Session Chairman:
Pierre-André Probst,Chairman ITU-T
Study Group 16
Welcome address, Malcolm Johnson, Director,
ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector
Opening remarks: Importance of accessible ICTs to developing countries,
Yury Grin,Deputy Director, ITU Telecommunication Development Sector (BDT)
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a Blueprint for Accessibility Standards, Axel Leblois,Executive Director,
G3ict
Latest developments in standardization and
harmonization of accessible ICT - SWG -
Accessibility, Josée Auber
and Alex Li,ISO/IEC SWG-A
10:00 — 11:00
Session 1 - Human interfaces: design for accessible
ICTs
Recent evolution of accessibility features and
standards, standards supporting assistive
technologies, gaps, and opportunities.
Session Chairman: Whitney Quesenbery,President,
Usability Professionals’ Association
Designing for universalaccessibility, Bill
Curtis-Davidson, Business Development and Solutions
Leader, IBM Worldwide Human Ability and
Accessibility Center
Universal ICT Accessibility is
becoming more vital in today’s information-based
economy. As the world grows “flatter,” both public
and private sector organizations strive to engage,
serve and support increasingly diverse populations
that include the aging population, persons with
disabilities and persons from diverse cultural and
linguistic backgrounds. In addition, the
proliferation of worldwide accessibility mandates,
standards and regulations increases the need for
accessible ICT across a broad range of technologies
and usage contexts.
How can organizations adapt to support the growing
need for accessible ICT? What organizational
elements should be considered (e.g. policy,
procedures, tools, etc.) to help them comply with
applicable ICT accessibility standards and develop
ICT that is more universally accessible and usable?
In this presentation, Bill Curtis-Davidson will
address these questions and present two case studies
(one government, one private industry) to illustrate
best practice. He will draw from established
Universal Design Principles*
(equitable use, flexibility in use, simple and
intuitive, perceptible information, tolerance for
error, low physical effort, size and space for
approach and use) as well as speak to how ICT
accessibility standards were applied to development
of the example solutions to benefit people of all
ages and abilities.
* Source: The Center
for Universal Design, Principles of Universal Design
(http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/about_ud/udprincipleshtmlformat.html)
ISO work on Ergonomics for accessibleICTs, Tom
Stewart, Chairman,TC 159/ SC 4, "Ergonomics of
human-system interaction"
ISO
TC159/SC4 “Ergonomics of Human System Interaction”
has been developing ergonomics and usability
standards for more than twenty five years. Two of
the best known of these are the seventeen part ISO
9241 series “Ergonomics requirements for office work
with Visual Display Terminals” and ISO 13407 “Human
centred design processes for interactive systems.
ISO 9241 has now been restructured to reflect a
wider scope beyond ‘office work’ and to include
accessibility issues in human system interaction as
well as human centred design processes. The purpose
of this presentation is to explain two key
accessibility standards which form part of this new
series: ISO 9241-20 “Accessibility guidelines for
information/communication technology (ICT) equipment
and services” and ISO 9241-171 “Guidance on software
accessibility”. The role of human centred design in
creating accessible information and communications
technology (ICT) will also be explored.
ETSIHuman Factors activities in the European context (Putting users at the centre of technology), Stephen Furner, Chairman, ETSI Technical
Committee Human Factors
The European Telecommunications Standards Institute
(ETSI) is recognised as an official European
Standards Organisation by the European Commission
(EC), enabling valuable access to European markets.
ETSI currently has more than 700 member
organisations from more than 60 countries and across
five continents. It produces globally applicable
standards for Information & Communications
Technologies including fixed, mobile, radio,
broadcast, internet and several other areas.
The ETSI Technical Committee Human Factors is the
committee responsible for standards and guidelines
dealing with ease of use and accessibility of
telecommunication equipment and services, including
the requirements of older and disabled people.
Human Factors is the scientific application of
knowledge about the capacities and limitations of
users with the aim of making products, systems,
services and environments safe, efficient and easy
to use. The growing complexity of telecommunication
services and equipment makes this aspect more and
more important. Human Factors is a key factor for
the commercial success of any telecommunications
product or service.
ETSI HF has representatives from research bodies,
manufacturers, service providers, users and
consumers. It contributes to the following work
areas:
User interfaces for the:
Internet
Mobile communications
Multimedia and Videotelephony
Network management
Numbering, and user identification
HF
also maintains the ETSI register of supplementary service
codes.
