[nfbmi-talk] Inaccessible Michigan benefits website

[Christine Boone]

Totally true in Michigan.  What's more, the current director of the
Commission for the Blind in our state has never done anything about the
inexcusable inaccessibility of state websites in Michigan, many of which are
supposed to be used by state employees.  His response to this untenable
situation was to request a waiver for the Commission.  Now, the MCB is the
only agency in state government in our State, to do all of its time
reporting with pen and paper.  Naturally this is also inaccessible to blind
employees, so at MCB while I was director there, blind staff could print
time sheets out on their computers.  Still, those time sheets were given to
a senior and confidential secretarial staff person, for entry into the
computer system.  

By contrast, my agency in Pennsylvania partnered with the general VR agency,
and entered into a long-term cooperative working agreement with the office
of information technology.  We even designated one of our computer savvy
employees to be detailed to the OIT for a while.  At the end of it all,
after much struggle and some turmoil, all systems that were used by state
employees were fully accessible to:  people who are blind or visually
impaired and those who are otherwise disabled.  


Some times you just have to take a stand!  

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of Fred Wurtzel
Sent: Thursday, October 28, 2010 8:38 PM
To: 'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] Inaccessible Michigan benefits website

Hello,

Who is Michigan's ADA coordinator, anyway?

Warmest Regards,

Fred

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of Lydia Schuck
Sent: Thursday, October 28, 2010 4:07 PM
To: nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Inaccessible Michigan benefits website

 Just as an FYI.  See you all at the convention.  Lydia Report Finds State
of Michigan Benefits' Website Inaccessible to People with Disabilities  by
Jenifer Simpson, AAPD Senior Director of Government Affairs

A June 22, 2010 report finds that state public benefits agencies are relying
more on their websites as a means of providing information to the public,
and as a means for applicants to secure Medicaid, food stamps, and cash
assistance. However, the report, by the National Center for Law and Economic
Justice (NCLEJ) at http://www.nclej.org/, shows that at least five states 
California, Florida, Michigan, New York and Texas  have agency websites
with problems that make them inaccessible to people with disabilities who
are users of assistive technology, and many websites are difficult for
anyone to navigate. 

The report, "The Closed Digital Door: State Public Benefits Agencies'
Failure to Make Websites Accessible to People with Disabilities and Usable
for Everyone," describes barriers to access for people with disabilities
when applying for cash and other benefits online, requesting an application,
searching the website, or contacting the agency by email.
These accessibility problems violate the Americans with Disabilities Act,
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and many state web accessibility laws
and policies. As the federal government and states prepare to implement
health care reform, and millions of additional people become eligible for
Medicaid, it is critical that state public benefits agency websites are
accessible to people with disabilities and usable by everyone, so eligible
individuals have ready access to information on the Medicaid program and the
application process. AAPD notes that the evaluation did not state assessment
of any video materials on these websites, and which might involve lack of
captioning or video description, where used.

The NCLEJ states it will work with advocates to improve public benefits
agency website accessibility and usability. 
To become involved or for more information, please contact Hannah
Weinberger-Divack at Tel (312) 368-1104, (312) 368-1104, or E-mail Cary
LaCheen at lacheen at nclej.org See letter sent to State of Michigan Director &
Chief Information Officer, Kenneth Theis from National Center for Law and
Economic Justice and State of Michigan Accessibility Policy 


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