Call To Action

[nick]

Please review this this site: http://montanatribes.org (check out the
html)

Now consider this:

"The site, Montanatribes.org, which took a year to develop, was
funded by UM and the state Office of Public Instruction's Indian
Education Division. OPI and UM split the $60,000 cost to build the
site."

I sent this email to mje...@mt.gov, kim.lu...@umontana.edu who are
listed as the contacts for the site. I would encourage you to drop
them a not as well. If those of us who know better never say anything
about sites like this nothing will ever change.

Hello,

I would like to make a couple of comments on the site
montanatribes.org. The TGIF newsletter mailed out by the University of
Montana said this: "The site, Montanatribes.org, which took a year to
develop, was funded by UM and the state Office of Public Instruction's
Indian Education Division. OPI and UM split the $60,000 cost to build
the site."

And honestly I am outraged. This site is completely inaccessible
for folks using screen readers. I would encourage you to take a look
at this site: http://www.section508.gov. among other things it says
this: "Section 508 requires that Federal agencies' electronic and
information technology is accessible to people with disabilities."
That means that you are violating Federal Law.

I have a hard time fathoming the fact that you spent $60,000 on
this site that is nearly impossible for even sighted people to
navigate and was put together by someone who is obviously not well
informed as to the requirements of a federally funded website.

[Dan Bowling]

I intend on writing a letter as well. Would this group be interested in drafting one to the local paper as an op-ed piece?

Dan

[Tim Greiser]

I know people involved with the project in question.  They are educators and not web developers.   The bulk of the funds involved were spent recording interviews and compiling the information.  I'm sure they would be interested in contracting with an accessibility expert that could help them with compliance.

You catch more flies with honey than with outrage. [-;

Tim.
-
Sustainability - Inspiration - Innovation - Community
http://www.AskNature.org

[Cliff]

Heh.  In a strange way that actually makes me more mad, not less.  As "cool" and "edgy" as I'm sure flash video seemed, to put the bulk of the funds there without first having a solid design is still a sign of a serious misappropriation of taxpayer funds.  Imagine if someone built a skyscraper...the nicest in the land, all shiny and new, but later it was found that the foundation was built using substandard materials and was not up to code.  Do you think the DOJ would be more lenient and say "that building was built by lawyers, not architects, and the bulk of the funds went to making the building look nice."

 

Even if they are educators and not web developers, if they are spending taxpayer money, which they most assuredly did, they should've *contracted* with web developers to make sure the core was done right before pursuing the advanced features they so obviously rushed to add.

 

Although I see your point about honey vs. outrage.  It just seems to me that the UM is *regularly* caught spending money poorly and maybe it is time for a little outrage.  I don't know...

 

-Cliff

[Dan Bowling]

Tim,

My goal isn't to nark on them. Though I think it's important that groups such as the OPI (and other government agencies) be made aware of the ethical and legal concerns of websites using government money. I think we need to tactfully let them know of the implications, and that citizens are watching how our tax dollars are spent. Even if the people who built it are not primarily web developers, they should be made aware of these issues.

Since you know a bit more about this project, I'd appretiate it if you would help to ensure that the reaction is measured. I still think it is important to have a reaction though.

As far as the videos, I'm sure they consisted the bulk of the costs... and those have transcripts (w00t!) But the fact remains that many people would find it difficult or impossible to to even get to those excelent educational videos and transcripts.



Dan

On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 9:29 AM, Tim Greiser <tgre...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Alexander Petkov]

> I sent this email to mje...@mt.gov, kim.lu...@umontana.edu who are
> listed as the contacts for the site. I would encourage you to drop
> them a not as well.  If those of us who know better never say anything
> about sites like this nothing will ever change.
>
>    Hello,
>
>    I would like to make a couple of comments on the site
> montanatribes.org. The TGIF newsletter mailed out by the University of
> Montana said this: "The site, Montanatribes.org, which took a year to
> develop, was funded by UM and the state Office of Public Instruction's
> Indian Education Division. OPI and UM split the $60,000 cost to build
> the site."
>
>    And honestly I am outraged. This site is completely inaccessible
> for folks using screen readers. I would encourage you to take a look
> at this site: http://www.section508.gov. among other things it says
> this: "Section 508 requires that Federal agencies' electronic and
> information technology is accessible to people with disabilities."
> That means that you are violating Federal Law.

I'd say you are overreacting quite a bit. OPI appears to be a part of
the Montana State government, not a Federal Government Agency. The law
you cited doesn't include OPI.

Alex

[Jason Christ]

What can I do to help them?
.
.
.
.I know accessability .... . . . . .. . . . . .
.
.
.
..much thanks!