ETSI HF supports the aims of the European Commission
to permit universal access to information and
communication technology (ICT) by producing the
necessary standards on the means to accommodate the
needs of the disabled and the growing numbers of
older users. It is currently drawing up European
guidelines on relay services for the deaf.
Ongoing work on user identification in future
converging services and networks such as the
Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS™)
could lead to alternatives to the use of long
telephone numbers by the introduction of more
meaningful methods of contacting people.
Information about the work of ETSI is available on
its web site where ETSI standards are available as a
free download: www.etsi.org
MakingAccess Attainable for the Other 25 - 75% of Users with Disabilities: New Standards and Approaches, Gregg Vanderheiden, Ph.D., Department of Industrial and
Systems Engineering, University of
Wisconsin-Madison, Chair, INCITS/V2 and Vice-chair,
ISO/IEC, JTC 1/SC35
The
rate of technology change is creating a situation
where people who need assistive technologies (AT)
cannot afford AT that is able to handle the new
mainstream technology and information formats they
are encountering. It is also hampering the
development of new AT in areas like language,
learning, and cognitive disabilities. ICT companies
feel the pressure as well, trying to innovate yet
support a wide variety of AT trying to interface
with their products. Policy makers are left with
dilemma of either asking mainstream to slow down to
work with the AT users' can afford, or leaving many
(most?) users who need AT behind. Neither is a
viable option. In addition the entire information
technology field is shifting from a “workstation” to
a ubiquitous or “in-the-network” model where AT
based on an "adapt what is in front of you" approach
will no longer work.
Two international efforts are being launched to
address these issues. One, called "Raising the
Floor", seeks to increase the base level of AT
available to all users. One key method is to build
access directly into the network in order to provide
"anyone, anytime, anywhere AT on demand" including a
robust basic level of locally affordable and free AT
with commercial AT enhancements above. A key
component is a common open-source base that all can
use (mainstream industry, AT industry, researchers,
etc.) to help advance AT and bridge the AT-ICT
interoperability gap. The second area of
international effort allows people needing physical
AT to use repurposed mainstream technologies as well
as special interfaces (AT) to access the mainstream
information and products they encounter.
11:00 — 11:15
Coffee break (Supported by G3ict)
11:15 — 12:30
Session 2 - Accessible contents and services:
addressing information deprivation
W3C initiatives, globalization of web
standardization efforts, issues in ensuring
compliance with accessibility standards (lack of
awareness, speed of technology development, lack of
training of web developers etc.); digital television
and digital radio opportunities.
Session Chairman: Eric Velleman,Director, Bartiméus
Accessibility Foundation
InformationDeprivation and the impact of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,
Martin Gould, Director of Research and Technology,
National Council on Disability
This presentation today discusses
the topic of information deprivation and the digital
divide, the role of standardization of policy and
practice, and the implementation of the United
Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities. Information deprivation will be
presented in the context of the global population,
rates of common ICT usage, and in terms of income
groupings. Suggestions for standardization in policy
and practice are offered.
DAISYfor Everyone, Development of Accessible Multimedia Standards, Hiroshi Kawamura, President,
DAISY Consortium
The speaker discusses the synergy of the UN
Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (CRPD) and Plan of Actions of WSIS to
bridge the digital gap and realize digital
opportunities for persons with disabilities to
identify the outcome of WSIS and the role of
standard development organizations.
In terms of accessibility, usability, adaptability
and affordability, the summary of the outcome of
DAISY standards, known as DAISY 2.02, DAISY 3 and
ANSI/NISO Z39.86-2005, including demonstration
follows.
Requirements gathering process for revision of
Z39.86 by the DAISY Consortium as the standard
maintenance organization is discussed as an example
of participation of persons with disabilities in
standard development process.
The speaker raises following questions:
May
we accommodate all requirements of persons with
disabilities by standards development?
Why
and how are we going to develop assistive
technologies in combination with universal
design concept?
If
the “Design for All” requires the change of
process and structure of organizations to
accommodate full participation of diversity of
persons with disabilities, the cost for
accommodation may become enormous. Is it
affordable?
By
answering those questions, the speaker presents the
strategy of DAISY Consortium to address requirements
for sharing information, knowledge and
communications through development of accessible
synchronized multimedia technology based around
open, non-proprietary and inter-operable existing
standards including an episode on Tsunami evacuation
manual development in a community. The speaker
believes that implementation of “reasonable
accommodations” to share knowledge such as DAISY is
one of the key elements to stimulate further
participation of persons with disabilities including
in standard development thus promote universal
design concept and assistive technologies in ICT
arena.
