WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: Regarding Section 508 discussion

for

From: Tim Harshbarger
Date: Feb 9, 2015 11:35AM

Just an observation...

I suspect that the point Katie was trying to make is that the lack of progress may be more due to other organizations and processes that the Access Board has to work within rather than due to some internal problem at the Access Board.

If that is the case, it might be more productive to approach the Access Board as an ally to find out what assistance they might need to overcome those challenges.

It definitely makes sense that people would be frustrated with the length of time the Section 508 refresh is taking. Unfortunately, we all make comments that can make it sound like the Access Board is the adversary rather than a partner. And if there are external sources that are making it difficult for the Access Board to make progress, the appearance of those comments probably do not help with fixing the situation.

I definitely would recommend you following your suggestion to contact the Access Board to see if you can get more information on why progress is so slow. That would be a good start in figuring out what might be the most effective thing we can do to get things moving again.

Thanks,
Tim


-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED> [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Karen Sorensen
Sent: Monday, February 09, 2015 11:45 AM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: [WebAIM] Regarding Section 508 discussion

Thank you Karen and Bevi! I'm not sure why Katie is so protective of the US
Access Board. Like any legislation, those who it will be applicable to
should scrutinize it closely, ask questions and provide feedback. This
listserv is lucky to have such knowledgeable people participate in it. If
we don't question this direction of the US Access Board, who will? Now who
do we write to on the US Access Board? Or should we write our legislators?
Maybe Bevi or Karen would be willing to post a draft that we could all edit
or just add our names to?
My 2 cents.

Karen M. Sorensen
Accessibility Advocate for Online Courses
www.pcc.edu/access
Portland Community College
971-722-4720
*"The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone
regardless of disability is an essential aspect."* Tim Berners-Lee