On June 21, 2001, new federal government rules take effect that require new or substantially revised Web sites to be accessible by people with disabilities (under section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, amended in 1998). Web pages in place prior to June 21 do not have to be replaced. To be 508 compliant, Web sites need to work with assistive devices, such as the screen readers used by persons who are blind or visually impaired. Many of the solutions are quite simple (such as, providing a caption to describe an image).
Are you involved with the creation, maintenance or administration of a Web site here at NIH? If 508 compliance has you worried, fear not. Technical assistance is available. To assist NIH Web developers, NCI, CIT, and NLM have set up special "accessibility workstations" to help their staff learn how their sites "sound" on popular screen readers, and to provide previews of the tools used to develop accessible sites.
• NCI accessibility workstation—6116 Executive Boulevard (fifth floor)
The workstation is provided by the Communication Technologies Branch, NCI Office of Communications.
Equipped with diagnostic and repair tools (SSB Technologies InSite and InFocus and the Macromedia Dreamweaver Accessibility Extension) as well as the JAWS screen reader, the workstation allows site developers to test their sites. Available to NIH staff and contractors, the workstation must be reserved in advance. To sign up for a session, send an e-mail request to ncictbascc-r@mail.nih.gov.
• CIT accessibility workstation—NIH campus (building 12A, third floor)
The workstation is equipped with diagnostic and repair tools (Bobby 3.2, Wave 2.01, Lynx Viewer, JAWS screen reader). Staff will have access to reference and take-away documentation, training materials, and useful Web references.
CIT Training program staff are available to provide orientation to the workstation and assistance in bringing pages into compliance. Anyone involved in the content, design, or maintenance of NIH Web pages is welcome. Call (301) 594-6248, e-mail tasc@nih.gov, or drop by TASC (building 12A, room 1011) for information and assistance.
• NLM accessibility workstation —Lister Hill Center (building 38A, room B1W08-A10)
The workstation offers a wide range of software for voice, vision and Web development—including an extensive variety of devices (hands-free and contoured mice, trackballs, keyboards, arm rests). Also available are general-purpose assistive software (JAWS, IBM Home Page Reader, Connect OutLoud for producing speech and Braille output to the Web, OpenBook to scan documents for reading with a screen reader, and browsers that talk and magnify).
For more information or to make an appointment, call the NLM IT Services Center (Office of Computer and Communications Systems) at (301) 496-2943, or send e-mail to helpdesk@mail.nlm.nih.gov.
| Interface Online 219 [ June 25, 2001 ] | Back | Index | Next |
