IT Accessibility Review
Volume 1, Number 4
Around the IT/Web Accessible World
NCITS Study Group on Accessibility - US TAG - JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility
The International Committee is formulating a new study group on accessibility for Information Technology Standards (INCITS). This study group will serve as the US Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to the Joint Technical Committee (JTC) 1 Special Working Group (SWG) on accessibility. The first meeting was held February 16-17, 2005. JTC 1 believes that the work in the area of information communication and technology standardization for accessibility is a major undertaking encompassing many international, regional, and local interests. At this time, there are significant standards efforts taking place in ISO, IEC, ITU and the national and regional standards bodies as well as various consortia/for a and user groups. As identified in its long-term business plan and eager to be responsive to international, regional, national, and end user requirements in the area of accessibility, JTC 1 plans to establish a Special Working Group on accessibility with the following terms of reference:
The SWG will:
Determine an approach and implement the gathering of user requirements being mindful of the varied and unique opportunities (direct participation of user organizations, workshops, liaisons)- Identify a mechanism to work proactively between meetings to make forward progress
- Work effectively between meetings to show steady progress in deficient areas
- Gather and publish an inventory of all known accessibility standards efforts
- Identify areas/technologies where voluntary standards are not being addressed and suggest an alternate group to review the task at hand the new work
- Track public laws, policies, measures, and guidelines to ensure that the necessary standards are available
- Encourage the use of globally relevant voluntary standards through wide dissemination of the SWG materials
- Assist consortium submitting their specifications to the formal standards process
Karen Beauregard is TecAccess´ Senior Marketing Director and Client Development Manager. With over 20 years experience working for a variety of high tech companies, Ms. Beauregard will focus on product marketing, market research and business development. Proving her ability to excel in fast-paced environments, Ms. Beauregard has worked with Fortune 500 clients and many government agencies to identify their needs and provide on time, cost effective solutions.
Information Society for All: Commission Opens Consultation to make ICT Products and Services more Accessible
The European Commission recently launched a public consultation on how to make the benefits of information and communication technologies available to the widest possible range of citizens, including older people and individuals with disabilities. This consultation is a first step in the Commission´s endeavor to remove the technical challenges and difficulties that people with disabilities and others experience when trying to use electronic products or services such as computers, mobile phones, or the Internet.
"Information and communication technologies can be powerful tools for bringing people together, improving their health and welfare, and making their jobs and social lives richer and more rewarding," said Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding. "But over 90 million EU citizens either cannot reap these benefits in full, or are effectively cut off from them because of age or disabilities. Making ICT products and services more accessible is a social, ethical, and political imperative. At the same time, it makes sense economically. About 48 % of people over 50 years old in Europe today say ICTs do not fully meet their needs, but many of them also say that they would buy new mobile phones, computer, and Internet services if they could use them."
The public consultation focuses on three key areas in which the European Union could promote eAccessibility: public procurement, certification, and the use of legislation. The consultation document argues that EU Member State public authorities should develop common requirements to facilitate the purchasing of accessible good and services. This would create larger markets for "design-for-all" products.
Further information:
http://europa.eu.int/information_society/policy/accessibility/ com_ea_2005/index_en.htm
http://europa.eu.int/information_society/policy/accessibility/index_en.htm
Study on Assistive Technology in Europe
The European Union Commission launched a study on assistive technology (AT) in Europe. Deloitte & Touche performed the 188-page study, entitled "Access to Assistive Technology in the European Union." It discusses legislative and regulatory aspects, market structures, and delivery systems of AT in the EU nations. The study also focuses on AT in the workplace within these countries.
The complete study is available at the following link:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/disability/
assistive_technology_study_en.pdf
Developing Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) for Information Accessibility
We lead our everyday life surrounded by various information and communication devices and services. These devices and services, however, are not necessarily easy to use for all who wish to use them. Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS), which govern information accessibility, have been developed to provide technical guidelines that will help the elderly, those with disabilities, and a great number of ordinary users gain better access to information and communication devices and services.
