AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 15, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- At a time when the nation's population of people with disabilities is at an all-time high and adults with disabilities report heavy use of the Internet, Convio today announced that its comprehensive software suite now includes features to help nonprofits create Web sites and email communications compliant with industry standards for accessibility.
"This is a major advancement for the nonprofit sector," said Shirley Sexton, Director of Internet Marketing, Easter Seals (www.easter-seals.org), a national leader in providing services for people with a wide range of disabilities. "Since the American with Disabilities Act passed about 12 years ago, as a nation, we've vastly improved offline accessibility for people with disabilities through ramps to building entrances, curb cuts on sidewalks, etc. Yet when designing a Web site, most organizations don't really consider online accessibility. There's no reason to treat the Internet differently than offline public places."
Convio, the leading online Constituent Relationship Management (eCRM) company for the nonprofit sector, offers Internet software and services to help organizations become more effective in attracting, engaging and retaining key constituents including donors, volunteers, potential recruits, advocates, service providers (e.g., health care professionals) and individuals receiving services.
With Convio, nonprofits now can easily create Web site and email content that meets guidelines established by the World Wide Web consortium's (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). The W3C, consisting of 500 member organizations, establishes common protocols (specifications, guidelines, software and tools) to foster the evolution and interoperability of the World Wide Web. The W3C's WAI (www.w3.org/WAI/about.html#ad) provides the recognized blueprint for organizations creating accessible content in compliance with Section 508 of the federal Rehabilitation Act. Federal government Web sites actually are required to meet Section 508 standards for accessibility and, although nonprofit organizations are not required to do so, many are applying these standards to their sites.
Convio's new accessibility features include:
-- An easy-to-use "accessibility checker" to ensure compliance with WAI standards. The checker is integrated with Convio's content authoring tools, making it much more convenient to use than third-party accessibility checkers which typically require copying and pasting HTML into other Web sites, then manually editing HTML code. The checker makes it simple for nonprofits to create and publish Web site and email content that is accessible to people who, for example, cannot use a mouse because they have limited motor function and/or a visual disability.
-- Support for spoken and Braille browsers, used by people who have a visual impairment instead of conventional browsers which frequently cannot interpret Web content and result in a frustrating and/or limited online experience. (Nearly 10 million people age 15 and over in the United States have difficulty seeing words and letters.)
-- Commonly used forms that are automatically accessibility-complaint when they are created, e.g., donation forms, acknowledgements, action alert forms, event registration forms. For example, the Convio forms enable people with disabilities to move from field to field using a keyboard instead of a mouse.
Easter Seals is using Convio to rebuild its Internet infrastructure across the entire organization, which, in addition to the national group, includes 90-plus affiliates. "Accessibility to the Internet is the open door to choice and freedom for people with disabilities because it removes significant physical and social barriers," said Sharon Miller, President and CEO, Easter Seals Central Texas. "An accessible Web site enables people with disabilities to be fully included in information technology -- it allows users to find the services they need and also participate in advocacy, legal issues and community events. By linking innovative software with the compassion and services of Easter Seals, the results are extraordinary."
By using Convio to power its Web sites, Easter Seals hopes not only to better serve site visitors -- both newcomers and established constituents, but also to provide a model for other nonprofits as well as for-profits organizations on how to achieve a creative, accessible and usable Web presence.
"As we move toward an even more highly connected world, it's critical that everyone, regardless of his or her capabilities and disabilities, be able to access and use the Internet because it's become a primary source for conducting business, researching information, and managing even our private lives," said Vinay Bhagat, founder and CEO, Convio. "Internet accessibility obviously is a critical consideration for Easter Seals, given its mission, but it should be an important requirement for any nonprofit organization trying to serve the public at large without barriers to access."
More People with Disabilities Using Internet
Changing demographics are driving the need for organizations to make their Web sites and emails accessible:
-- One in five Americans, or 20 percent of the population, has a disability, comprising the nation's largest minority group (U.S. Census' 1997 disability data)
-- The population of people with disabilities is forecast to continue rising as the Baby Boomers, now in their 50s and 60s, age and life expectancy rises. Also, the Boomers' parents are living longer and working to maintain their independence.
-- Adults with disabilities spend, on average, 20 hours per week online, or twice as much time as adults without disabilities and are much more likely than adults without disabilities to report that the Internet has significantly improved the quality of their lives (48% versus 27%) because it allows them to be more informed and connected to the world, especially to people with similar interests and experiences. (Harris Interactive poll, June 2000).
-- Americans with disabilities are a significant financial force, with combined discretionary income of $175 billion (U.S. Department of Labor, July 1998).
About Convio
Austin-based Convio is the leading online Constituent Relationship Management, or CRM, company serving the nonprofit sector. Convio's mission is to increase the effectiveness of how nonprofit organizations attract, engage and retain constituents to provide funding and other forms of support. The Convio(tm) software solution consists of six product suites: Special Events, eFundraising, eMarketing, Advocacy, Content Management and the Constituent Center. Using Convio, nonprofits can send targeted, personalized email communications; conduct fundraising, membership and advocacy campaigns; publish personalized and fresh Web content; manage registrations, RSVPs, ticket sales and other event logistics; tap volunteers and their personal networks for campaigns; track constituent interactions; connect online systems to off-line systems, e.g., donor databases; and more. The Convio platform automatically shares data among all six product suites, giving nonprofits a unified view of each constituent so staff can conduct more personalized and targeted marketing. Convio also provides services to help nonprofits adopt online marketing best practices.
Convio serves national and regional organizations in all segments of the nonprofit sector including disease and disorder, education, healthcare, human services, advocacy, associations, public broadcasting, museums and other visitation facilities, and political campaigns. In addition to Easter Seals, Convio's clients include: Planned Parenthood Federation of America, American Cancer Society, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, American Humane Association and Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, National Trust For Historic Preservation and KCET (Los Angeles Public Television). For more information, please visit http://www.convio.com.