<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<TITLE>Message</TITLE>
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.3020" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV><SPAN class=734484919-08012007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Hi,
Howard. Arkansas has a state law requiring accessibility checks at the
procurement level and proof of accessibility before acquisition; our biggest
problems have been 1) most folks in procurement didn't know the law even
existed, 2) it has no enforcement, and 3) even after they've been told about it,
they keep buying products without asking for accessibility checks in advance (OR
they make the mistake of believing the vendors who say that they're compliant
and don't ask for an independent verification). There are several of us
who just keep shaking the trees and yelling at them (after trying the
educational outreach method, of course), but so far nothing that has really made
the situation any better. If someone has a system that's working, I'd be
happy to try it here; as it is, I'm to the point of waiting for someone to file
a lawsuit for failure to comply with state law.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=734484919-08012007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=734484919-08012007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Teresa
</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=734484919-08012007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=734484919-08012007>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>+++++++++++++++++++++</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Teresa Wells Haven, Ph.D.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Assistant Director for Assistive
Technology</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Center for Students with
Disabilities</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>ARKU 104</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>University of Arkansas</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Fayetteville, AR 72701</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>479-575-3104 (voice)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>479-575-7445 (fax)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>479-575-3646 (tdd)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2><A
href="mailto:ada@uark.edu">ada@uark.edu</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial
size=2>+++++++++++++++++++++</FONT></DIV></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left><FONT
face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
athen-bounces@athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces@athenpro.org] <B>On Behalf Of
</B>Howard Kramer<BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, January 08, 2007 11:34
AM<BR><B>To:</B> Access Technologists in Higher Education
Network<BR><B>Subject:</B> [Athen] Ensuring 508 compliance of university IT
products<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>Hello All & Happy New Year (isn't it great to
be back!):<BR><BR>I'm working with our office of Provost for Technology to
possibly implement a 508 check at the procurement level for any system-wide IT
purchases - i.e. webmail, calendaring, etc. I'm wondering if any other
campuses have implemented some type of 508 stipulation at the procurement
level, or if not, do you have any other type of mechanism in play to ensure
508 compliance of campus-wide IT - besides simply the campus education &
outreach approach.<BR><BR>This all follows a frustrating experience last year
when ITS purchased a new inaccessible Webmail/calendaring product after we
gave them feedback that the product was not accessible. Our ITS dept. has
usually been cooperative with trying to comply with 508. However, in this case
they proceeded with the purchase with the argument that using a different
interface - i.e. Outlook - screenreader users could still access the product.
Not a view I agree with.<BR><BR>Thanks,<BR>Howard<BR><BR><X-SIGSEP>
<P></X-SIGSEP>Howard Kramer<BR>Assistive Technology Lab Coordinator<BR>AT
Conference Coordinator<BR>Disability Services<BR>CU-Boulder, 107
UCB<BR>Boulder, Co 80309<BR>303-492-8672<BR><BR><BR><FONT
face="Courier New, Courier">NOTICE: This e-mail (including attachments) is
covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C._2510-2521, is
confidential and may be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient,
please be aware that any retention, dissemination, distribution, or copying of
this communication is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient,
please reply to the sender that you have received this message in error, then
delete it. Thank you for helping to maintain privacy.</FONT>
<BR></P></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>