TWO HOUSTON WEB TEAMS COMPETE IN AIR-HOUSTON WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY RALLY Web Designers and Non-Profit Organizations Partner to Improve Web Site Access to the Disabled
October 19, 2004 – Two teams of City of Houston Webmasters competed in the inaugural AIR-Houston event at the University of Houston on Saturday, October 16, 2004. The Accessibility Internet Rally (AIR) partners area web designers with local non-profit organizations to improve website access to the disabled.
AIR-Houston, part of the www.knowbility.org network, is an award-winning, website-building competition held annually around the country. Several Houston-area teams either created or reformatted websites for non-profits in order to comply with “Section 508” standards for Americans with disabilities. Section 508 is a 1998 amendment to the Rehabilitation Act to require Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities.
This competition has been recognized for excellence and innovation by business and political leaders. The AIR-Houston co-chair was Council Member Michael Berry.
Council Member Berry noted, “ Houston is a disability-friendly city, and we're committed to making the internet open and accessible to everyone. We are proud that our private sector companies joined our city web team to open the web world to those with disabilities.”
Accessible design also has a global economic impact. It is estimated that 54 million Americans with disabilities have an aggregate income of $1 trillion, which includes $220 billion of discretionary spending.
Members of the City of Houston WebRing work on upgrading
the website of Career and Recovery Resources, Inc.
The two City employee teams participating were the City of Houston Webring (with web content administrators from the Information Technology, Health, Public Works, Planning and Police Departments, and the E.B. Cape Center) and the Houston Public Library Webteam (comprised of Library employees and volunteers). The City of Houston Webring teamed up with Career and Recovery Resources, Inc. (www.careerandrecovery.org), while the Houston Public Library Webteam partnered with The Center - Serving Persons with Mental Retardation (www.cri-usa.org). Both non-profits are United Way Agencies.
The AIR-Houston awards ceremony will take place Thursday, November 4.
