ADA Title III and the Internet: technology and civil rights.

Over the past two years, the issue of Internet accessibility has received national attention. In 1999, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) filed a class action lawsuit against America Online, Inc. (AOL).1 NFB alleged that AOL’s Internet browser and services were inaccessible to the blind and did not comply with the accessibility requirements of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).2 Specifically, plaintiffs claimed that AOL’s online service sign-up form, welcome screens, and chat rooms were not accessible because screen readers could not read text hidden within graphic displays.