accessibility bodies

This page deals with online accessibility and anti-discrimination watchdogs, research and advocacy groups.

It covers -

• Australian watchdogs
• overseas watchdogs
• other government bodies
• standards bodies
• initiatives
• advocacy groups

Detailed pointers to anti-discrimination legislation, principles and bodies in Australia and overseas are found in the Human Rights profile elsewhere on this site.

Broader questions regarding the nature of advocacy, and of its regulation, are explored here.

     Australian watchdogs

Government watchdogs in Australia reflect the federal structure discussed in our Australian Constitution & Cyberspace profile.

The main bodies are -

Australian Human Rights Commission, formerly the Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC)

Anti-Discrimination Board of New South Wales (ADB)

Anti-Discrimination Commission of Queensland (ADC)

Equal Opportunity Commission of Victoria (EOC)

Northern Territory Anti-Discrimination Commission (ADC)

South Australia Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC)

Western Australian Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC)

Engagement with online accessibility issues reflects the resourcing of particular agencies, which overall has declined over the past decade, and the enthusiasm of individual staff members, executives or government ministers. As the final page of this guide notes, action regarding government and non-government sites has largely been restricted to exhortation.

     overseas watchdogs

Official watchdogs overseas reflect the shape and priorities of individual governments.

Two major bodies are -

UK Disability Rights Commission (DRC)

US Department of Justice Americans With Disabilities site  

     other government bodies

In Australia the AGIMO Accessability Online Resource site (established by the former National Office for the Information Economy) and AusInfo site are of value.

Overseas there are a plethora of agencies. One of the more notable is the US National Cancer Institute's Usability.gov site.

     standards bodies

Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) 

Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)

     initiatives

The UK Royal National Institute of the Blind See it Right scheme features accreditation (with a Kitemark trustmark) of sites on the basis of examination by users rather than test software.

     advocacy bodies

Australian advocacy bodies include -

Australian Association of the Deaf (AAD)

Australian Consumers Association (ACA)

Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS)

Australian DeafBlind Council (ADBC)

Blind Citizens Australia (BCA)

Deaf-Blind Association (DBA)

Disability in the Arts, Disadvantage in the Arts Australia National Network (DADAA)

Disability Information & Communication Exchange (DICE)

Disability Employment Action Centre (DEAC)

National Ethnic Disability Alliance (EDA)

National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Clearinghouse (NATSIHC)

National Council of Aging (NCOA)

National Council on Intellectual Disability (NCID)

National Ethnic Disabilty Alliance (NEDA)

National Information Communication Awareness Network (NICAN)

Physical Disability Council of Australia (PDCA)

Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA)

     next page  (checklist)