Au Web Inaccessibilities Investigated

An investigation to be conducted by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) is expected to submit an interim report in December this year, detailing Internet inaccessability for older Australians and people with disabilities.

Much like the standards outlined in the United States (see this related article about making your Web site accessible by as many people as possible: Accessibility: more than the right thing to do) , the report may outline minimum standards that should be met when publishing information on the Internet. Both browser-related problems, and Web education and training issues will be covered.

1997 guidelines by HREOC suggested that many sites could be breaching discrimination laws. This new report, requested by Attorney-General Daryl Williams, continues the efforts by the Federal Government to deal with Internet access for disabled Australians, and follows the funding of initiatives and research into these issues.

Read more on the situation at Newswire.