26 November 2004
eBusiness and information management consultancy, iFocus, have strengthened their accessibility expertise by signing an agreement with PurpleTop to provide accessibility consulting services.
By joining together in partnership, the two consultancies hope to create Australia’s leading accessibility and compliance unit.
Mr Greg Muller, Managing Director of iFocus, said PurpleTop’s expertise on accessibility and compliance guidelines would be welcomed by organisations confused by accessibility. 'PurpleTop specialise in accessibility, understand how to make it stress free for organisations and has an outstanding support service', he said.
Accessibility is described by the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) as '…designing web pages so they can be navigated and read by everyone regardless of location, experience or type of computer technology used'.
Companies that do not make their web sites accessible may be prosecuted under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). However, Gian Sampson-Wild, Principal of PurpleTop, believes that companies and organisations benefit from providing accessible web sites in many ways. 'It is more than just compliance', she said. 'Accessibility is integral to communication and marketing as well'.
'An accessible web site communicates clearly to a range of users. Rather than worrying about being prosecuted under the DDA, organisations need to ensure they are not losing uncommitted users to other services because of an inefficient web site', she said.
Accessibility had become even more important in recent years, according to Ms Sampson-Wild, as Internet users have become split into those with or without broadband. 'Rural users, for instance, have slower Internet speeds, meaning that some web sites unwittingly exclude them from their services'.
'Accessibility also needs to account for different levels of hardware, software and general computer knowledge among users', she said.
Mr Muller said that Ms Sampson-Wild’s knowledge on accessibility and compliance was second to none. 'She has been actively involved in developing the WC3 Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, and wrote an eGovernment accessibility toolkit. iFocus is delighted to have her expertise on board'.
'Together, iFocus and PurpleTop will seek to develop and support large scale market opportunities while committing to developing intellectual property and research', he said.
iFocus is an eBusiness and information management consultancy that was founded in 2000. The company has been recently ranked 14th in BRW’s Fast 100 list of companies, placing it as the fastest growing company in Australia’s IT professional services sector.
PurpleTop is an accessibility consultancy founded in 2000. Principal, Gian Sampson-Wild, is a Member of the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Working Group.
For further information please contact:
Greg Muller, Managing Director
iFocus Pty Ltd
Phone: 03 8807 0100