Overview
There are several standards efforts in progress by international bodies, such as the European Union (EU), the International Organizations for Standards (ISO), and private groups, such as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), to foster technological accessibility. IBM has a member on the committee of each of these standards groups.
The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), in partnership with industry sponsors and governments around the world, addresses web accessibility. WAI provides a repository of the latest web accessibility guidelines and tools. IBM is an original sponsor of WAI and is an active member. Other sponsors include the US National Science Foundation; US Department of Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research; European Commission's TIDE Program under Directorate Generale XIII; the Government of Canada, Industry Canada's Assistive Devices Industry Office, Microsoft Corporation; IBM and Lotus Development Corporation; and Bell Atlantic.
