As the election campaign comes to a close, the two candidates for mayor who have been leading in the polls have both endorsed a local software solution to make the city's website more accessible to those with disabilities.
An
announcement by Riverdale-based
eSSENTIAL Accessibility heralds commitments by
George Smitherman and
Rob Ford to make www.toronto.ca accessible to those with disabilities -- users who have trouble typing or moving a mouse or reading a screen, for instance. Both candidates display the company's blue wheelchair-and-computer logo on their campaign websites, and both claim a commitment to extending a policy of e-accessibility to city communications.
"The disability community wants to elect a mayor who understands and
responds to their un-met online needs," says Spiro Papathanasakis, Director eSSENTIAL Accessibility Inc. "The two leading candidates have demonstrated their commitment to digital
inclusion and e-participation in the election process, which means
Toronto will soon
see the elimination of barriers to online government services that many
disabled residents face."
The company provides a button that is a turnkey solution for website operators. When users with disabilities click on it, it allows them to download the assisted-browsing services they require to properly interact with the site. According a release, "As the first mayoral candidates in the world to embrace this technology,
Ford and Smitherman are participating in an Online Social
ResponsAbility initiative sponsored by March of Dimes Canada. Their
Toronto will be an e-City that institutionalizes these practices to
achieve top rank on the global stage."
Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Spiro Papathanasakis, Director, eSSENTIAL Accessibility