The publishing paradigm shift is nearly complete: We have moved from a paper-based, typewriter-generated, hand-edited, printing press produced publication to a paperless, intelligent WYSIWYG software generated, WWW-published hyperdocument. Not only has the shift changed the way information is produced, it has changed the way individuals read that information.
For temporarily able bodied (TABs) persons, the shift has resulted in increased availability to a global information set never before achieved. Because of this apparent increased availability of information the publishing industry has wrongly assumed that "what is good for the goose, is good for the gander".
The sad truth is that the proliferation of information does not guarantee its accessibility. Availability does not equate to accessibility. Where people with disabilities (particularly those with print disabilities) are concerned, thoughtless barriers to information are being constructed by electronic publishers. The barrier factor is increased by the magnitude of inexperienced on-line businesses and organizations who have correctly assessed the inexpensive cost of delivering information on the Internet, but have inaccurately assumed that because it's on the Web, it must be easy to read . . . or access.
What are the key issues involving information accessibility for people with disabilities? Do solutions exist to assist publishers in the design, production, and delivery of accessible publications? Can publishers increase the accessibility and availability of their documents without sacrificing additional time, creativity, quality, personnel, and money?
The answers to these questions and available resources are discussed in the sections that follow.
Contact Robin Cover with corrections and updates, or to submit contributions to the ISUG online document database.