Jason Christ, WebDev

406.207.7078

Ja...@BigSkyWebscapes.com



BigSky Webscapes

PO Box 8282

Missoula, Montana 59807

[nick]

Hey,

I sit in meetings and listed to folks talk about how proud they are of
their $60K or $100K websites and the sites are complete crap, this has
happened more than once, and in my opinion ignorance to the rules
doesn't make it ok to break them. This problem is rampant at the
University.

Cliff is right on here, and some of these folks work at a University
that Employs Web Developers, some of them even know what they're
doing. There are Committees dedicated to the web. As educators i
understand they won't know everything or anything about web
accessibility, but there are readily available resources.

Alexander Petkov: the project was Jointly funded by the University so
yeah it's covered.

All it would take is probably 30 minutes with one web developer while
writing the requirements, to include some basic language about the 508
requirements and good coding standards.

nick

On Mar 27, 10:29 am, "Jason Christ" <ja...@bigskywebscapes.com> wrote:
> What can I do to help them?
> .
> .
> .
> .I know accessability .... . . . .   ..   .  . . . .
> .
> .
> .
> ..much thanks!
>
> Jason Christ, WebDev
>
>    406.207.7078
>
> Ja...@BigSkyWebscapes.com
>
> BigSky Webscapes
>
> PO Box 8282
>
> Missoula, Montana 59807
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: missoula-web-d...@googlegroups.com
>
> [mailto:missoula-web-d...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of
> Alexander Petkov
> Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 10:16 AM
> To: missoula-web-d...@googlegroups.com
> Subject: [MWDG] Re: Call To Action
>

> > I sent this email to mje...@mt.gov, kim.lugth...@umontana.edu who are

[Alexander Petkov]

> Alexander Petkov: the project was Jointly funded by the University so
> yeah it's covered.
>

Neither the UM nor the OPI are federal agencies. I understand your
point on improving accessibility, but the law that you cited does not
apply to either of them.

Alex

[nick]

Alex,

it doesn't just apply to federal agencies. it is required if you
receive federal money. both UM and OPI receive federal dollars.

nick

[Montana Web Designers Association]

Nick I had a similar experience working at the School of Business on their web team. Don't even get me started on how mismanaged their website is. The fact that they're still using Microsoft FrontPage to update their pages should say something. And I'm fairly sure they don't even know about design, accessibility or standards. When I got hired and started hand coding my own pages they couldn't understand them and in the end I believe replaced them with FrontPage page after I left. It's frustrating beyond imagination what goes on at the University sometimes. I hope that they see the common sense of adding accessibility to that $60,000 website. 

Nathan Stephens | Co-Founder

Montana Web Designers & Developers Association

http://www.MTWDA.org

--
Nathan Stephens |  Owner
Groundswell Media Productions
Phone: 406.531.6699 Fax: 866.317.0801
Mail: PO Box 8225 Missoula, MT 59807

[Michael Loftis]

On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 11:59 AM, Montana Web Designers Association
<mtwebass...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Nick I had a similar experience working at the School of Business on their
> web team. Don't even get me started on how mismanaged their website is. The
> fact that they're still using Microsoft FrontPage to update their pages
> should say something. And I'm fairly sure they don't even know about
> design, accessibility or standards. When I got hired and started hand coding
> my own pages they couldn't understand them and in the end I believe replaced
> them with FrontPage page after I left. It's frustrating beyond imagination
> what goes on at the University sometimes. I hope that they see the common
> sense of adding accessibility to that $60,000 website.
> Nathan Stephens | Co-Founder
> Montana Web Designers & Developers Association
> http://www.MTWDA.org

Maybe, maybe not, but it's because of things like this that section
508 exists. Whether-or-not it has teeth i don't know, i'm not aware
of any org that has lost funding due to it, but i don't work in that
area.

[nick]

hello,

i wanted to post the response i got.


Hi Nick,

Thanks very much for contacting us regarding the Montana Tribes
website. I very much appreciate your comments as I have recently been
working on a national project involving (and requiring) the 508
standards. It is an educational process for me, to understand what is
involved in setting up a site incorporating these standards, and how
beneficial and important they are for people using screen readers.

The Montana Tribes project came together as a result of many years of
accumulation of the material featured, and had a big push to make it
available to teachers and citizens over the last year or so. Teachers
are finding it to be a useful and convenient way to bring authentic
tribal voices into the classroom. I will look into what it would take
to add adaptations for screen readers, and see if we can obtain
additional funding to provide that.

Best regards,
Kim

On Mar 27, 12:17 pm, Michael Loftis <gnu...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 11:59 AM, Montana Web Designers Association
>