Techshare India 2014: The Largest Event Promoting Online Accessibility

2014’s Techshare, India, scheduled for the 13th and 14th of February, will be carried out at the India Habitat Center. This is the 4th occurrence for this event and is estimated to bring in more than 25 exhibitors that will be presenting many different modern day technology services and products. Techshare is reportedly the largest modern technology event promoting web accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

Innovate, adapt and evolve are the three themes that will be represented at Techshare India 2014. These three themes will likely be integrated into the events four verticals; employment, education, accessibility, and laws/policies. 2,000 plus attendees are predicted, and greater than 50 visiting speakers will present on problems associated with web accessibility over the 2 day occasion. Keynote speakers will include J. Alan Bird of W3C, Kiran Kaja with Adobe, and Ted Drake from Intuit.

Research conducted at Gartner global advisory firm discovered that as many as 15 percent of the world’s populace has a disability. Due to the growing global elderly population, this percentage is only expected to rise.

The innovative occasion symbolizes the benefit and mandatory advances needed for web accessibility in India, as well as worldwide. The host site for Techshare advises; now is the time for all parts government, companies, educational institutions, and nonprofits, “needs to evolve to generate an inclusive surroundings,” to take into consideration ways to meet the needs of everyone including the disabled.

Disney Web Accessibility Lawsuit Teaches an Important Lesson

Early in 2013, after several years, a settlement was agreed upon in the class action lawsuit against Walt Disney Theme Parks. The case Shields vs. Walt Disney Parks claimed that Walt Disney failed to adhere to California and Federal laws. They did not provide equal service to both theme parks and the Disney internet website for visually impaired consumers. The outcome of the situation resulted in extensive changes and compensations that Walt Disney was to follow up with in 12 month's time. At present, the time has come for the mandatory changes Walt Disney Parks are due. The question to ask not only Walt Disney, but every website owner is, is their website easily accessible? This article focuses on Disney’s accessibility lawsuit, as well as the importance of web accessibility.

In 2010 three visually impaired Disney customers filed a complaint against the popular family theme parks, declaring the website denied them proper access and violated ADA legal guidelines. The main concerns regarding the website were surrounding sound and movie clips. The clips would automatically play when visiting the website making it inaccessible for keyboard users or individuals using assistive devices, like screen readers. Disney also used Flash content and supplied no alt text for images, making the page even further inaccessible to blind users.

Along with web accessibility lawsuit claims, came problems at the actual location of the theme park. Assertions were made that Disney refused reasonable modifications for disabled consumers. The parks were denying service for patrons with seeing eye dogs, supplying audio options, and failure to supply maps, schedules, menus, etc.in Braille. The blind patrons and the National Federation for the Blind insist that the theme parks and web pages do not consider people with visual  impairments. Walt Disney denied the claims and further declared the company is under no obligation to make special adjustments for visually disabled patrons, claiming situations involving disabilities ought to be taken care of on an individual basis.

The case faced several due processes, and went on for multiple years until a settlement was finally reached in early 2013. Disney was held by the court to make changes in four national subclasses website, effective communication, service animals, and infrastructure. Each national subclass had a long list of demands. The corporation is required to adhere by within a year.

Disney, being a major corporation, more than likely will meet all the necessary requirements that both the website and the theme park are required to accommodate for blind patrons and avoid further legal hassles. The aim and lesson here is that every corporation, company, and business entity, has to be asking themselves; “Is our website easily accessible?” The web accessibility lawsuit against Walt Disney Theme parks represents a growing trend in lawsuits. Online resources need to be accessible to all consumers. Failure to place accessibility standards could end in an unpleasant lawsuit.