Few people would know that there are approximately 60 million Americans with some form of disability. And even less would know that Internet accessibility is problematic – if not impossible – for these individuals. For this reason, FindAnyFloor.com is intent on making its websites fully accessible which includes being Section 508 compliant.
Section 508 is a 1998 Amendment to the Rehabilitation Act that requires Federal agencies to make their technology accessible to individuals with disabilities. Naturally, this includes the Internet. However, there is no similar legal requirement for the private sector and independently owned and operated websites.
As a technology company, FindAnyFloor.com sees converting businesses to accessibility as a social imperative and just plain commercial commonsense (particularly during these times of Wall Street woes and government bailouts). The company has devised a strategy for doing this, beginning with the flooring industry and then branching out to other sectors of the economy.
While flooring information is obviously FindAnyFloor.com's domain, Section 508 compliance across the spectrum of sites on the Web will open up a wealth of information for the millions who have visual, audio or mobility disabilities. Among the ways that this is achieved are coding for the use of assisted devices, no excessive use of Flash visuals, insuring alt tags are used on all images, and putting closed captions on all videos with sound.
FindAnyFloor.com has followed the Web Accessibility Initiative Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2.0) formulated by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). For more information on the work of the WAI, or the WCAG 2.0, go to http://www.w3.org/WAI/.
FindAnyFloor.com's efforts in raising awareness about Internet accessibility have already been noted by The New York Times, Forbes.com and other major news outlets.
Damien Patton is the Founder and CEO of FindAnyFloor.com and has several years in the flooring industry. Visit them online for information ranging from hardwood flooring installation advice to tips on how to buy tile floors.
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