Note: The Accessibility SIG has restarted work for 2004. Meetings are held every two weeks starting Thursday, February 5th at 11am eastern. The calls and email list are open to the public. For additional information about the SIG and to participate in calls, join the Accessibility SIG email list.

The IDPF Accessibility SIG will discuss issues related to access by persons with disabilities to all aspects of the ePublishing ecology. The SIG is intended to develop constructive recommendations to the IDPF and its various working groups, and to IDPF members who want to ensure the accessibility of their electronic documents, services, and reading systems. This is an all-inclusive SIG for issues related to accessibility.

Persons with print disabilities, are unable to access traditional print information media. Only a small percentage of published information is traditionally made accessible through alternate media--and only well after its publication in the mainstream. the ePublishing revolution provides a historic opportunity to extend the market for published information to include persons with disabilities. The opportunity before us is no less than that all titles are accessible at the time of publication. The IDPF Accessibility SIG is intended to assist the IDPF with the development of standards, procedures, and policies which can effectively include persons with disabilities at all points in the product chain--be they author/creators, editors, retailers, or end users.

From its earliest days, the IDPF has included accessibility for persons with disabilities among its goals. This SIG will provide the expertise and coordination to effect the achievement of this goal. We invite all members to send interested representatives to the SIG to assist--or just to learn.