CTA Offers 'Section 508' Web Accessibility Audit Services Aimed At Bridging the Digital Divide.Business Editors/Hi-Tech Writers BETHESDA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 31, 2000 In an effort to provide accessible e-government, CTA An abbreviation for cum testamento annexo, Latin for "with the will annexed." (Computer Technology Associates) announced today the availability of a new audit that assesses government Web sites' level of compliance with "section 508" of the Rehabilitation rehabilitation: see physical therapy. Act of 1998. Section 508 is the law extending to cyberspace Coined by William Gibson in his 1984 novel "Neuromancer," it is a futuristic computer network that people use by plugging their minds into it! The term now refers to the Internet or to the online or digital world in general. See Internet and virtual reality. Contrast with meatspace. the same legal guarantees of access that all physical public amenities must provide. The CTA 508 Compliance Audit (www.508Audit.com) is the first comprehensive solution to help government agencies and bureaus determine how to make their Web sites accessible to disabled users, a segment representing 20% of the total population. The compliance audit serves as a breakthrough in bridging the digital divide. "Just as the law leveled architectural barriers architectural barrier Public health Any structure or design feature that makes a building inaccessible to a person with a disability–eg, lack of ramps, narrow elevator doors. See Americans with Disabilities Act, Service dog. and made it possible for everyone to enjoy equal access to places like post offices and government buildings, section 508 is a road map for opening the Internet to people regardless of perceptual or motor impairments," stated CTA Chief Executive Officer Tom Velez. "Our job is to help agencies read the map." CTA, known for user-centric design and sophisticated software engineering, will conduct expert reviews of Web sites to identify any features that may fail access standards. If the audit identifies accessibility issues, CTA will provide the agency with the specific actions necessary to initiate a redesign, or will perform the remediation work under separate contract. Details may be found at a special section 508 compliance Web site tailored for government audiences: www.508audit.com. CTA recently completed an online 508 project for the IRS An abbreviation for the Internal Revenue Service, a federal agency charged with the responsibility of administering and enforcing internal revenue laws. and is engaged in a variety of user-centric redesign initiatives involving 508 compliance for federal and state agencies, including the GSA (1) (Global mobile Suppliers Association, Sawbridgeworth, U.K., www.gsacom.com) A membership organization of suppliers of GSM products and services. Its goal is to promote GSM as the worldwide mobile communications standard. See GSM Association and GSM. Advantage! e-Procurement Web site. ABOUT SECTION 508: Section 508 requires that new federal Web sites and new portions of existing ones must make their content and function available to people with motor, visual or auditory disabilities. The Department of Justice has been putting government offices on notice that the law will be enforced as soon as suitable guidelines are published in October 2000, following a six-month grace period. ABOUT CTA: CTA is a nationwide provider of e-Business solutions and information technology systems and services. CTA has 20 years of experience with commercial clients and selected agencies of the federal and state governments. CTA core competencies lie in electronic business, systems integration, database technology, legacy system integration, program management consulting Noun 1. management consulting - a service industry that provides advice to those in charge of running a business service industry - an industry that provides services rather than tangible objects , security planning, custom manufacturing and embedded systems Embedded systems Computer systems that cannot be programmed by the user because they are preprogrammed for a specific task and are buried within the equipment they serve. engineering. For more information visit: www.CTA.com. |
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