RE: New Website

Note: This lettter was sent to the Editor of River Town Times Amherstburg
by Linda Saxon

Six years ago, upon my insistence, the accessibility committee included the town's web site as a barrier in the first annual accessibility plan. However, the committee relegated it as a priority to be addressed in year three, despite my claim that the web site could easily conform to Accessibility Guidelines in year one.

The second annual plan then listed the web site as a priority for 2005. In July 2005, Mr. Carpenter advised me that "the current plan is to launch a new website approximately December 2005 which will comply with web accessibility standards."

In December 2005, Council approved the third annual plan, which then listed the web site as a priority for 2006. But in early 2006, Mr. Carpenter advised me that he was working on a new web site and that it should be ready in six months.

The fourth annual plan listed as an accomplishment "web site improvements through updating of sites," which contradicted the barrier removal strategy stated in the annual accessibility plans, which was to "complete in accordance with guidelines."

Following my July 23, 2007 presentation to council, Councillor Sutton mentioned the report on the agenda from Mr. Carpenter, manager of information technology, informing council that the website was compliant with W3C accessibility standards.

I responded that it still was not accessible. In a followup email to council members, I provided a link to a site check of the town's web site by a web accessibility professional.

Mr. Carpenter then requested an audit of the Town's website and in August 2007, a third party vendor provided council with an overview of accessibility and usability of web sites for information purposes. Mr. Carpenter's recommendation was that no action was required at this time.

An October 2007 Administration report to council, in reference to Web Page Accessibility, incorrectly states, "There are no governmental standards for web page accessibility. Community guidelines exist." The report continues, "Administration will provide options for Council consideration for 2008 budget on making the web page more accessible. The Town has a web page which has minimal accessibility features."

The Town's August 2008 Request for Proposals for the redesign of the web site states the successful proponent will be responsible to ensure "The site is user friendly and accessible to people with disabilities in compliance with current Worldwide Web Consortium guidelines." Would those be the same guidelines that have existed since 1999 that I have touted, but have so far not been acknowledged to exist?

Given what has transpired, I am skeptical that the $16,609.00 cost for a new web site will address the barriers. I did a test of the approved company's web site and found accessibility concerns with their web site - things that are obvious at first glance. In addition, the Request for Proposal includes specifications for the site that should have been up to the designer to decide if the intent is to finally provide an accessible web site. Otherwise, more time and taxpayer dollars will be wasted in another retrofit situation.

More commentaries.