• English
• German
• French
• Spanish
• Russian
• Romanian

English

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 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.