Do the Rights of the Disabled Extend to the Blind on the Web?

DO THE RIGHTS OF THE DISABLED EXTEND TO THE BLIND ON THE WEB?
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Bob Tedeschi]
The National Federation of the Blind has sued Target, contending that the company declined to make its Web site fully accessible -- with specialized screen-reading technology -- to blind people. The Federation argues that the company’s inaction violated the Americans with Disabilities Act because the Web site is essentially an extension of its other public accommodations, and as such, should be easily accessible to people with disabilities. On Sept. 6, a federal judge in California held, in a preliminary ruling on the suit, that in some instances, Web sites must cater to disabled people. Legal scholars say the full reach of that ruling will not be clear until the case is decided, if it reaches that point. But in the meantime, the dispute shows that although commercial Web sites have made considerable strides in serving this small fraction of their customer base, there are still substantial difficulties on both sides of the screen.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/06/technology/06ecom.html
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