Welcome To The Empower Fusion Website

Empower Fusion was founded with the mission to check web pages for accessibility using W3C guidelines and Section 508 laws. The group was formed out of Spectral Fusion Designs which is a web design group on The University of Montana, Missoula Campus. Our services have been commissioned by the State of Montana where Empower Fusion has entered into an agreement with the Information Technology Services Division to assist state agencies with Section 508 compliance. Empower Fusion also conducts ongoing accessibility checks of the UM web site. This check consists of a unique four-step process:

First, the web site is run through an automated accessibility program to check for any errors. Anything that is deemed questionable by either the program or the tester is referred to stage two.

Second, a visually impaired (blind) person with a screen reader tests the potential problem areas to determine if accessibility is limited.

Third, the stage two reviewer works with a web accessibility specialist to plan corrective action. The third step can include implementation of this plan or a written report with a suggested course of action to insure compliance.

Four, Empower Fusion is available to answer any questions or complaints regarding the accessibility of any site that is reviewed. Our stage two reviewers may communicate directly to address these concerns and determine if the problem is related to web page design or dysfunctional or old assistive technology devices used by the person experiencing accessibility limitations. Frequently these problems can be corrected through updated software or modest hardware upgrades.

It is important to remember that while the page is certified accessible following an Empower Fusion review, it may change as content is updated or graphics change. For this reason, Empower Fusion offers a brief training session in conjunction with the delivery of the site report.

The Empower Fusion Stage Two review process, where a blind person checks the site with a screen reader, allows for more precision in reporting problems than by relying solely on an automated process. Our Stage Two reviewers have extensive html experience and are very knowledgeable about how html code interacts with their screen readers. This helps them to understand exactly what is wrong and allows them to give some ideas of how to fix it. Not just anyone can purchase a screen reader and completely understand the program, especially from the standpoint of a blind or visually impaired person.

Graphics, Design, and Layout by Dani Taylor. Copyright© Spectral Fusion 2005. All Rights Reserved.