UPDATE 2-Class certified in blind suit over Target Web site

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By Martha Graybow and Lewis Krauskopf

NEW YORK, Oct 3 (Reuters) - A federal judge in California has allowed a class-action lawsuit to proceed against Target Corp (TGT.N) brought by plaintiffs claiming the discount retailer's Web site is inaccessible to the blind.

The ruling allows blind individuals, who say that many other retailers have designed their Web sites to be accessible through special software that vocalizes online content, to join collectively in the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs contend that the company does not allow them full and equal access to Target stores because they cannot obtain online product and sales information.

The decision, made public on Tuesday by Judge Marilyn Patel of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, also rejected Target's motion for summary judgment in the case.

"This is a tremendous step forward for blind people throughout the country who for too long have been denied equal access to the Internet economy," Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation for the Blind, said in a statement following Tuesday's ruling.

The federation, which has more than 50,000 members, says that the Web sites of many other retailers, including Target's larger rival, Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N), have been made accessible to blind shoppers who use screen reading software to access the Internet.

"Wal-Mart, which is a very similar company but bigger, is accessible, so there is no question that their (Target's) Web site can be accessible," said John Pare, executive director for strategic initiatives at the National Federation of the Blind.