Hi Chris,

I thought you might find something in this that would be of help.  Also you
might want to contact T. V. Raman at Adobe Software.  You two have a lot in
common and he is very knowledgeable on accessible software, programming and so
forth.

Thank you

Dr Clyde Shideler
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        The Honorable Tom Harkin
                            United States Senate
                        Washington, D.C. 20510-1502

Digest of Inquiry
(July 31, 1996) To what extent does the ADA require that Internet web pages be
accessible to people with visual disabilities?

Digest of Response
(September 9, 1996)

ADA Accessibility Requirements Apply To Internet Web Pages

Entities subject to title II or III of the ADA must provide effective
communication
to individuals with disabilities, and covered entities that use the Internet to
provide
information regarding their programs, goods or services must be prepared to
offer
those communications through accessible means. Such entities may provide web
page information in text format that is accessible to screen reading devices
that are
used by people with visual impairments, and they may also offer alternative
accessible formats that are identified in a screen-readable format on a web
page.

Text of Inquiry

I have recently been contacted by one of my constituents who has a concern over
the administration's policy on making Web pages compatible for the disabled. I
respectfully ask you to review the administration's policy on this issue and
send me
a clarification so that I might be able to respond to my constituent's
questions. It
would be helpful if you could mark your correspondence with my office to the
attention of Laura Stuber.

Thank you in advance for your assistance on this matter.

Text of Response

I am responding to your letter on behalf of your constituent, {}, regarding
accessibility of "web pages" on the internet to people with visual disabilities.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires State and local governments
and places of public accommodation to furnish appropriate auxiliary aids and
services where necessary to ensure effective communication with individuals with
disabilities, unless doing so would result in a fundamental alteration to the
program
or service or in an undue burden. 28 C.F.R. ? 36.303; 28 C.F.R. ? 35.160.
Auxiliary aids include taped texts, Brailled materials, large print materials,
and other
methods of making visually delivered materials available to people with visual
impairments.

Covered entities under the ADA are required to provide effective communication,
regardless of whether they generally communicate through print media, audio
media, or computerized media such as the Internet. Covered entities that use the
Internet for communications regarding their programs, goods, or services must be
prepared to offer those communications through accessible means as well.

Mr. [] suggests compatibility with Lynx browser as a means of assuring
accessibility
of the Internet. Lynx is, however, only one of many available options. Other
examples include providing the web page information in text format, rather than
exclusively in graphic format. Such text is accessible to screen reading devices
used
by people with visual impairments. Instead of providing full accessibility
through
the Internet directly, covered entities may also offer other alternate
accessible
formats, such as Braille, large print, and/or audio materials, to communicate
the
information contained in web pages to people with visual impairments. The
availability of such materials should be noted in a text (i.e., screen-readable)
format
on the web page, along with instructions for obtaining the materials, so that
people
with disabilities using the Internet will know how to obtain the accessible
formats.

Cc: Records, Chrono, Wodatch, McDowney, Hill, FOIA n:
udd
hille
policylt
harkin.ltr
sc. Young-parran

The Internet is an excellent source of information and, of course, people with
disabilities should have access to it as effectively as people without
disabilities. A
number of web sites provide information about accessibility of web pages,
including
information about new developments and guidelines for development of accessible
web pages. Examples include:

http://www.gsa.gov/coca/wwwcode.htm
Center for Information Technology Accommodation General Service
Administration

http://www.trace.wisc.edu/text/guidelns
Trace Center, University of Wisconsin

http://www.webable.com/index.html

http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/dmd/access/welcomi.htm

These sites may be useful to you or your constituent in exploring the
accessibility
options on the Internet. In addition, the Department of Justice has established
an
ADA home page to educate people about their rights and responsibilities under
the
ADA and about the Department's efforts to implement the ADA. The address of
the ADA home page is

http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahomi.htm.

I hope this information is helpful to you in responding to your constituent.

Deval L. Patrick
Assistant Attorney General
Civil Rights Division