WAI through an exhaustive analysis of past, present and future applications of web authoring software and hardware addressed what they thought would eliminate barriers and promote future technology to further empower any and all who had a disABILITY. A disABILITY is regretfully often viewed as being permanent, like the loss of eyesight. But in fact in a significant number of instances is temporary. So a person with a temporary inability to function as normal must learn adaptive methods without the long-term knowledge in support of known "short cuts" to surfing like Access Keys. The standards adopted will certainly promote accessibility for everyone. Checking to "see" whether an author who displays the Section 508 or other WAI validation logo by an AP reviewer is simple and straight forward, although only one page can be validated at a time at the URL below. The portion of standards the WAI can not validate are the "manual checks."
When we check and find that there are errors, the assumption is that they are honest ones, especially if there are but a few, and inform the web author. In all cases, corrections are rendered and a review will progress.
Anyone who is attempting to provide a more accessible web site, need not bite off more than they can chew, for in most instances a few minor changes like alt descriptions, Access Keys, print friendly pages and the like will suffice.
Why do we not hear from our visitors if a section cannot be accessed? Simple to me at least dear friends, they go elsewhere, for the reason of the visit was not to look at the pretty pictures or hear the music, rather to glean information which would enhance their lives.
We too use both, but in reviewing "informational pages" the URL below is used to determine whether they are accessible. Obviously the exclusion of either of both sites wide is not desirable or required in most instances.
http://www.delorie.com/web/lynxview.html.
Basically "a rule of exception" states that if we include anything in say an AP criteria, then all else is excluded. While the rule was obviously not intended for AP's, it nonetheless is applied. Let me give two examples, which are in essence the rationale for at least "mentioning the terms WAI and W3C.
During the early years of our online experience, GeoCities had a community leader program and a special section called "Blueprint" which was an encouragement and suggestions for making web sites more accessible. No one in the "Heartland community" had a site that met the suggestions, so a small group of us made a "commitment" to at least try. Not everyone was successful, but over the course of two years more than 1,500 were successful and had it not been for our "commitment" to at least try or if we had not mentioned "accessibility" the number would have been significantly less.
About two years ago a young man visited our web site to find that the "new Bobby" requirements were not met, yet we displayed the Bobby 3.1 logo. What followed was an excellent educational process for the both of us. This young man is now a contributing member of the Euro Accessibility Initiative and lives in Spain. Bet your sweet "bippie" we are friends and are still trying to help each other and others too. And by the way this group will probably adopt a standard validation process, apart from the web designer or the ISP to certify the proper display of any accessibility certification or logo. The U.S. or the Pacific Rim handle this in a voluntary way, except for all who do business in the U.S. with any governmental agency, who are required by law to be section 508 compliant. And the certifications are checked, and yes this applies to those who have a web presence.
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