Olympics.com ordered to comply to access guidelines

"SYDNEY Olympics organizers were ordered to make changes to their web site before the start of the Games, after the Human Rights Commission today upheld a complaint against the site by a blind man."

And a follow-up story:
News.com.au - SOCOG won't change Games site (http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,1133896%
255E1702,00.html)

"THE Sydney Olympic organizers will not change its Olympic web site despite being directed to by the Human Rights Commission today after a complaint by a blind man was upheld."

The complaint charged that Olympics.com was not accessible to people using screen readers, because of the usual culprits: lack of ALT text, alternative for image maps, and use of JavaScript for navigation. This meant that Blind users would not be able to access ticketing information, event schedules, and the upcoming postings of event results.

The full text of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission decision:
(http://www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/Maguire_v_
SOCOG2.htm)

The decision details, among other things, the lengthy legal process used by SOCOG to dodge responsibility for complying with Australian law. Specific mention is made of the W3C Accessibility Guidelines.

Background information on the complaint:

ZDNET Australia: Olympics Web site riddled with blind spots (9 August) (http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/zd/20000809/tc/olympics_web_site_
riddled_with_blind_spots_1.html)

"Organizers claim there's no time to make the official Web site of the 2000 Sydney Games accessible to everyone. One man insists that's not good enough. Organizers of the Sydney Olympics fought to prove the Games' official Web site does not discriminate against the vision-impaired during a lengthy examination of the site at a Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission hearing on Tuesday."

ABC News Australia: Interview with [complainant] Bruce Maguire (Transcript http://www.abc.net.au/pm/s160905.htm)

"SOCOG is familiar with Bruce McGuire. Last year he forced them, through the courts, to print a ticket booklet in Braille. Now all he wants is to be able to enjoy the Olympics as thoroughly as possible with all the information at his fingertips."

HREOC: World Wide Web Access - Disability Discrimination Act Advisory Notes (http://www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/standards/www_3/
www_3.html#1.2)

"Provision of information and other material through the Web is a service covered by the DDA. Equal access for people with a disability in this area is required by the DDA where it can reasonably be provided. This requirement applies to any individual or organization developing a World Wide Web page in Australia, or placing or maintaining a Web page on an Australian server."

Obviously this news has enormous implications for web sites developed in Australia, and given the extraordinarily high profile of the Olympics.com web site, I'm sure the ripples will cross the big pond.

Regards,

Sean Lindsay

Editor@DisabilityTimes.com

http://www.DisabilityTimes.com

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