copyright © 2005, sas institute inc. all rights reserved. accessibility: compliance,...

Copyright © 2005, SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved.

Accessibility: Compliance, Competitiveness, & CompassionLisa Pappas Accessibility AnalystCentral Testing – Process & Research

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AT for People Who Have Low Vision

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AT for People Who Are Blind

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AT for People Who Are Hearing-Impaired

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AT for People With Dexterity Impairments

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Why Produce Accessible Software?

Compliance

Competitiveness

Quality and consistency

Automated test enhancements

Ease-of-use

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Legislative Time Line

1990 1998 2000 2005 Next?

Americans with

Disabilities Act (ADA)

Access Board

publishesSection 508

criteria

e-Europe Initiative

U.S. Congress

passes Section 508

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What Does Section 508 Cover?

Software

Documentation

Technical support

Web content

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How ADA Combines with Section 508

Companies with > 15 employees must provide:

Reasonable accommodation

Equal access to information

Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

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How Many People Are Affected?

Some type of disability

Have >1 disability

Visual or Auditory

20%

50%

4%

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Who Benefits from Assistive Technology?

Forrester Research Study for Microsoft

Measured current and potential market of AT

60% of working-age adults likely or very likely to benefit from AT

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Demographic Convergence

LifeExpectancy

Age atRetirement

Incidence ofDisability

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Statistics of Global Labor Pool

We are about to face a demographically driven shortfall in labor that will make late 1990s seem like a minor irritation.

-Anthony Carnevale, Former Chairman of the National Commission for Employment Policy

Source: “It’s 2008: Do You Know Where Your Talent Is? Why Acquisition and Retention Strategies Don’t Work.” A Deloitte Research Study, March 2005.

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Accessibility: A Natural Extension of SAS’ Philosophy

You can pay headhunters to replace the overworked, overstressed employees that leave your company every year, or you can invest that money in keeping your employees happy & productive. To me, it’s a no-brainer.

- Dr. Jim Goodnight

Source: “CEO takes HR to primetime – Between the lines – Jim Goodnight, SAS,” Workforce, December 2002.

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How to Develop Accessible Software and Web Content

Code to platform standards and specifications

Educate at all levels of company

Integrate accessibility into the design and development process

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How SAS Can Help You Produce Accessible Output

SAS/GRAPH and ODS HTML tagset• 8.2 – GACCESSIBLE macro

• 9.1.3 – GOPTIONS ACCESSIBLE

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How to Validate Accessibility (Short List)

Full keyboard operation

Consistent, visible focus

Screen reader reads name and state of controls

Short-cut keys for quick navigation

Text description of all visual elements

On Web, enable to skip repetitive content

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How to Provide Accessible Tech Support

Familiarize Tech Support reps

Recognize the issues

Deliver support documentation in accessible format

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How to Provide Accessible Documentation

For Web-based content, code “valid HTML”

Test for full keyboard navigation

Test with screen reader

Describe all visual elements

Enable skip of navigation or repetitive content

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How to Provide Accessible Software in the Workplace

Buy accessible and verify compliance

Provide AT as needed

Educate developers

Top-down commitment / Bottom-up buy-in

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Benefits of Accessible Workplace and Software

Retention

Recruiting pool

Public opinion

Usability, customer satisfaction

Litigation risk

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Contact Information

Lisa Pappaslisa.pappas@sas.com919.531.0980

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