title III of the ADA."
• Opinion issued by the US DOJ in September, 1996 discussing the applicability of ADA Titles II and III to accessibility of the Web.

Additional information:

• Applying the ADA to the Internet: A Web Accessibility Standard
• Hearing on applicability of ADA to the Internet and Web
  • Hearing transcript
  • Some summary thoughts about the hearing
  • General information about hearing
  • Witness testimonies
  • Brewer testimony
  • Vanderheiden addition to the record
• DOJ ADA Home Page
• Is Your Site ADA-Compliant -- or a Lawsuit-In-Waiting?
• The Growing Digital Divide in Access for People with Disabilities: Overcoming Barriers to Participation
• " University Settles Suit, Pledges to Improve Access at Campus," from the San Francisco Examiner