Accessibility

Accessibility at AOL is about understanding the value of the Internet to people with disabilities, and designing our products and services to address compatibility with assistive technology hardware and software. In addition to incorporating accessibility support into our products, we have developed new features targeting the disability audience (such as adding closed captions to streaming video) and leveraged current Internet trends such as instant messaging and blogs to deliver solutions that make the Internet more inclusive.

For example:

• Displaying closed captions on CNN video content, including daily headlines, current events, news stories, entertainment and more, to enhance the online media experience for people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. This feature is provided through a partnership with WGBH's Media Access Group. Here is a press release about this feature.
• AIM® Relay Service allows individuals who are deaf, hard-of-hearing or who have a speech disability to place and receive conventional telephone calls in the U.S. via instant messaging. Users can connect to telecommunication relay service providers by adding the providers' screen name to their AOL or AIM Buddy List® feature. AIM Relay Services can be accessed from any computer or wireless device running the AOL service or AIM® client (available for free download at http://www.aim.com).
• AOL announced that it is testing the first real-time instant messaging (IM) feature targeted to deaf and hard of hearing users, developed with guidance from Gallaudet University and the Trace Research and Development Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• AOLbyPhone™ service allows users to check their email and access other information like news, sports scores and stock quotes through simple, spoken commands, toll-free from any telephone.
• AOL strives to ensure compatibility with the latest versions of screen reader software. We recommend use of the latest version of the AOL® software with the latest version of the consumers' preferred screen reader for best results. Today, the AOL software is most compatible with the JAWS screen reader.

AOL's Accessibility Policy

AOL is continuing to lead efforts around the globe to make the Internet a medium that improves people's lives. AOL strives to provide our users with the highest quality, easiest, and most convenient services and products and believes that the Internet and AOL should be friendly and easy-to-use for all users, including those with disabilities. the AOL Accessibility Policy expresses the company's  commitment to develope products and services that are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.

The policy is founded on three fundamental principles:

• Awareness
• Responsibility
• Collaboration

Awareness: It is essential for employees to be informed about the challenges faced by people with disabilities in accessing the Internet and the technologies available to improve the user experience. This information fosters the ability to incorporate solutions into the research and design of software applications and information technologies. The AOL Accessibility Policy raises the awareness of employees with respect to accessibility issues through the following practices:

• Providing employees with information describing the importance of mainstream software applications and information technologies to people with disabilities. This information highlights existing challenges and unique uses of technology.
• Educating employees with respect to how assistive technologies enable people with disabilities to access mainstream software applications and information technologies.
• AOL posts the Accessibility Policy on its Intranet.

Responsibility: AOL is integrating accessibility considerations into the research and design of products and services.

• A designated employee serves as an accessibility officer, whose job responsibilities include (i) providing support to product groups during all stages of the design and delivery of products and services; (ii) planning seminars and classes conducted by relevant employees or invited experts that demonstrate existing barriers and introduce employees to assistive technology. Classes also discuss how accessibility best can be addressed in AOL products and services; and (iii) monitoring AOL's application of this Accessibility Policy to its products and services.
• Employees with principal responsibility for the development of products and services will consider and address on a regular basis issues relating to disability accessibility.
• AOL has established a product development Accessibility Checklist. The Checklist enables product developers to identify important access issueswhen designing new products and services.
• AOL product group managers consult and refer to the Accessibility Checklist when developing new products and services and consider that their decisions regarding accessibility reflect both intended applications and relevant business demands.
• Adhering to and furthering this accessibility policy is a part of the evaluation of the job performances of relevant AOL employees.

Collaboration: AOL values feedback from the disability community and works closely with consultants who are disabled and who are experts on accessibility issues presented by computer software applications and information technology. AOL also reaches out to members of the disability community to seek their input on accessibility issues and their feedback on AOL products and services. AOL collaborates with the disability community by:

• Participating in national and international accessibility initiatives.
• Consult regularly with the AOL Accessibility Advisory Committee, a cross-disability group of advocacy leaders and technology experts.
• Posting  an e-mail address -- AOLAccessibility@aol.com -- to receive comments and feedback from the public on accessibility.
• Eliciting regular feedback on new products and services by inviting members of the disability community to serve as beta testers.
• Providing information to our members with disabilities on how best to access our products and services.