Category: Uncategorized

Good news! Our fellow member, PWAG’s Internal Auditor and multi-awarded web designer Arielle Cruz has recently developed the first ever PWAG’s Online Web Accessibility Evaluator. He did it in less than two weeks. This is still in beta stage so expect some minor glitches in the results.

What this evaluator is does NOT:

1. It does NOT validate a document against any Document Type Definition.
2. It does NOT check the document for X/HTML well-formedness.
3. It does NOT validate a document against Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) versions 1 and 2 checkpoints.
4. It does NOT check the entire site, only individual pages.
5. It does NOT check other PWAG’s recommendations requiring manual or subjective evaluation (i.e language easy to understand, descriptive links, etc.)

What this evaluator does:

This evaluator only checks your webpage based on PWAG’s Web Design Accessibility Recommendation (soon to be the Philippine standard). It specifically checks on the following:

Under PWAG’s Maturity Stage 1 –

1. Access Instruction Page (most likely Accessibility Statement or simply Accessibility link)
2. Using “Click here” or “More” links
3. Using ALT text on images
4. Using PDF files without equivalent HTML
5. Use of Flash animation

Under PWAG’s Maturity Stage 2 –

1. ALT text does not exceed 80 characters
2. HOME link
3. SiteMap link and page
4. Skip to content link
5. LABEL tag on forms
6. Relative FONT sizes
7. SEARCH form

Green color means passed while red means failed. The evaluator is still incomplete. So we encourage web developers who are familiar with Javascript to download the script and make some necessary improvements.

Please proceed to PWAG Online Evaluator Page, enter your URI and see the result, or go to the original link from the developer.

This is another milestone for PWAG. We are truly proud of having this evaluator. It will now be easy for us to validate sites. Magpa-evaluate na po kayo! 🙂

The PWAG Official Website is now one of the Top 25 Websites worldwide ranked by Google that focus on Web Accessibility category.

The ranking was based on Google’s popular PageRank System. PWAG is ranked number 25 among the list of 167 websites listed under the Computers->Internet->Web Design and Development->Accessibility Sub-category above Accessify Resources, Royal National Institute for the Blind Resources and W3C Sites. PWAG’s PageRank is 5.

View the Google Directory List at: http://www.google.com/Top/Computers/Internet/Web_Design_and_Development/Accessibility/.

Meanwhile, the Accessibleweb Yahoogroup now has 165 members, more than double since last year. This increase is a welcome achievement despite the mild campaigning made by PWAG members. Last year, the group members aggressively invited web designers and persons with disabilities to join the e-group.

The group was even included as one of the new and actively discussed topics in the Philweavers.net forum under the Web Design Category entitled, “Care about PWAG?“. The topic began last June 21 and the thread starter is not even a current PWAG egroup member. Philweavers is a community of Filipino web designers and developers. They currently have 1799 forum members.

July 9, 2015 Update:

Google Directories are no longer existing. It was shut down in 2011. You can see the directory listing in dmoz.org website.

PWAG website now has 29 individual web pages including nine new entries inside the Resources page of all the important items discussed in Accessibleweb Yahoogroup.

Before, a person must be a member of PWAG egroup first in order to access the contents. But now they are freely accessible to anyone on the Internet. This is also an easier way to access important posts which were already buried beneath the nearly 2,000 messages since September 2006.

The contents were written and shared by our PWAG Accessible Web Designer gurus. This is our own humble way of promoting web
accessibility to everyone. The articles belong to General Web Design and Accessibility, Web Accessibility Tips, Best Practices, Issues and News Items on Disabilities, Analysis of Philippine Laws Pertaining to Disabilities and Utilities: Web Accessibility Tools Groups. Please go to the Resources page and click on the link titles. Also, all the pages already appeared on Google so they can now be searched.

Minor changes on the aesthetics side like background color and accessibility links were made. Our site may not be as
beautifully crafted as Alistapart. But we are slowly going into that direction as a place where you can get useful resources about web accessibility.

Successful trainees pose with (standing middle) Jojo, Rey, (seated middle from left) Ma’am Grace and Ma’am Nel.

The CSS training and workshop that PWAG pioneer Rey Mendoza conducted at National Computer Center from June 19-20 was successful thanks to the assistance of National Computer Center, National Council on Disability Affairs and PWAG.

Special mention goes for Ma’am Grace Amberong and Ms. Lanie Arminio of NCC, Ma’am Nelia De Jesus of NCDA and PWAG president Jojo Esposa. More than 15 participants attended and they were also very interactive. They asked a lot of questions which signified their interest.

Participants came all the way from Bacolod (Rebie Relator c/o Cataract Foundation), Aringay, La Union (Elvira Pajo), Bicol University (Jose Michael Appan) and from Phil Rice Institute in Nueva Ecija (Marlon Velayo and Arturo Arocena Jr.). There were also attendees from RCPI (Francis Leif Albacite, Rico Jay Villanueva, Reymar Fadriquela and Maurice Banaag), Ace Tech. Inc. (Brenn Cemanes), Philippine General Hospital (Dr. Darius Del Rosario), Manila Christian Computer Institute for the Deaf (Jefferson Cortez), NCDA (Dandy Victa), a student (Kim Selorio) and three personnel representing NCC.

Web Accessibility was promoted by Jojo Esposa and all participants were willing to be part of the solution after his talk, meaning they all want to make their sites aceessible after they learned about it. There will be more projects from PWAG so watch and read this e-group as we are looking to go to Cebu and conduct more trainings around the country.

