Disjointed Incrementalism - Florida’s Journey to Plan and Implement Fully Accessible Information Technology (IT) for all

1. Accessible Electronic Information TechnologyA-eIT…Maximizing Accessibility for All Disjointed Incrementalism - Florida’s Journey to Plan and Implement Fully Accessible Information Technology (IT) for all People with Disabilities Section 508 Coordinator Training - November 19-21, 2003 - Gettysburg, PA Lloyd J. Tribley, MS - Program Director The Governor’s Working Group on the American’s with Disabilities ActReal Choice PartnershipState of FloridaDepartment of Management Services

2. implementing fully accessible IT servicesthe presentation • The problem • What’s it all about? • Florida’s Situation • Our weapons • What we are doing • The future • Tools we use for S 508testing • Selected resources

3. implementing fully accessible IT servicesthe problem! • Many IT systems and services in Florida are not accessible for marginalized populations such as persons with disabilities. These persons become locked out. • New and emerging technologies have erected new barriers to accessibility • Civil rights requirements for access, fairness & "effective communication" can be ignored leaving these persons not served • Remember - IT changes; civil rightsdo not!

4. implementing fully accessible IT serviceswhat’s it all about? • maximize accessibility to Florida’sIT system(s) to help enhance thequality of life of our customers • callers/users are customers trying to break through systemic barriers to access services at the federal, state, and local levels • effective IT services in Florida should collaboratively reinforce a healthy community that is inclusive of persons with disabilities and all citizens

5. implementing fully accessible IT servicesFlorida’s situation • A-eIT requirements are currently not in Florida Statute • the ADA Working Group has been the only state entity proactively moving this issue since 1996 • resistance - • at all layers of state government • many IT companies serving state government “don’t get it” • Florida’s disability community has been slow to understand its importance • there is limited leadership • some disability organizations are major offenders

6. implementing fully accessible IT servicesFlorida’s situation • Florida is privatizing its enterprise Information Technology • Called the MyFlorida Alliance • Public and private providers of IT • For state and local governments • 2 Primes: Accenture and BearingPoint • 30+ technology providers • Shared investment, shared savings • State Technology Office is responsible for planning and delivery • Florida is entering into massive enterprise e-commerce contracts with national IT vendors and not requiring A-eIT • Now going back and beginning to “retrofit” S 508 into these applications

7. implementing fully accessible IT servicesFlorida’s situation: E-Governance Model Outcome? it’s too early…

8. implementing fully accessible IT servicesour weapons? • The Law --- • The Americans with Disabilities Act - 1990 • Rehabilitation Act - Sec. 504 & 508 • Telecommunications Act of 1996 • Assistive Technology Act of 1998

9. implementing fully accessible IT servicesour weapons? • Florida Governor Jeb Bush • Supporting the Governor’s Vision of a fullyaccessible government for all citizens • In 2002 Governor Bush publicly announced that: • All state agencies would comply withSection 508 of the Rehabilitation Actcovering Accessible ElectronicInformation Technology (A-eIT) • All state Web sites would be brought up toSection 508 compliance • A-eIT requirements will be built intofuture state information technologyprocurement

10. implementing fully accessible IT servicesour weapons? • ADA Working Group Executive Order • Mandates that the ADAWG work toward meeting the Governor’s vision of a fully accessible government for all citizens • Mandates systems change tied to - • Our Real Choice Partnership • The Olmstead Decision • The New Freedom Initiative • Supports Bobby Silverstein’s “Emerging Disability Policy Framework for Systems Change”

11. implementing fully accessible IT serviceshere’s what we are doing… • Clearinghouse on Disability Information • Provides a specialty telecommunications based “single-point-of-entry” I&R for the disability community • Supporting TTY system provides accessible handshake to old and new devices • abilityforum.com • Will support (currently under development) the Clearinghouse, Real Choice Partnership, andADA Working Group as a “single-point-of-entry”Web site for disability information for the citizens of Florida • It is being designed to comply with the W3C WCAG-AA accessibility standard. It will be the first state Web site meeting this stricter standard.

