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Cynthia Waddell - RIP

for

From: Jared Smith
Date: Apr 4, 2013 9:03AM

It is with sadness that I learned this morning of the passing of our
friend Dr. Cynthia Waddell. I consider Cynthia one of the matriarchs
of the field of web accessibility. She authored some of the very first
web accessibility standards in 1995... before most anyone else even
considered the impact of web accessibility, or even the web for that
matter. She was a staunch advocate for the rights of people with
disabilities, having testified before US Congress, the UN, and well,
she just seemed to be everywhere that mattered. She was a very active
participant on this list until recent years, always willing to provide
helpful answers.

In nearly every one of WebAIM's webinars and trainings, we begin with
a definition of web accessibility that Cynthia coined: "Development of
information systems flexible enough to accommodate the needs of the
broadest range of users... regardless of age or disability." She
certainly helped further that cause and will be missed.

Jared