Evolving accessibility

Urbilog is an internet engineering firm based in Lille, France. Urbilog's front-line is a full engagement with new IT technology with particular attention to accessibility. Since 1999, Urbilog has been investing almost 30% of it's annual profits in research and development into solutions for the web accessibility problem.

Thanks to the development of tools like Ocawa, Urbilog is now recognised as one of the worldwide leaders in the conceptualisation and creation of web audit technology.

Urbilog stays on the front-line of technology by maintaining an active real presence in the world, communicating directly:

• 2005 – 2006 : Frequent interventions and seminars given at institutes of higher education in the region (North France, Flanders)
• 2000 – 2006 Urbilog is always present at the Autonomic series of meetings (Paris, Lyon, Nancy, Marseille, Rennes, Toulouse)
• 2005 PHP Forum Paris: Conference presentation by Michel Hoel
• 2005 ANIS colloquium (Nord Internet Solidaire): Conference presentations
• 2004 Invited speakers to the Accessibility open day at the GSA (General ServicesAdministration) in Washington DC, to a select audience of Federal and non-government decision makers.
• 2004 Conference presentations at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Strasbourg
• 2004 Introduction of nationwide web accessibility in Belgium: the launch of accessible websites for La Libre Belgique and La Dernière Heure, two daily national newspapers (La Libre Belgique)
• 2003 Espace et Terre du Nord, a Franco-Canadian publication: L'accessibilité aux nouvelles technologies de l'information et de la communication et l'accessibilité en terme d'aménagement du territoire. (Benoît Thieffry).
• Instrumental in devising the AccessiWeb rules (fore-runner in France to the ADAE).
• 2002 : ICCHP: Publication and conference presentation: Web Site Accessibility Auditing Tool for Visually Deficient Persons OCAWA. (Denis Chêne, Michel Hoël)
• 2002 Setting up of: Voirplus.net.

Urbilog is also working closely with local government and other structures in the region (DRIRE, l'Agefiph et l'Anvar), organisations that help develop ambitious projects involving new technology, sustainable development and integration of the handicapped.

The principle activities of Urbilog are:

• Expertise in accessibility
• Audit, consulting and training
• Web Development
• Research and Development
• Networks