Legal, ethical, and financial considerations are driving organizations toward improving accessibility, whether to a physical space, or to information. Documentation Strategies, Inc. has helped make web sites ADA compliant by applying their expertise in information design and delivery.

Since The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, this country has seen marked improvements in accessibility to both public and private facilities. Assistive tools and equipment such as reach extenders and riding shopping carts are nearly commonplace. Similarly, organizations are seeking to make their information accessible to the largest number of users possible, including the millions of people with low visual ability, hearing problems, motion impairment, or other disabilities.

States such as New York and California have strengthened federal legislation by requiring ADA compliance within all their agencies and on their web sites. Private organizations risk discrimination suits or loss of federal or state funding with non-compliance. Documentation Strategies is focused on supporting accessibility initiatives when working with both the public and private sectors.

"Accessibility is a natural extension of good information design, and Documentation Strategies incorporates ADA guidelines into all of its Web projects," said Ann C. Moynihan, President of Documentation Strategies, Inc.

Recently, a team from Documentation Strategies thoroughly analyzed, updated, and modified a large state agency's web site to be ADA compliant.

With extensive research and experience, Documentation Strategies has developed a common, structured approach to developing new Web pages and modifying existing pages to be compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. These guidelines are published by the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI).

Using this approach saves organizations time and effort toward achieving ADA compliance. Documentation Strategies is available every step of the way; by addressing the needs of populations with various disabilities, information access is improved for all.