12. implementing fully accessible IT serviceshere’s what we are doing… • Created an Accessibility and Usability Testing Lab within the ADA Working Group. • This is the only accessibility testing environmentlike it in Florida government • Lab provides cross platform with accessibility testing and assistive technology software • Can test Section 508, and W3C WCAG standards • Conduct real-time technical accessibility testing • Developed a Collaboration with the FL State Technology Office to address accessible electronic information technology (A-eIT) issues • The ADA Working Group Board has created an A-eIT work group to support these issues

13. implementing fully accessible IT serviceshere’s what we are doing… • Work with state agencies to develop information technology procurement language used in the contracting process • Created the only cross-disability accessibility/usability testing work group in Florida. Conducts ”hands-on” technical accessibility analysis. • Handle accessibility complaints from citizen and government employees. Work to facilitate problem(s) with organization, IT vendor, and person. • Acquired “best practices” accessibility testing software. Includes server software which automates testing of any Web site.

14. implementing fully accessible IT serviceshere’s what we are doing… • Participate in the Health and Human Services Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services national A-eIT issues work group. One of only a handful of states addressing A-eIT from an Olmstead - systems change framework. • Provide consulting and training on A-eIT legal issues and accessible Web development. • Provide A-eIT technology training to state government and other interested parties • Make desktop testing/repair tool available to state agencies

15. implementing fully accessible IT serviceshere’s what we are doing… • Provide “standards” technical assistance to the State Technology Office • Present at conferences and workshops • Access to an international network of A-eIT experts • Awarded 2003 “Inspired Leadership Award for an Organization” by the Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology (FAAST) for our work in the A-eIT arena “In recognition of your “systems change leadership” on disability issues, which has increased choices for consumers with disabilities assuring access to information, resources, services, and full participation in the community in the field of assistive servicesand technology.”

16. implementing fully accessible IT servicesthe future… • Work to “institutionalize” A-eIT into the “system” • Continue to “role model” best practices • Bring interests together to dialogue issues and develop collaborations • Support the development of A-eIT legislation • Continue to develop and provide A-eIT legal and technical support to the State Technology Office and state agencies • Facilitate a comprehensive systemic approach to procurement • Educate and evolve leadership in the disability community

17. implementing fully accessible IT servicestools we use for testing S 508 Web… • Section 508 & W3C/WCAG Compliance • HiSoftware (see http://www.hisoftware.com/press/flada.html) • AccVerify/AccRepair • AccMonitor Server (STO deployment) • Hi-Caption • AccVerify Publisher for Microsoft Office • SSB Technologies (see http://www.ssbtechnologies.com/index.php) • InFocus • UsableNet (see http://www.usablenet.com/) • Lift Online/Macromedia Dreamweaver Pro extension • Assistive Technology • JAWS, Window-Eyes, HAL, OutSpoken, Inspiration, and others as identified by Interagency Testing Group • Platforms • Microsoft Windows, Apple Macintosh OS 9, 10 • Browsers • Lynx, various versions of Internet Explorer, Netscape for Win/Mac, Safari, Opera, Amaya, Go-America XML micro-browser

18. implementing fully accessible IT servicesselected resources… • U.S. Department of Justice - http://www.ada.gov/ • World Wide Web Consortium - http://www.w3c.org/ • Section 508 Gov - http://www.section508.gov/ • Web AIM - http://www.webaim.org/ • Department of Justice: Accessibility of State and Local Government Websites to People with Disabilities-http://www.ada.gov/websites2.htm

19. implementing fully accessible IT servicesselected resources… • National Center for Accessible Media - http://ncam.wgbh.org/ • Trace Research and Development Center, U. of Wisconsin - http://www.tracecenter.org/ • U.S. Access Board -http://www.access-board.gov/ • International Center for Disability Resources on the Internet - http://www.icdri.org/ • Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology - http://www.faast.org/

20. ADA Working Groupany questions? • Julie M. Shaw • Executive ADA Administrator, ADA Working Group • TTY/Toll Free: 877-232-4968 • Voice: 850-922-4103 • Fax: 850-414-8908 • julie.shaw@myflorida.com • Lloyd J. Tribley, MS • Program Director, Real Choice Partnership Project • TTY/Toll Free: 877-232-4968 • Voice: 850-922-4103 • Fax: 850-414-8908 • lloyd.tribley@myflorida.com