September 24, 2007

Expert to discuss accessibility in information technology environments

Lynne Brown, with IBM's Human Ability and Accessibility Center, will discuss "Accessibility in the IT Environment: Emerging Issues" from 6-7 p.m. in Forney Hall, Room B124. Her talk, which is free and open to the public, is presented by the College of Technology.

She will discuss the basics of accessible systems, assistive technologies and resources that would benefit the 858 million people globally and 10 million in the United States with physical disabilities. Brown is a 1985 graduate of Purdue's College of Science.

"Accessibility is a huge topic among public and private institutions because disabilities affect so many people, not just those with physical disabilities, but also those with low vision or hearing issues," said Melissa Dark, assistant dean in the College of Technology and associate professor of computer and information technology. "There's a big demand for analysts and system designers who can help industry incorporate accessible IT systems into the business world."

Brown has been leading IBM's accessibility efforts for the private sector, including in retail, travel, transportation and digital media, with an emphasis on e-commerce and accessible Web sites. She is now charged with assisting customers on how to integrate accessibility into the products, services and solutions that IBM offers.

In a prior position at IBM, Brown was the global solution manager for eRisk, which helps insurance companies learn how to review Web sites for potential risks and allows them to insure clients against loss due to Web site failures such as hacking, security breaches and denial of service attacks. eRisk was named Insurance Product of the Year in 1998 by the property and casualty insurance industry.

Writer: Kim Medaris, (765) 494-6998, kmedaris@purdue.edu

Source: Melissa Dark, (765) 494-7661, dark@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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