[Accessibility] Last Call: Mission Statement Revision Draft #7

[Janina Sajka]

As discussed on the May 1 Open A11y teleconference, this is a last call
regarding our redrafted Mission Statement. Please provide any objections
or suggestions before our forthcoming teleconference on May 8. I believe
the following seventh draft reflects the group's wishes as discussed.

You will recall we need a revised statement to identify our FSG legacy
and our current Open A11y identity.

/begin proposed Mission Statement
Proposed Mission Statement (Draft #7
May 2, 2007

First chartered in 2004 as the Free Standards Group Accessibility
Workgroup (FSGA), the Open A11y group functions today within the Linux
Foundation to establish free and open standards that enable
comprehensive universal access to various computing platforms,
applications, and services. Open A11y makes it easier for developers,
ISVs, and distributions to support assistive technologies (AT).
Assistive technologies enable individuals to make full use of
computer-based technology despite variability in physical or sensory
abilities due to illness, aging or disability.

AT enable individuals who are blind or visually impaired to read
online text, for example, and provide the means for individuals who do not have the use of
their arms and hands to write and correspond. AT also enable individuals who
cannot speak or hear to participate on the telephony interfaces of today --
and will support their participation on the multimodal computer interfaces of
tomorrow.

/end proposed Mission Statement

-- 

Janina Sajka,	Phone:	+1.202.595.7777;	sip:janina at a11y.org
Partner, Capital Accessibility LLC	http://CapitalAccessibility.Com

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Chair, Open Accessibility	janina at a11y.org	
Linux Foundation		http://a11y.org