Accessible Web Site Design: It’s THE LAW April 26, 2007

Accessible Web Site Design: It’s THE LAW

A PANEL DISCUSSION THAT COULD SAVE YOUR COMPANY MILLIONS!

Mindshare Interactive Campaigns & Foley Hoag Emerging Enterprise Center

Just months ago, a Federal Appeals Court ruled that Target Corporation violated the Americans with Disabilities Act because its Web site was not accessible to the blind. The court rejected Target’s argument that only its physical stores were covered by civil rights laws; it ruled instead that all services provided by Target, including its Web site, must be accessible to persons with disabilities.

How would your company’s Web site do in court?

Making your Web presence truly accessible to everyone – including persons with hearing loss, visual impairment or physical limitations like arthritis – is not only good legal sense, it’s good business. And it doesn’t cost a fortune, but it must be done right.

Our expert panel has years of experience guiding clients through the legal, business, design and user experience issues of accessibility.

Brian, Charlson, Vice President of Computer Training Services, The Carroll Center for the Blind
Brian directs the Technology Training Programs both on the campus and through Distance Learning. He began his employment at the Carroll Center in 1985 as a classroom teacher in the same program, training blind and visually impaired people to use computers through speech, Braille and large print. Brian has presented on adaptive technology subjects at International conferences and innumerable local and national conferences. He has also been a guest speaker on technology, leadership and special education at conferences in Spain, Israel, Greece, Canada and Australia. Brain represents the ACB on the regional and international level of the World Blind Union; serves as Board of Trustees member of the American Foundation for the Blind; as the Chair of AER'S Division V (information technology), and as the Chair of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind's Rehabilitation Council.

Kathy Wahlbin, Director of User Experiences, Mindshare Interactive Campaigns
Kathy is passionate about creating a world where online communications and technology are simple and universally accessible to all people regardless of ability. She has leveraged her degree in computer science and mathematics during her more than 10 years experience consulting with clients using technology for business improvement. She has a deep understanding of the Section 508 and the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, and through usability testing has in-depth knowledge of how people with disabilities and the aging baby boomers use the Web.

Sheila O’Leary, Associate, Foley Hoag
Sheila has been practicing in Foley Hoag's labor and employment department since 2002. She has significant experience representing employers on a wide-range of issues affecting the workplace, including discrimination and harassment claims, non-compete claims, trade secret claims, reductions in force, wage and hour issues, and other employment matters. Sheila has also defended clients in federal court actions concerning their accessibility to individuals with disabilities as places of public accommodation.

Andrew Kirkpatrick, Adobe
Andrew is the Corporate Accessibility Engineering Lead for Adobe Systems, Technical Editor (for Accessibility) for A List Apart, and Training and Judging co-chair for Knowbility’s AIR-Boston event. At Adobe, Andrew attends to accessibility issues and planning with product teams across the Adobe product line and works with customers and standards groups, including representing Adobe on the Section 508 refresh committee. Prior to Adobe, Andrew worked at Macromedia as Principal Accessibility Engineer and at the WGBH National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) as Director of Technology. At NCAM his focus was on accessibility consulting for corporate clients including America Online, Yahoo!, BT, Apple, and Macromedia. While at NCAM, Andrew was also product manager for MAGpie, the free captioning and audio description software tool, and developer of STEP 1.0, a tool for prioritizing accessibility errors generated by automated evaluation tools.

When: Thursday, April 26, 2008; 8:00 - 9:30 AM

Where:

Foley Hoag Emerging Enterprise Center
Bay Colony Corporate Center
1000 Winter Street, Suite 4000, North Entrance
Waltham, Massachusetts 02451-1436

This session is provided free.

Advanced registration is requested.

Register by:

Calling: 202 – 654 - 0800

Via Email: [email protected]