Product category:
Business Software
News Release from: Oasys
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 30 January 2004
Cybrarian Project Award For Accessible
Web Site
Oasys Limited, the software house of Arup, was given a Cybrarian Project award for accessible Web site design by the Department for Education and Skills in an evening reception at the British Library.
The British Computer Society, one of four awarding bodies, selected Oasys to receive the 'runners up' award in its category (the BCS Technology Awards) Oasys' Web site was said to offer a good balance of usability and quality design
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 26 Nov 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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The Cybrarian Project Awards were established by the Department of Education and Skills e-Learning Strategy Unit to promote the standards that characterise the Cybrarian Project during the European Year of Disabled People.
Chris Yapp, chief judge, Cybrarian Project Awards, and Microsoft UK's Head of public sector innovation said, "We applaud the achievements of the award winners.
However, a worrying proportion of the nominated websites failed to meet the most basic requirements for accessibility such as the use of ALT tags to describe graphics and other non-text items, and contrast between text and background.
We hope this award scheme will prompt Web designers to give far more thought to accessibility issues." "I'm delighted for Oasys to be recognised for the accessibility of its Web site," said Alec Milton, director of Oasys.
"Hopefully this recognises our approach to equal opportunities and is a reflection of the fact that, as a software house, we are innovative." The awards were presented by the Rt Hon Lord Andrew Macintosh of Haringey, Minister for Media and Heritage; Lynne Brindley, CEO, British Library; and Chris Yapp, Head of Public Sector Innovation, Microsoft UK, in front of an invited audience of guests representing Government and the public and private sectors.
The Cybrarian Project will provide a personalised interface to the Web that is achieved through the combination of innovative technologies and good practice for content standards.
The Project, which is currently at Proof of Concept phase, was established to assist in decreasing the digital divide by facilitating access to the internet and to learning opportunities for those who currently do not, or cannot, use the internet because of a lack of skills or confidence or because of physical or cognitive disabilities.
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