Blanck, Myhill to co-present Practising Law Institute’s ‘Website Accessibility: Avoid Potential Liability Under Disability Laws’

Monday, November 3, 2008, By News Staff

Blanck, Myhill to co-present Practising Law Institute’s ‘Website Accessibility: Avoid Potential Liability Under Disability Laws’November 03, 2008Me’Shae Brooks-Rollingmrolling@law.syr.edu

Peter Blanck, chairman of the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University and University Professor; William N. Myhill, BBI senior research associate, adjunct professor of law in the SU College of Law and faculty associate in the SU Center for Digital Literacy; Daniel F. Goldstein of Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP; and Clara Van Gerven of the National Federation of the Blind will co-present “Website Accessibility: Avoid Potential Liability Under Disability Laws,” a one-hour audio briefing hosted by the Practising Law Institute, Thursday, Nov. 6, from 1-2 p.m. The briefing provides CLE credit for legal professionals.

The proliferation of online commerce, public programs and services, and distance learning opportunities via the Internet is drawing regular attention to the issues of website accessibility and federal disability law. High-profile settlements have been reached recently with Apple, Target and Amazon, among other organizations. Implicating the delivery of e-government services, federal agencies and contractors are subject to the Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Similarly, state and local governments are subject to the effective communication and equal access and benefit provisions of ADA Title II, and/or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act for receipt of federal funds. Public and private higher education institutions, as well as state and local K-12 programs, have turned to online delivery of education as a means of reaching non-traditional students at an incredible rate. These latter issues require consideration under Titles II & III, Section 504, and the IDEA.

The presenters will review what one needs to know about federal agencies and ADA Title II and III entities providing goods, programs and services alternatively or exclusively online. Blanck, Myhill, Goldstein and Van Gerven will discuss topics and emerging issues on:

  • Title III providers of goods and services
  • Federally funded e-government programs and services
  • State & local e-government programs and services
  • Public and private providers of distance learning

Practising Law Institute (PLI) is a nonprofit continuing legal education organization headquartered in New York City with offices in California. PLI was founded in 1933 and is chartered by the Regents of the University of the State of New York. PLI is dedicated to providing the legal community and allied professionals with the most up-to-date, relevant information and techniques that are critical to the development of a professional, competitive edge. PLI achieves these goals and objectives through annual seminars held in locations across the United States. These seminars encompass audio, CD, DVD, MP3 and webcast formats. For more information, visit http://www.pli.edu/public/about/default.asp.

BBI fosters public-private dialogue to advance the civic, economic and social participation of persons with disabilities in a global society. BBI takes its name from Burton Blatt (1927-85), a pioneer in humanizing services for people with disabilities. BBI has offices in Syracuse, New York City, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Tel Aviv.

For more information about PLI’s audio briefing on Nov. 6, visit http://www.pli.edu/product/webcast_detail.asp?id=51151. For more information on BBI, visit http://bbi.syr.edu or contact Me’Shae Rolling, director of special events and public relations, at (315) 443-8455 or mrolling@law.syr.edu.