Group History

The Information Technology Advisory Board (ITAB) recognizing the State's commitment to meeting the needs of its employees and citizens with disabilities, began the State of Kansas Web Site Accessibility Program in the fall of 1999. The first steps taken were to form a committee to develop a framework for promoting accessibility of State web services and content. The members of the group came together on a volunteer basis to oversee a program to make the services and content delivered online by the State of Kansas accessible. In April 2000, the initial policy covering all internet and intranet sites in Kansas state government was approved by Information Technology Executive Council (ITEC). This policy is available online at: http://www.da.ks.gov/itec/documents/ITECITPolicy1210.htm.

In the fall of 2000, the committee had completed the Kansas guidelines, and the ITEC policy was amended on October 26, 2000 to incorporate them along with another document outlining a suggested implementation approach. These guidelines are available online at: http://www.da.ks.gov/itec/WASGuidelines.htm . The implementation guidance document recommended a three-part phased rollout to achieve full compliance by March 31, 2002. It is modeled on a strategy suggested by the usability expert Dr. Jakob Nielsen in his Alertbox column titled “Disabled Accessibility: The Pragmatic Approach” (available online at: http://www.useit.com/alertbox/990613.html).

In addition to the checkpoints and implementation guidance, another policy was approved at the October 26, 2000 ITEC meeting. ITEC Policy 2400 Project Approval includes a provision that expands the requirements for approval of IT projects over $250,000 to require a state certification of its compliance with the provisions of ITEC Policy 1210. ITEC Policy 2400 is available online at: http://www.da.ks.gov/itec/Documents/ITECITPolicy2400.htm.

By winter of 2000 the committee had presented the guidelines and implementation guidance to over thirty webmasters as part of the State's Internet Expo. Attendees were asked to complete a survey of their skill level and the tools they used in web design and development to aid in designing training to he held. Many of the State's webmasters were also contacted via electronic mail lists and asked to complete the survey online. In the spring of 2001, a program based on these surveys was initiated to provide hands-on training for developers in the State guidelines and suggested implementation strategy. The training was developed in partnership with the University of Kansas.

In 2001 and 2002 group efforts were concentrated mainly on delivery of trainings and reviewing the guidelines. A new (current) version of the guidelines were issued in January of 2003. http://www.da.ks.gov/itec/WASPriorities011303.htm

For the remainder of 2003 – 2004 the group focused in on two major objectives, researching an enterprise solution for web site accessibility checking, and writing the guidance document for pdf documents. A special task group developed a training on creating accessible pdf documents, which was distributed via CD to stakeholders who requested the information.

Late in 2004 a sub-group met with representatives from INK and State leaders to discuss what the next steps needed to be, to further the committee's mission and vision. The sub-group then re-convened the WAS membership, along with new or inactive members, and they were charged with writing a Futures Planning Document, along with the other ongoing activities of the committee. The Futures Planning Document was completed in late 2005, with final publishing and distribution in Feb. 2006. View the Futures Planning Document.

Currently the WAS is looking at strategies to promote the Futures Planning Document, identifying State web stakeholders and implementers, reviewing the research on an Enterprise website accessibility checking tool, reviewing the guidelines, and revamping the WAS website