Brown et al. v. Bank of America - First Bank Website Accessibility Agreement

This groundbreaking settlement agreement, entered into on March 14, 2000, was the first agreement in the United States in which a bank committed to make its website accessible to blind users. It was also the first agreement where a bank committed to install Talking ATMs in more than one state (California and Florida). The agreement was negotiated by Lainey Feingold and Linda Dardarian using Structured Negotiations (a collaborative process that avoids litigation) on behalf of the California Council of the Blind and individual blind advocates. The Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF) also represented the claimants. Key commitments: - Installation of Talking ATMs in California and Florida with specific rollout schedules - Website accessibility commitment to comply with WCAG Priorities One and Two - Comprehensive Auxiliary Aids and Services Policy for printed materials (Braille, large print, audio, etc.) - Training programs for bank personnel - Fee waivers for visually impaired customers using telephone banking services This was the first of three agreements Bank of America signed with the blind community, establishing a model for banking accessibility that would be followed by other financial institutions nationwide.