WebAccessibility Initiative, WAI/W3C, Judy
Brewer, Director, Web Accessibility Initiative,
World Wide Web Consortium (WAI/W3C) (via Web cast
from Beijing, P.R. China)
The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
at the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) provides a
multi-stakeholder forum for development of
consensus-based solutions for accessibility of the
Web for people with disabilities. In this
presentation, Ms. Brewer will describe the latest
work of W3C/WAI, including development of Web
accessibility guidelines and efforts to increase
harmonisation among accessibility-related ICT
standards. Key aspects of W3C/WAI work include a
variety of different types of participation
opportunities. Upcoming developments include an
implementation-testing period for the Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 as it nears completion,
and for Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA).
One of the challenges of achieving Web accessibility
is increasing implementations of Web accessibility
guidelines in Web sites. W3C/WAI has extensive
online educational and technical resources which can
help achieve improved accessibility of the Web for
people with disabilities.
IPTVstandardization, features and gaps, Clive
Miller, Technical Broadcasting and Engineering
Consultant, RNIB
Internet Protocol (IP) is pervading
every area of technology in becoming the dominant
underlying data transport. Its technical flexibility
makes it attractive, but perhaps the fact that it is
published as an open standard adds to its appeal.
Now that television services are beginning to take
advantage of all that it has to offer, we consider
the accessibility issues of this new technology,
what it has to offer and where the pitfalls may be.
12:30 — 12:40
Signature of the “Cooperation Agreement for
development of a Toolkit on e-Accessibility &
Service Needs for Persons with Disabilities”
This Cooperation Agreement will enable ITU-D and
G3ict to collaborate in the development of an
on-line toolkit to support policy makers evolve and
mainstream policies and strategies addressing ICT
accessibility and service needs of persons with
disabilities. The toolkit, which complies to the
dispositions of the Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities, will support global
standards and serve as a global electronic
repository of policies and strategies and as a
platform for sharing experiences on best practices.
12:40 — 14:00
Lunch break and knowledge fair
14:00 — 15:00
Session 3 - Mobility: Wireless Devices and
Phones, accessibility and assistive functionalities
There are close to 3 billion mobile devices worldwide today, the largest number of ICT devices of any kind, which calls for a particular focus on their accessibility. Wireless devices also open significant opportunities for assistive solutions supporting the mandates of the Convention, which will be addressed by the panel.
Session Chairman: Jim Tobias,President, Inclusive
Technologies
Universaldesign approach by NTT DoCoMo (Introducing accessible mobile phones in Japan), Yoshinobu Nakamura, NTT DoCoMo
This presentation will provide an
overview of NTTDoCoMo’s activity about universal
design.
And we will introduce some of our mobile handsets
especially care for universal design.
One is “Raku-Raku Phone”(i.e., Easy-Easy Phone or
Comfortable-Phone) especially care for the users and
visually impaired. By connecting the external
assistive device to “Raku-Rake Phone”, the mentally
retarded can use this handset with ease.
The other is “The double screen Phone” features a
touch panel display. The user interface of this
handset enables autoscan, and a push switch
connected to the earphone port assists disabled
people in the operation of this handset.
Our efforts are evaluated highly, and as a result,
we received the Prime Minister’s Award as Barrier
free promotion contributor of the year in 2007.
Accessible Mobile Technology, Sean Hayes, Incubation Lab
Accessibility Business Unit, Microsoft
Mobile ICTfor People with Cognitive Disabilities, Clayton Lewis, University of Colorado, USA
Mobile devices have great potential
to increase independence for people with cognitive
disabilities. Besides basic communication, which is
itself very important, key features include location
awareness, which can be used to help with public
transportation, and remote management, which allows
a caregiver to manage content, such as schedule
information, on a user’s device. The emergence of
more open platforms promises improvements in user
interfaces and functionality that the traditional
commercial market has had difficulty providing at
acceptable cost.
15:00 — 16:00
Session 4 - Product development methodologies
Ensuring that products are designed with
accessibility features at an early stage, use of
universal design methodologies.
