Microsoft
Announces Accessibility Kit for
Microsoft Office SharePoint Server
2007
Accessibility Kit
advances the usability of SharePoint
based web sites for people who are
vision impaired
Reading, UK – October 4th, 2007 –
Today, at the Royal National
Institute for the Blind (RNIB)
Techshare Event, Microsoft announced
the launch of its Accessibility Kit
for Microsoft Office SharePoint
Server (AKS) 2007. This kit will
provide templates, master pages,
controls and Web parts to advance
the accessibility of SharePoint
based web sites and applications for
people with disabilities, especially
those who are vision impaired. The
AKS will be provided through the
Microsoft Permissive License as
shared source and will be available
later this year for customers to
download.
As part of Microsoft’s commitment
to improving accessibility, AKS 2007
will significantly reduce the time,
knowledge and effort required to
implement a SharePoint-based website
that conforms with international Web
Content Accessibility Guidelines.
Microsoft worked with HiSoftware to
develop the kit, a decision based on
HiSoftware’s expertise in providing
tools for improving software
accessibility to the point of
compliance with industry and
government standards.
Rob Gray, Product Manager for
SharePoint Technologies at Microsoft
UK, said: “SharePoint is the fastest
growing server product in
Microsoft’s history with worldwide
revenues of more than $800 million
and greater than 37% annual growth
in the UK alone. As an increased
number of customers are using
SharePoint as a platform for
information access, it is very
important for us to provide this set
of building blocks for creating
accessible SharePoint solutions.
Microsoft is very pleased to be
working with HiSoftware in order to
deliver this kit, both
internationally and in the UK”
Microsoft invested significantly
in improving accessibility within
MOSS 2007, incorporating a "more
accessible mode" into the product
itself. AKS 2007 has been developed
to expand upon these improvements,
enabling everyone to utilise the
power of SharePoint. Microsoft also
remains committed to working with
RNIB to further understand the
accessibility needs of people who
are vision impaired.
Lesley-Anne Alexander, Chief
Executive, RNIB said: "We are
delighted to be working with
Microsoft and are encouraged that
Microsoft is taking accessibility
for blind and partially sighted
people seriously. RNIB hopes that
SharePoint will live up to our
expectations, help raise awareness
of accessibility issues and improve
the lives of blind and partially
sighted people."
Further information on the AKS
2007 can be found at
http://aks.hisoftware.com. This
site also provides an opportunity
for discussion around Web
accessibility issues related to MOSS
2007.
About
HiSoftware
Founded in 1998, HiSoftware is a
leading provider of software,
services, and On-Demand solutions
that test, repair, monitor and
enforce Web content, quality, and
regulatory compliance. The company’s
solutions empower content
developers, Web site architects, and
executives to work collaboratively
to create and manage corporate Web
standards for accessibility,
privacy, security, search engine
optimization (SEO), site quality and
performance, branding, competitive
intelligence, and application
transaction testing (AppTest).
HiSoftware’s customers boast many of
the world’s largest public and
private sites including US and
international government agencies
and Global 2000 companies such as
Gateway, HP, California State
University, US Department of
Transportation and Microsoft
Government. For more information
about HiSoftware visit
www.hisoftware.com.
Media Contact
Irena Mroz
HiSoftware
+1.603.578.1870
irena@hisoftware.com
