RESOLUTION 2010-15

QVC
AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
RESOLUTION 2010-15

SUMMARY:

1. The Information Access Committee of the American Council of the Blind is hereby instructed to communicate our concern in writing and attempt to develop and implement a system that will assure that all hosts announce both price and item numbers which will allow people who are blind or visually impaired to shop as effectively as can individuals who are not disabled.

2. In this communication the Information Access Committee make itself available as a resource to QVC particularly with regard to website access using the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 for accessibility to make the web experience of people with visual disabilities equal to that of all shoppers.

3. This organization requests the Information Access Committee to provide updates to the officers, directors, and staff of this organization so that, should QVC prove unresponsive to our requests for changes, other courses of action can be considered.

WHEREAS, shopping through television shopping networks such as QVC constitutes a viable means of acquiring merchandise for millions of Americans; and

WHEREAS, television shopping networks such as QVC represent a particularly effective option for people who are blind or visually impaired because the merchandise can be delivered at home and, in theory, detailed descriptions also allow people who are blind or visually impaired to know more about the products that they are purchasing; and

WHEREAS, people who are blind or visually impaired are often unable to order products because show hosts on QVC do not provide either item numbers or prices out loud during broadcast programs; and

WHEREAS, there are also significant problems associated with acquiring necessary information from the QVC web site;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled at the Downtown Sheraton Hotel in Phoenix, Ariz., on the 16th day of July, 2010, that the Information Access Committee of the American Council of the Blind is hereby instructed to communicate our concern in writing and attempt to develop and implement a system that will assure that all hosts will announce both price and item numbers which will allow people who are blind or visually impaired to shop as effectively as can individuals who are not disabled.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in this communication, the Information Access Committee make itself available as a resource to QVC particularly with regard to website access using the World Wide Web consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 for accessibility to make the web experience of people with visual disabilities equal to that of all shoppers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization requests the Information Access Committee to provide updates to the officers, directors and staff of this organization so that, should QVC prove unresponsive to our requests for changes, other courses of action can be considered.

Adopted.

Marlaina Lieberg, Secretary