Schwab's initiative will particularly improve the client experience for Schwab customers with disabilities. Schwab has adopted the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.0 level AA as its website accessibility standard and has begun working to meet this standard.

Kit Lau, who is blind, has been a Schwab client for more than 25 years and navigates the Internet using software that reads web pages aloud to her. Lau praised the company's initiative:

"I'm very grateful for Schwab's significant commitment to website accessibility," said Lau. "I have been blind since I was one year old, and I value my ability to independently and privately conduct my financial transactions online. Schwab has been a wonderful company to invest with, and I applaud the people of Charles Schwab for recognizing the needs of their customers with disabilities."

Schwab has already begun making accessibility improvements, and will continue to do so over the next year. Information about the initiative can be found on Schwab's website at: www.schwab.com/public/schwab/nn/accessibility_help.html

About the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)

The WCAG 2.0 guidelines are promulgated by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and ensure that sites are more accessible to persons with visual and other disabilities. Many Schwab customers will not notice any differences to the site, as the guidelines do not affect the content or look and feel of a website. The guidelines are of particular benefit to blind computer users who use screen reader voice output or magnification technology on their computers and who, like some individuals with mobility impairments, rely on a keyboard instead of a mouse for navigation.

The W3C is an international community that develops open standards to ensure the long-term growth of the Web. The Web Accessibility Initiative is a program of the W3C that works with site owners, developers, people with disabilities and other interested parties to develop accessibility standards.