As a blind graduate of UT- Austin, I support this petition. The University needs to retain a leadership role in developing access solutions for persons with disabilities. I am ashamed that this decision was made and demand reconsideration immediately.
As a quadriplegic that is greatly dependent on accessible Web standards to provide me with the tools needed to continue my occupation, I beseech you to reconsider the closing of such a highly respected and influential cornerstone in the development of WEB ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL.
Austin has an excellent reputation for producing some of the sharpest minds in the world of web accessibility, and the reason for this is staring us in the face. The fact that you are receiving so much feedback from across the globe (this one's from the UK) should indicate the importance of the institute's work. Keep it running and keep UT Austin's excellent rep for web accessibility at the top where it should be.
I support this petition. I work at Fidelity Investments and we very much valued and used information from John Slatin's institute to help us make our products and services accessible to customers.
I am chair of the City of Austin Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission. Austin is an international center of leadership on the issue of web accessibility. This is largely due to the efforts of people associated with the Accessibility Institute. It would be a significant loss to the city--as well as the University--if the center was to close.
I support this petition. This center was instrumental in helping us forward our accessibility initiative in our financial services firm. Further, it inspired talented Computer Science students, like Charles Chen, to further accessibility for all users in cutting-edge Web development that Google is doing. We see it all the time in our research, that what is good for technology users with disabilities inadvertently benefits everyone else. We need more students to be inspired in this way.
I support this petition request for the University of Texas to reconsider its decision to close the Accessibility Institute, and for UT to dedicate resources to build on universal design theories and practices pioneered by John Slatin at the Accessibility Institute.
I support this petition. Please allow the Accessibility Institute to continue their excellent work. We need more research in this area and more institutions like AI to guide, educate and inspire web developers - not less!
The loss of key researchers is not an adequate reason for killing off a valuable initiative. If the Provost quit, would UT close the Provost's office? UT needs to take a stand which will be recognized by its peer institutions, as well as stake-holders around the world.
World will be a better place to be, as far as we take steps forward, not backwards.
Accesibility is important. Please, reconsider your decision.
I, for sure, support this petition.
I support this petition. This is essential considering the percentage of population with a disability, and the expected aging population. It should be considered a worthwhile institution, worthy of U of T's full support.
