February 24, 2005 – (HOSTSEARCH.COM) – Software vendor webEdition Software Ltd. announced today the launch of a new version of its webEdition content management system (CMS), which simplifies the production and maintenance of accessible or "barrier-free" Web sites.
The newly released Version 3.2 introduces features that help developers build Web sites in accordance with the Web Accessibility Initiative (see www.w3.org/WAI ). The webEdition CMS can now generate valid XHTML code while incorporating services to check the validity and/or the accessibility of a Web site in accordance with the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) rules.
webEdition's WYSIWYG editor has been updated to include advanced features for screen readers such as extended language settings and options for table and cell summaries that impart information about the structure of tabular data that would otherwise be lacking in voice-only output. In addition, enhancements offering tips for the administration and optimization of accessible sites have been added to the user interface.
The barrier-free framework also means that Web sites administered with the webEdition CMS can be made accessible to alternative media such as PDAs and cell phones so content can be presented to a broader public audience. Additionally, Version 3.2 simplifies the inclusion of RSS news feeds, allowing users to pull news directly to their Web page.
To showcase Version 3.2, webEdition Software Ltd. has published a new barrier-free demonstration site designed with XHTML-compliant code. Furthermore, to emphasize the importance of the widespread adoption of such Web sites, the vendor will soon be launching a new design for their own homepage, one which -- naturally -- will be accessible to all.
