United States

Your company has developed a great product which you plan to position for selling to the U.S. Federal Government. Your product is on the GSA schedule, and now you are ready to bid for government contracts, or expecting the purchase orders.

But have you thought about accessibility to people with disabilities? Do you know if your product is Section 508 compliant?

Persons with disabilities are now gaining recognition among companies. Blind individuals have proven that they can perform well in jobs requiring speaking and hearing skills. People with hearing impairments have displayed much efficiency in working on printed and electronic documents.

However, persons with disabilities still face much difficulty in finding a suitable job. A lot of companies are still reluctant to hire disabled people, although they may be well qualified for a specific job.

Nevertheless, it is a fact that there are a handful of reasons why hiring persons with disabilities is a good idea.

Although the Office of Management and Budget holds up USASpending.gov as an example of how the Web can provide greater transparency into government operations, the site also has a number of serious shortcomings that limit its effectiveness, according to Seth Grimes, a data management and analysis systems consultant for Washington-based Alta Plana Corp.

As it was planned President Barack Obama declared his administration's intent to sign the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities today. The actual signing will take place in New York at the end of July.

On July 24, President Barack Obama plans to announce signing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. With this, the United States would be number 141 signing the Convention.

Recently I came across Mark Miller's blog, Special Needs Truth '08 in which he closely followes the Obama Administrations policies and achievements in connection with people with disabilities.

The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) took effect on January 1, 2009. The ADAAA, which was signed by President Bush on September 25, 2008, is intended to restore Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provisions that had been eroded by a series of Supreme Court decisions.

During the elections, the subject of disabilities wasn't in the center of attention, while it effects almost one out of six Americans. While more emphasis was put on foreign policy and the economy, President Barack Obama definitely has a plan for people with disabilities. And this plan, was posted electronically on the internet, with special considerations to accessibility.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has helped tear down barriers for millions of people living with disabilities. On the anniversary of this important legislation, our Nation underscores our commitment to ensuring that all individuals have an equal opportunity to realize their full potential.

There have been some confusing messages coming out recently regarding changes to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). WebAIM readers may want additional information so they can provide comments and feedback on an issue that continues to be conspicuously absent from the ADA, namely the Internet.