************************************************************
The Web Accessibility Recognition Scheme is open for application from today (September 28) until December 31. All local enterprises and organisations including companies, non-governmental organisations, educational institutions and public sector organisations are welcome to join.
Now in its third year the recognition scheme, jointly organised by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) and the Equal Opportunities Commission, continues to laud enterprises and organisations for making their websites and mobile apps accessible to everyone, particularly persons with disabilities and special needs.
A spokesman for the OGCIO said, "The recognition scheme has been well received, with a sharp rise in the number of participating organisations in the past two years. In the last round, a total of 167 websites and mobile apps from 110 organisations were recognised, demonstrating the community's increasing commitment for driving web accessibility across the territory. The awardees come from various sectors including transportation, media, banking, academia, commercial services, medical and non-governmental organisations."
Participating organisations will be given free assessment, training and advisory services to enhance the accessibility of their websites and mobile apps. Websites and mobile apps meeting the prescribed accreditation criteria will be given gold or silver awards and can display the award logo as recognition for their outstanding achievement in adopting barrier-free designs and contributing to a caring and inclusive society.
This year two new awards have been introduced, namely the Triple Gold Award for websites and the Designer Award for website/mobile app developers, to recognise organisations' continuous efforts in adopting web accessibility as well as the ingenious efforts of their technology partners in this regard.
In addition, online voting lasting for three weeks will be launched in March 2015 for the Most Favourite Websites and Mobile Apps among the Gold Awardees to raise public awareness. The awards presentation ceremony will be held in April 2015.
"Making a website accessible not only caters for the needs of different users, including persons with disabilities and special needs, but also boosts its search rankings and helps the organisation reach a wider audience in the growing digital marketplace.
"In addition, making a mobile app accessible is paramount as it enables persons with disabilities to get timely information anywhere and anytime, expand their social circle and integrate into society, thus living a more independent life," the spokesman added.
A briefing session will be organised on October 24 to inform interested organisations and developers on the details of the scheme and the web accessibility requirements. A series of technical workshops will be conducted from October to December to familiarise participants with technical skills and practical tips in making website/mobile app accessible.
For details of the scheme and workshop schedule, please visit www.webforall.gov.hk/en/scheme. Enquiries can be made to the Web Accessibility Campaign Programme Office by phone on 2582 4606 or by email to wac@ogcio.gov.hk.
Ends/Sunday, September 28, 2014
Issued at HKT 18:39
NNNN