Photos are available at Rey’s Picasa website

(From left) Jojo, Lourdes, Julius, Mr. Phuc Hoai Dang of Vietnam, Mr. Silatul Rahim of Malaysia and Rene

Last June 17, PWAG president Jojo Esposa was invited by ATRIEV to attend a meeting in their office and to meet with guests from Malaysia and Vietnam. Mr. Silatul Rahim Bin Dahman, a top ranking official and an ICT Department Manager of Malaysian
Association for the Blind was there to meet us together with another visually impaired leader from Vietnam, Mr. Phuc Hoai Dang, Director, Assistive Technology Expert for the Blind.

They were here to follow up from the recent workshops they had in Malaysia regarding web accessibility where Des and Julius attended. Here are what they told us during the meeting that would surely make PWAG proud:

1. According to them, PWAG is the only organized group in Southeast Asia, probably in the whole Asia that promotes and
   teaches web accessibility. They don't have one in Malaysia so PWAG is one of a kind.
2. After they learned about PWAG's Web Design Accessibility Recommendations, they find them very appropriate, simpler and easier to follow than the more stringent Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
3. When asked if they want to put up similar web accessibility associations in their country, they told us that they would rather join PWAG and use our recommendations instead.
4. They considered our system as a best practice. So they will continue to get in touch with PWAG through ATRIEV for further collaboration.

As part of their thesis work, twenty four deaf students representing the graduating batch of Manila Christian Computer Institute for the Deaf attended in the yearly seminar-workshop on Web Accessibility held last April 2 and 3 conducted by Jojo I. Esposa Jr. and Sir Ervin R. Reyes at MCCID Lecture Hall.

The students then used the lessons they acquired for the web sites that they have created this summer. They have completed the design work and added accessibility features on the following non-profit organizations:

1. LILIANE FOUNDATION PHILIPPINES
2. PHILIPPINE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP FOR THE DISABLED, INC.
3. WHEELCHAIR FOR THE DISABLED FOUNDATION, INC.
4. HOUSE WITH NO STEPS FOUNDATION, INC.
5. NATIONAL FEDERATION OF COOPERATIVES FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
6. CAPITOL CITY BAPTIST CHURCH DEAF MINISTRY
7. DEAF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OF PAETE, INC.
8. ROLANDO LANDICHO’S DEAF HANDICRAFT

This activity is the students’ way of helping empower these non-government organizations by having their web presence so that they may be able to reach out to potential donors and financial supporters. Four sites will have their own paid webhosting accounts while the rest will be hosted for free by MCCID Online.

Then last April 14, the graduating class presented their finished work to the officials and staff of National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA formerly NCDA) led by Deputy Executive Director Mateo Lee and Technical Cooperation Center Chief Ms. Nelia De Jesus. Certificates were given to the successful participants with no less than NCDA Chairperson Mrs. Lovely Rosie Romulo attached her signature. She also paid for the snacks for all the students and NCDA staff.

After learning from the seminar-workshop attended by MCCID in 2004 at Tagaytay City, the school incorporated web accessibility on the www.mccid.edu.ph and at the same time include accessibility features in the websites that they will create for free to their selected institutions. The book “Basic Web Accessibility Guide for Filipinos” was the main resource material used. Selected websites that passed the evaluation of Philippine Web Accessibility Group was also presented as samples.

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo awarded the trophy for the webmasters of Official Website of Cebu City Government for bagging the “Disabled Friendly Website Award” during the Apolinario Mabini Awards last August 6, 2008 at Malacanang Palace.

Based on the recommendation submitted by PWAG Team of Evaluators, the Cebu City website “provides a non-obtrusive and an efficient way of offering their services, announcements and latest information. As for its accessibility, the Cebu City Website presents a carefully planned design that makes navigation easier.“

Cebu City web development team leader Engr. Conrado A. Ordesta III – MICS Asst. Department Head also received a special plaque of recognition. Sir Tads was one of the organizers of the Webmasters Interface event held in their city last May, 2006 where PWAG’s inception was initially discussed.

The awards, named after the “Sublime Paralytic” and the “Brains of the Philippine Revolution,” aim to promote wider recognition of disabled persons as self-respecting and self-reliant citizens. Launched in 1974 by the Philippine Foundation for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled, Inc., the Apolinario Mabini Awards is an annual event.

View the complete list of winners at The Official Website of the Republic of the Philippines.

After six years of deliberation and almost a year after its signing, the Philippines became the 23rd country that ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

This landmark event will have a simultaneous worldwide celebration on May 12, 2008 at UN Headquarters in New York City. For its part, the Philippines will also have a prayer and walk for unity on May 12 from 7:00 am – 12:00 pm at SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. Autism Society of the Philippines President, Erlinda Koe, was adjudged to be the emcee of the unity walk. Captain Oscar Taleon will be the in-charge of events security and together with Lauro Purcil, he will help for a courtesy call with Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary, Alberto Romulo. Sorongon will also help in security marshals. The organizers will also invite the SM Bands to add color and music to the walk. Carmen Zubiaga and Joy Garcia will make a miniature of wheelchair as a token for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. A program will also be held at Worshops and symposium will also be scheduled after the grand celebration.

We invite everyone to come and support this activity. Philippine Web Accessibility Group is one with the PWD community in celebrating this momentous ocassion. We encourage our fellow web designers, bloggers, members of the media, academe and their friends to share this news and promote this activity.