Why is the issue of Web accessibility getting so much attention recently?
More people are aware of accessibility issues regarding people with disabilities due in part to the publicity generated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the actions of disability rights advocates. In addition, in the early days of the Internet, information was text-based and thus very accessible to individuals using assistive technology; also, sound output was not available. The explosion of multimedia on the World Wide Web had erected access barriers for people with disabilities, particularly for those who have sensory impairments. The fact that, through requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Web pages of Federal agencies must comply with accessibility standards has also increased public awareness of the issue.
