|
Cynthia D. Waddell,
Juris Doctor
Executive Director,
Law, Policy and Technology Subject Matter Expert
International Center for
Disability Resources on the Internet
Cynthia.Waddell@icdri.org
Telephone: (408) 691-6921
In the world of accessibility, Cynthia Waddell is an internationally
recognized expert in the field of electronic and information technology
as well as employment and construction. She is the author of the first
accessible web design standard in the United States in 1995 that led to
recognition as a best practice by the federal government and contributed
to the eventual passage of legislation for Electronic and Information
Technology Accessibility Standards (Section 508).
In September 2007, the International Communications Union
commissioned her to write a background paper on meeting information and
communications technology (ICT) access and services needs for people with
disabilities. The ITU paper is entitled “Major Issues for Development and
Implementation of Successful Policies and Strategies” and has been
well-received. She is also the co-author of a soon to be released UNESCO
publication addressing access to the built environment and accessible ICT for
telecentres and multimedia centres:
Accessibility
Guidelines for Multimedia Centres.
Cynthia Waddell is the co-author of two books:
Web Accessibility: Web Standards and Regulatory Compliance
(Apress 2006) and Constructing Accessible Web Sites (Glasshaus
2002, reprinted Apress 2003). These best practices and technical resources
include the first global surveys of laws and policies in countries addressing
accessible web design. Her most recent book was selected by the Japanese
Industrial Standards Working Committee for translation into Japanese for an ICT
training event.
The free CynthiaSays™ web accessibility tool
and portal was named after her and endorsed by the American Council of the
Blind. The CynthiaSays™ portal at
www.cynthiasays.com is a joint educational project of ICDRI, The Internet
Society Disability and Special Needs Chapter, and HiSoftware. The tool enables
web developers to post content on the web that is accessible to assistive
computer technology utilized by people with disabilities as well as alternate
Internet access devices such as cell phones, palm pilots and personal digital
assistants.
Her seminal paper, “The Growing
Digital Divide in Access for People with Disabilities: Overcoming Barriers to
Participation” was commissioned by the U.S. Department of Commerce
and the National Science Foundation for the first national conference under
President Clinton on the impact of the digital economy. It has been translated
and cited by governments, businesses, universities, and entities around the
world, including an IMF/World Bank Summit and the World Economic Development
Congress. A collection of her papers are posted on her website at
www.icdri.org
A frequent writer and speaker, her papers
have been translated and cited by organizations including the National Council
on Disability, an independent advisor to the US President, in their 2001 report
The Accessible Future.
Cynthia Waddell is a Lecturer in Law and
holds a Juris Doctor from Santa Clara University School of Law. She was
designated a Public Interest Disability Rights Scholar and a Dan Bradley Fellow
for the Employment Law Center in San Francisco, California. In addition, she was
a Rotary International Foundation Fellow at Exeter University, England, as well
as an USC-Cambridge University Scholar at Cambridge University, England. She
received her B.A. cum laude, from the University of Southern California
where she received Honors at Entrance.
Memberships & Affiliations
- Vice-Chair, The Internet Society Disability and
Special Needs Chapter
- Accessibility Forum, U.S. General Services
Administration (Section 508)
- Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Voting Standards Working Group IP1583
- National Task Force on Technology and Disability
- Global Alliance for Accessible Technologies and the
Environment (GAATES)
- World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility
Initiative Interest Group
Selected Consultancies
United Nations
- Ad Hoc Committee Expert on Accessible ICT and Access to Built Environment,
Convention (Treaty) on Rights of Persons with Disabilities; 2007 ICT Expert for
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) “Access to telecommunication
services for people with disabilities,” Geneva; UNESCO co-author of
Accessibility Guidelines for Multimedia Centres”- a GAATES 2007 project;
Participant in “UN Meets Silicon Valley” Global Alliance for ICT and Development
(UN-GAID) 2007; Speaker, World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis 2005;
Rapporteur for Pacific Rim Manila Declaration 2003; Participant, Latin America
Quito Declaration 2003 in Quito, Ecuador
European Union
- Speaker for 2003 “Accessibility for All” conference in Nice, France for EU
Standardization bodies; Speaker for 2001 “Design for All” European Day of
Disabled People in Brussels at invitation of European Disability Forum and
European Commission
Argentina-
2007 “eGovernment for
Everyone” Keynote Speaker at Congress in Buenos Aires for Seminar “Web Without
Barriers for People with Disabilities;” sponsored by Congressional Commission on
People with Disabilities, Argentina Capitol Chapter of The Internet Society (ISCO)
and ISOC Disability and Special Needs Chapter
Japan
- 2004 Keynote Speaker for Tokyo Launch of Japanese Industrial Standards web
requirements and private meeting with Diet regarding accessible ICT; Speaker for
several Yokohama ICT events including INET 2000
Norway-
2007 Keynote Speaker for First International
Conference on Technology for Participation & Accessible eGovernment Services,
Kristiniansand, Norway
Portugal
- Advisor on Portuguese International Accessibility Board that led to adoption
of Portuguese Accessibility Guidelines in 1999
United Kingdom
- Advisor to US/UK IBM project for e-government 2006; Contributor to “Boosting
the UK Digital Economy- A Virtual Think Tank” 2001
United States
- Accessible Technology Expert for President Bush Administration UK-US seminar
exchange on employment and technology 2003; Speaker for President Clinton’s
first national conference on the impact of the digital economy in 1999; Speaker
on accessible web and voting for National Association of Secretaries of State;
Ongoing Speaker for many US government agencies including NASA’s Goddard Space
Flight Center and the US General Services Administration Section 508 programs;
Lecturer on accessible web for a number of US universities; Project Manager and
Accessibility Subject Matter Expert for award-winning accessible ICT projects
for the State of California, the County of Santa Clara and other government
entities; Consultant for development of Accessible ICT policy and procurement
practices under Section 508 for government, universities and private sector;
Section 508 Trainer of electronic and electrical engineers on technical
requirements for accessible design of technology; Accessible Web Expert Witness
in US litigation; Lecturer-in-Law, Disability Rights, Santa Clara University
School of Law, Santa Clara, California
Selected Awards
- 2004 State of Florida
Davis Productivity Award- Governor Jeb Bush Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) Working Group
- 2003 Government Technology
Inaugural Award for Leadership in Accessible Technology and for Pioneering
Advocacy and Education
- 1998 “Top 25 Women on the
Web” by Webgrrls, International
- 1997 Helen Putnam Grand
Prize for Excellent by the California League of Cities for development of
Accessible Web Design Standard
| 