The move to develop guidelines in the area of information and communications began in 2000. In September of that year, the Information Technology Research and Standardization Center (INSTAC) within the Japanese Standards Association voluntarily organized and launched a study group to pursue the issue. As the group concluded its activities, a new organization, the Standardization Survey Committee, was established within INSTAC. The committee commenced operations in April 2001 relying on government financial aid to finance its commissioned surveys.
This committee included participants with disabilities, scholars, information and communications industry representatives, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Further, a number of public forums were held in the process of developing the guidelines with the aim of soliciting the opinions of a wide range of those concerned. The committee made extensive efforts to reflect user needs in the standards to the fullest extent possible.
This series of standards emphasizes in its basic principles that "those who plan, develop, and design information and communication equipment, software, and services must pay as much attention as possible to high operability and ease of use by the elderly and those with disabilities."
The JLS are all voluntary standards, not laws. It is hoped, however, that businesses and the government will view compliance with the present series of standards as a societal responsibility.
To read more about the results reflected in JIS X 8341 Guidelines for persons with disabilities, and Dr. Yamada´s article in its entirety, please visit:
http://www.tecaccess.net/content/inthenews/japan.shtml. (REMOVED IN NEW SITE)
Canada Launches Website for Disability-Related Policy
The E-Democracy theme of the Dis-IT Research Alliance, in collaboration with many of Canada´s national disability advocacy organizations, is launching a website called Disability-Related Policy in Canada on February 1, 2005.
http://www.disabilitypolicy.ca
If you have any comments or suggestions, please contact Lindsey Troschuk at:
troschuk@ms.umanitoba.ca
Source:
Gladnet
Accessible Design in the Digital World Conference
Two upcoming conferences, Accessible Design in the Digital World, August 23 - 25, Dundee, Scotland http://www.accessinthedigitalworld.org/2005/ and International Research Foundation for Development, November 14 - 16, 2005, will contribute to the preparatory process and the UN World Summit on the Information Society in Tunisia. The major focus of the Tunis Phase is to find concrete ways of using ICT (Information and Communication Technology) as tools for development and to improve the quality of life around the world.
Source:
Gladnet
Norwegian Buyers and Vendors can Learn about Accessible Websites
Norwegian buyers and vendors can now learn about the importance of accessible websites in a new, free brochure available at a Norwegian-language site:
http://www.shdir.no/index.db2?id=13616.
This is produced by The Delta Centre, the national resource centre for participation by and accessibility for persons with disabilities under the auspices of the Norwegian Directorate for Health and Social Affairs. This site is mostly in Norwegian, but if your curiosity takes you there, there is a link to an English language version.
Source:
Karen Mardahl, STC, Accessibility SIG
EU eInclusion and eAccessibilty Links
The EU collects information on eInclusion and eAccessibility at
http://europa.eu.int/information_society/policy/accessibility/index_en.htm. The EU is also drafting a "Communication on eAccessibility" for 2005, which you can follow at:
http://europa.eu.int/information_society/policy/
accessibility/com_ea_2005/index_en.htm
Source:
Karen Mardahl, STC, Accessibility SIG
Accessibility Consultation Launched in EU
The European Commission launched a consultation on how best to make computers, mobile phones, and web sites accessible to the widest number of people, including the disabled and the elderly. One of its suggestions is to pass new legislation.
"Information and communication technologies (ICTs) can be powerful tools for bringing people together, improving their health and welfare, and making their jobs and social lives richer and more rewarding," said Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding. "But over 90 million EU citizens either cannot reap these benefits in full, or are effectively cut off from them because of age or disabilities."
"Making ICT products and services more accessible is thus a social, ethical and political imperative. At the same time, it makes sense economically," she added. "About 48% of people over 50 years old in Europe today say ICTs do not fully meet their needs, but many of them also say that they would buy new mobile phones, computer, and internet services if they could use them."
The public consultation focuses on three key areas in which the European Union could promote what it calls eAccessibility: public procurement, certification, and the use of legislation.
