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The W3C, the agency that polices and dictates policy for web designers, coding and web development standards has convened to address several issues relevant to internet users, young and old, specifically disabled individuals. This legislation will help countless millions of disabled and non-English speaking Texans thru improved navigation and accessibility and functionality. Texas Web Designers must now work harder than ever to ensure that new websites comply with these new laws and that they are accessible by the visually and hearing-impaired.
Under House Bill 2819 (79th Regular Legislative Session), state agencies are required to ensure that disabled person have the same access to electronic information resources as those who are not disabled. There is one provision. If an agency claims the expense for converting digital information into a format usable for disabled persons will create too great an expense for their agency, they can appeal to have this requirement voided. This could potentially put Texas Web Designers in jeopardy if it is thought they dissuaded a company from making such changes to save money.
Although it may be tempting to cut a few corners and save some money by appealing this decision using this loophole, companies should consider the profits they may produce by gaining a wider audience, not to mention the good PR. Some companies, with the help of Texas Web Designers, have already made such changes voluntarily, and these companies can testify to the record profits such innovative changes have produced.
Every single one of us in the IT industry should be held accountable to this new standard: Texas Web Designers, coding specialists, IT experts, programming specialists, etcAccording to the Standards Review and Recommendations Publication, "People aged 45 through 54 have an 11.5 percent chance of developing a disability. This figure nearly doubles to 21.9 percent for those aged 55 through 64. The number of workers aged 55 and older will grow from 13 percent of the labor force in 2000 to 20 percent in 2020." (SRRPUB11) What does all of this mean? Quite simply, there is a large opportunity to expand your market by doing the right thing.
The fact is that modifying your website to be more accessible to the visually and hearing-impaired is not that hard at all, nor is it that expensive. Look at Denton County's website. This is by no means a very affluent community, but even still, they have made the leap forward to accept users of all backgrounds: disabled, non-English speaking, etcWith even very inexpensive software, one can transition over to a website that is fully accessible to the disabled, and even easier to translate for non-English speaking visitors. Texas Web Designers are quickly learning this fact, and it is paying off insofar as they are getting new and repeat business. Moreover, their clients have expanded their market.
It is important that we do not discriminate against disabled individuals by ignoring this legislation. We must make a concerted effort to comply with these standards. If we do, we will all benefit from the increased market share derived from these changes. Moreover, Texas Web Designers will stand as a shining example of what can be accomplished when we concern ourselves with issues affecting our disabled men and women.
Under House Bill 2819 (79th Regular Legislative Session), state agencies are required to ensure that disabled person have the same access to electronic information resources as those who are not disabled. There is one provision. If an agency claims the expense for converting digital information into a format usable for disabled persons will create too great an expense for their agency, they can appeal to have this requirement voided. This could potentially put Texas Web Designers in jeopardy if it is thought they dissuaded a company from making such changes to save money.
Although it may be tempting to cut a few corners and save some money by appealing this decision using this loophole, companies should consider the profits they may produce by gaining a wider audience, not to mention the good PR. Some companies, with the help of Texas Web Designers, have already made such changes voluntarily, and these companies can testify to the record profits such innovative changes have produced.
Every single one of us in the IT industry should be held accountable to this new standard: Texas Web Designers, coding specialists, IT experts, programming specialists, etcAccording to the Standards Review and Recommendations Publication, "People aged 45 through 54 have an 11.5 percent chance of developing a disability. This figure nearly doubles to 21.9 percent for those aged 55 through 64. The number of workers aged 55 and older will grow from 13 percent of the labor force in 2000 to 20 percent in 2020." (SRRPUB11) What does all of this mean? Quite simply, there is a large opportunity to expand your market by doing the right thing.
The fact is that modifying your website to be more accessible to the visually and hearing-impaired is not that hard at all, nor is it that expensive. Look at Denton County's website. This is by no means a very affluent community, but even still, they have made the leap forward to accept users of all backgrounds: disabled, non-English speaking, etcWith even very inexpensive software, one can transition over to a website that is fully accessible to the disabled, and even easier to translate for non-English speaking visitors. Texas Web Designers are quickly learning this fact, and it is paying off insofar as they are getting new and repeat business. Moreover, their clients have expanded their market.
It is important that we do not discriminate against disabled individuals by ignoring this legislation. We must make a concerted effort to comply with these standards. If we do, we will all benefit from the increased market share derived from these changes. Moreover, Texas Web Designers will stand as a shining example of what can be accomplished when we concern ourselves with issues affecting our disabled men and women.
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