Implementing the
Illinois Information Technology
Accessibility Act
Lessons Learned in Making
Accessibility Achievable
Mike Scott
Illinois Department of Human Services
MSF&W Accessibility Solutions
Accessibility
What is accessibility?
Accommodating People with Disabilities
- People with low vision or blindness
- People with limited reach, strength, manipulation, or touch
- People who are hard of hearing or deaf
- People with limited speech
- People with learning disabilities*
Compatibility with Assistive Technologies
- Large Fonts & High Contrast
- Screen Magnifiers (ZoomText, MAGic)
- Screen Readers (JAWS, Window-Eyes)
- Alternate Keyboard & Mouse Devices
- Speech Recognition (Naturally Speaking)
- Captions & Audio Description
Why is accessibility important?
The Laws
- Section 504
- Americans with Disabilities Act
- Title 1 - Employment
- Title II - Public Services (state, county, local governments)
- Title III - Public Accommodations
- Section 508
The Lawsuits
- America Online
- Priceline & Ramada.com
- Arkansas & Pennsylvania
- Target
IITAA
What is the IITAA?
Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act
It is the policy of the State of Illinois
that information technology
developed, purchased, or provided by the State
is accessible to individuals with disabilities.
Sections
- Policy
- Definitions
- Development of Standards (6 months)
- Implementation of Standards (6 months)
- Review & Ammendment of Standards (every 3 years)
How do we implement the standards?
Development
Step 1: Communicate the Requirement to Developers
& Managers
Step 2: Set Goals ASAP
Step 3: Train Developers
Step 4: Identify Tools
Step 5: Test
Procurement
Step 1: Communicate the Requirement to Vendors
As required by Illinois Public Act 095-0307,
all information technology, including
electronic information, software, systems, and equipment,
developed or provided under this contract
must comply with the applicable requirements of the
Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act Standards
as posted at http://www.dhs.state.il.us/iitaa.
Step 2: Ask Vendors to Respond
Step 3: Evaluate Responses
Tools
Lessons Learned
- Be proactive
- Focus on the future
- Be "harmonized"
- Prioritize
- Make reasonable exceptions
- Focus on improving
For more information...
Mike Scott