The consultation document argues that EU Member State public authorities should develop common requirements to facilitate the purchasing of accessible goods and services. This would, in turn, create larger markets for "design-for-all" products, says the Commission.
The consultation document also proposes to assess whether a certification mechanism should provide a quality label for accessible products and services. Regarding legislative measures, the document notes that several EU Member States already have e-accessibility-related laws, and that there are indications that harmonizing the relevant technical requirements across the EU could help to make these laws a more powerful driver for change, while at the same time promoting interoperability and preventing market fragmentation.
There are no further details on the nature of legislation under consideration by the Commission. The Consultation itself offers few clues. It asks respondents whether new instruments to promote eAccessibility are needed and, if so, what they would suggest. It also asks respondents to gauge the importance of accessibility requirements and standards. Viviane Reding was unavailable for further comment at the time of writing.
The consultation document finally considers a number of support measures, such as the development of eSkills and the further deployment of ICT Research for promoting eAccessibility, as well as monitoring web accessibility and the development of digital TV. The consultation can be completed on-line until February 12, 2005. The results will then feed into a Commission Communication on eAccessibility to be adopted before June 2005.
http://www.out-law.com/php/page.php?page_id=accessibilityconsul1105366780&area=news
See: Consultation
Web Accessibility in Japan
Japan´s central ministries, government offices, and local governments are leading the way in considering Web accessibility.
While taking into consideration the conditions of the elderly and persons with disabilities, development of IT devices and systems will be encouraged, and support will be provided for raising the information literacy of such persons in order to create an environment in which they have full access to IT." (IT Strategic Headquarters´ "e-Japan 2002 Program", June 26, 2001:
http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/it/network/0626_e.html)
Accessibility in Germany
Economics Minister Clement: Accessibility has a considerable innovation and growth potential Extract: Aktion Mensch and Stiftung Digitale Chancen honored the best German accessible Websites with the BIENE Award in Berlin last night. Golden BIENEs were awarded to the ´Postbank´ and the ´Integrationsfachdienst Profil Hamburg´. Overall, 19 websites were honored for their exceptional accessibility. Federal Economics Minister Wolfgang Clement emphasized in his welcoming address that every Internet application has to follow accessibility standards. Herein lies a considerable innovation and growth potential for a ´digital Germany´. URL:
http://www.einfach-fuer-alle.de/award2004/index.html.en
Confusion Reigns Over Website Accessibility Compliance - UK
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) requires businesses and organizations to make websites accessible to all users, particularly the disabled. Yet the DRC, the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), and the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID), the supposed standard bearers for website accessibility, continue to fail even the most basic A/AA requirements. The findings and the reports produced by SiteMorse showed, for example, that the DRC´s website failed both A / AA continually over the last few months.
The DRC´s chairman, Bert Massie, wrote a ´sharp´ letter in May 2004 published in the Guardian newspaper. In it he claimed that the tests had "caught them on a bad day; the error was not on their own site but that of a sponsor." The letter explained why the DRC felt that the tests were flawed. SiteMorse then re-checked the report and found problems as basic as the image description on the letter from the organization´s own chief executive, Bob Niven.
Head of Media at the DRC, Patrick Edwards, gave me a hostile reception when interviewed about the test results. He seemed to place usability testing through human interaction above web accessibility compliance. He caused confusion when he inferred in a telephone conversation that there are no legal standards for website accessibility, even though a number of DRC speeches and documents (including comments made in the Guardian) clearly state that it is a legal duty for organizations and businesses to make their sites accessible to the UK´s 8-10 million disabled people.
The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) proves hostile to findings that show it to have failed basic accessibility compliance requirements, and its response adds confusion to an already confused market.
SiteMorseT produces independent monthly website rankings in sectors including FTSE 100, Central and Local Government, NHS, Banking and Finance, Solicitors and Insurance firms. To view this article in its entirety, and to browse SiteMorse´s league table for January 2005, ´Testing and Ranking of the Accessibility Compliance and Service Provision Companies´, please visit:
http://www.tecaccess.net/content/inthenews/confusions.shtml (REMOVED IN NEW SITE)