Session Chairman:Chiara Giovannini, Program
Manager, European Association Representing Consumers
in Standardization (ANEC)
ITU-T SG 16 workon accessibility guidelines in
standards, Gunnar Hellström, ITU
ITU-T SG16 is devoted to multimedia
systems and services. The very kernel of
Accessibility is to provide alternative modes and
media so that a feature can be widely used. The
Multimedia Study Group has hosted an Accessibility
question since long. When the Next Generation
Network (NGN) standards work was commenced, this
group took on the task to provide a brief
Accessibility Checklist for mainstream standardisers
so that accessibility can be introduced from the
beginning in this important new start in
communication service and network specifications and
elsewhere. The presentation gives an overview of the
checklist and an accompanying Accessibility
Guideline and how they can lead to a communication
world for all.
Structuringdevelopment processes to achieve global accessibility compliance,
Roman Longoria, Vice President, Computer Associates
Creating software applications and
websites that are compliant to global accessibility
criteria requires a complex alchemy of art, science,
engineering, and pragmatism. To achieve the end goal
of developing software that is both usable and
accessible, one must master industry best practices
and methodologies. One must also plan for the
evolution of assistive technology and continually
changing legal regulations. In addition, all of
these must be balanced in relation to the needs and
parameters of running a software business.
This presentation will discuss CA’s Accessibility
Program’s goals and methods. This includes the
structuring and refinement of development processes,
design methodologies, and supporting skill training,
all of which contribute to the overall commitment to
create efficient and easy-to-use products for all
users and become a recognized industry leader in
advancing the cause of universal access.
ISO 9000quality management systems and accessibility
, Sean McCurtain, Head, Conformity Assessment, ISO
The paper presents an over view of
ISO and IEC policy with regard to accessibility. It
examines accessibility from both the product and the
management system perspective. ISO/IEC Guide 71
addresses accessibility from the product perspective
and gives guidance on how writers of international
standards should take account of the needs of older
people and persons with disabilities. Accessibility
should be an integral part of any management system.
There are currently many sector applications of ISO
9001 all of which meet specific criteria developed
by TC 176 before being accepted as a sector
application document. Should there be an application
document of ISO 9001 that addresses specifically
accessibility issues or can ISO 9001 as it currently
is adequately address this.
16:00 — 16:15
Coffee break (Supported by G3ict)
16:15 — 17:15
Session 5 - The role of government in supporting
accessibility standards
Public procurement, regulations, and incentives in
support of accessibility standards for ICTs.
Session Chairman: Kevin Carey,HumanITy & RNIB non-executive vice-chair
Governmentsupport of accessibility standards: Best Practices, Cynthia D. Waddell, Executive
Director, International Center for Disability
Resources on the Internet (ICDRI)
What are the ICT Obligations for
Government under the UN Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities? Are there any government
best practices currently underway that can inform
standards setting organizations? This presentation
briefly highlights the government role in carrying
out ICT obligations of the convention, discusses
best practices for government in supporting
accessibility standards and points to resources for
government and standards setting organizations. Best
practices highlighted will be mainstreaming
disability issues, supporting stakeholder engagement
and implementing accessible ICT procurement
toolkits.
Recent USRegulatory Updates: Finished & Unfinished Business, Jim Tobias,
Co-chair, TEITAC and President, Inclusive
Technologies
The Access Board’s
Telecommunications and Electronic and Information
Technology Advisory Committee (TEITAC) recently
completed its updates of requirements for ICT
accessibility. This presentation will review some of
the proposed changes, which were driven by both
technological development and a desire to harmonize
with international standards. In addition, TEITAC
discussed but could not resolve some important
issues that may require government action.
EUwork on accessibility standards, Inmaculada
Placencia Porrero and Martina Sindelar, European
Commission Directorate General Employment, Social
Affairs, and Equal Opportunities
The presentation provides an
overview of the European Disability strategy with a
particular focus on European accessibility
standardisation activities. The issue is addressed
both from the social and market perspectives.
International harmonisation of accessibility
standards is highlighted as an opportunity to foster
greater availability and affordability of accessible
ICT goods and services contributing to achieving the
goals of the UN Convention on the rights of persons
with disabilities.
17:15 — 18:00
Conclusions, recommendations and suggested follow-up
Session Chairman: His Excellency Luis Gallegos,
Ambassador of Ecuador to the United States; Past
Chair of the UN General Assembly Ad-hoc Preparatory
Committee for the Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities, and Chair, G3ict
Conclusions by session chairs
Feedback from Industry, NGOs, Standards
Development Organizations and Government leaders on
follow-up steps
Summary of conclusions and recommendations, His
Excellency Luis Gallegos, Ambassador of Ecuador to
the United States and Chair, G3ict
