Web Site Accessibility Blog

In the inspirational story of the day category, I found this in my newswire reading – the Third annual Accessibility Internet Rally for Houston.

The Houston area is having a one-day event to match designers and developers with non-profit organizations to create media-rich, interactive and accessible websites. Both the developers and the non-profits learn more about accessibility, but also give non-profit organizations the opportunity to have access to professional designers, and understand government accessibility mandates.

The web professionals will be taught the accessibility techniques, W3C and 508 standards, take classes in CSS, JavaScript and multimedia. The non-profits will also receive a year of free hosting. In the past, sites that have been made accessible include Taping for the Blind, Texas Paralyzed Veterans Association, Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council, and the University of Houston Center for Student with Disabilities.

The organization behind this initiative is a company called Knowbility. Knowbility is a non-profit organization that was founded to help ensure that children and adults with disabilities.

This is one of the greatest things I have read since I have been working in accessibility. This is truly a community that is coming together to help those in need and learn more about the world outside themselves. Simply bringing together non-profits and designers is cool enough, but to offer educational classes and business benefits to both – that’s amazing.

I am always amazed when someone comes up with an idea that isn’t meant to be profitable, but beneficial. However, in the end – everyone profits from it.