Fixes not so tough, disabled say

The good news about complying with Section 508 is that many fixes — although

they will have some cost — are relatively easy to make, especially when

systems are still under development. For example, agencies can add text

descriptions to graphics on World Wide Web sites to make them legible to

reading software for the visually impaired.

"It doesn't take a lot to change sites to HTML so they can be read,"

said Seville Allen, a program analyst at the Defense Department who is visually

impaired.

Software programmers also can include key stroke equivalents for links

to text and graphics when writing new programs. Those measures allow people

who are visually impaired or unable to use a mouse to still have access,

according to Joan Conrad, a government employee with limited use of her

hands.

"It doesn't take much to make Web sites and information available,"

Conrad said. "Just a few program changes, and everyone can have the same

access."