New Partnership Brings Technology and Services to Those Companies Seeking to Make Web-based Applications Accessible to Those with Disabilities
Deque Systems and The Paciello Group Team to Help Companies Assess and Address Compliance of Web Applications with Section 508 and Other Accessibility Guidelines
Reston, VA (PRWEB) July 13, 2004 -- Deque Systems, a pioneer in accessibility
management software, and The Paciello Group, a consulting company dedicated to
working with companies to make technology applications accessible to all, today
announced a strategic partnership that brings to the market proven software for
assessing and managing technology accessibility and the consulting and advisory
services often required to facilitate the process.
"Equal accessibility
of technology to those with disabilities has emerged as a major human rights
issue internationally. It's also a huge business opportunity. By ensuring equal
access of their e-commerce web sites, U.S. businesses can reach an additional 50
million customers with more than $70 billion per year in discretionary
spending," said Preety Kumar, president and CEO of Deque Systems.
However, as Mike Paciello, president of The Paciello Group, points out,
understanding and resolving the legal requirements and development guidelines,
as well as working with multiple technology platforms and different assistive
technology products used by those with disabilities can be a time-intensive and
expensive process.
"We combine proven, cost-efficient assessment and
remediation software with the services and expertise that can guide companies to
rapid compliance," said Paciello. "We can help companies quickly reach out to
new audiences and minimize the legal risks of non-compliance with an
easy-to-implement and easy-to-execute solution."
Ramp, Deque System's
flagship product family, provides robust features for assessing and analyzing
the compliance of web sites and web-based applications with Section 508, the
World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative, and other guidelines
related to technology accessibility. The product also remediates problems
identified and can automatically convert Adobe ® PDF files, commonly used by
most companies, to XML format for compliance. Customers include the Social
Security Administration, United States Department of State, George Mason
University, Southwest Airlines, and General Electric.
The Paciello Group,
headquartered in Nashua, NH, provides a variety of consulting services to help
companies ensure their technology applications meet current accessibility
standards and are architected to meet future requirements. Services include
project planning and management, assistive technology testing, usability
testing, and RFP assistance for those companies selling into federal and state
markets. The Paciello Group has worked with companies such as Microsoft, BMC
Software, Hyperion, Fidelity Investments, Dell, SkillSoft, and Digital Credit
Union.
Under the terms of the strategic alliance, Deque Systems will
recommend The Paciello Group as its preferred services partner for customer
engagements. In turn, The Paciello Group will use Deque products as part of its
overall service practice. Mike Paciello will join Deque Systems' board of
advisors and consult with the company on product strategies and market
requirements.
About The Paciello Group
The Paciello Group is
passionately dedicated to helping government agencies, technology vendors,
e-commerce corporations, and educational institutions make their technology
equally accessible to all people, including those with disabilities. The company
offers professional consulting, technology solutions, and monthly monitoring
services to ensure that clients reach all audiences effectively and efficiently
while meeting governmental and international standards.
About Deque
Systems, Inc.
Deque Systems Inc. (http://www.deque.com) is the technology leader in web
accessibility and content standards management. Deque is the market leader in
cross-platform solutions, equally supporting Microsoft Windows 2000®, Microsoft
Windows XP®, Apple Macintosh OS X®, Linux, and Unix. Deque Systems’ product
family includes Deque Ramp Grade®, Deque Ramp Ascend® and Deque Undoc for
PDF®.
NOTE: All company and/or product names may be trade names,
trademarks and/or registered trademarks of the respective owners with which they
are associated. Features, pricing, availability, and specifications are subject
to change without notice.
Deque Press Contacts:
Cheryl Holmes
Vice
President, Sales and Marketing
Deque Inc
703-225-0380 x103
e-mail
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Bill Diamond
Director, Marketing and
Strategic Alliances
Deque Inc
703-225-0380 x114
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/7/prweb140733.htm