posted 5-13-2003

 

National Federation of the Blind Certifies Websites

Baltimore, MD, May 12, 2003 – The National Federation of the Blind, the nation's largest consumer and advocacy membership organization of blind persons, today announced the first national recipients of its "Nonvisual Accessibility Web Application Certification." NVA certification formally acknowledges websites that are accessible to those who are visually impaired.

Today’s announcement recognizes HP, Wells Fargo, and the U.S. Social Security Administration as leaders in web accessibility for the visually impaired in their respective fields and also demonstrates the growing success of the certification program in assisting website owners to address the issue of creating content and services that are accessible to all.

“HP, Wells Fargo and the US Social Security Administration are leaders in web accessibility,” said Dr. Marc Maurer, President, National Federation of the Blind. “We created the certification process so that Internet accessibility leaders, such as these, could be publicly recognized by the NFB for their efforts. We hope that more companies and organizations will follow the example that these innovators have set and make web accessibility a priority in their organizations.”

Certification was granted after the NFB conducted task-performance tests of the primary functions of the organizations’ websites. It was determined that a visually impaired user can perform the primary functions of the websites using at least two talking-screen access programs. As part of the certification program, NFB will continuously monitor these websites for accessibility using an automated system that flags potential problems for review by visually impaired users.

“This certification is a significant step towards our goal of connecting everyone to the power of technology by integrating accessibility into core business functions across HP,” said Marius Haas, vice president of worldwide eBusiness, HP. “Supporting these types of measures helps ensure that HP products, services, and content on HP.com are accessible to everyone, regardless of their abilities.”

“The Internet provides a new medium to expand access to the visually impaired and blind,” said Avid Modjtabai, executive vice president and head of Wells Fargo’s Internet Services Group. “Wells Fargo is pleased to be the nation’s first and only financial institution to be certified by the National Federation of the Blind. And, we are committed to bringing financial services to all of our customers including people who are blind or visually impaired.”

“The Social Security Administration’s redesigned website—socialsecurity.gov—is easier to navigate and more accessible to all visitors, including people with visual and other physical disabilities,” said Jo Anne Barnhart, commissioner of Social Security. “Social Security’s programs touch the lives of nearly every American. Our website offers online services to people at every stage of life.”

The NFB worked closely with the technology community to develop the procedures by which the websites and applications of these organizations may be certified. HP, Wells Fargo, and the U.S. Social Security Administration worked with SSB Technologies of San Francisco, an NFB-designated Web Accessibility Consultant, to prepare for certification. For more information about the NFB-NVA Certification program, visit http://www.nfb.org/seal/intro.htm.

About the NFB

With more than 50,000 members and 700 local and state affiliates and chapters, the NFB is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the United States. As a consumer and advocacy organization, NFB is the leading force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind.