Terms of Reference

1. Objectives

1. Encourage the availability and use of access services taking into account the needs of all users, making "accessibility to all" a principle for universal design in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
2. Determine how to involve all stakeholders, including potential users, in the development of digital audio-visual access systems. For users, the principle "nothing about us without us", must be applied to any system development.
3. Identify gaps in existing specifications that support the established service requirements in systems defined by both ITU-T and ITU-R.
4. Identify the challenges to interoperability and access service interoperability requirements. Consideration should also be given to testing and other compliance mechanisms.
5. Actively to promote the use of systems for access services which apply internationally agreed standards for a given delivery platform.
6. Collect real-world problems from persons with disabilities and persons with age-related functional impairments.
7. Collect issues and problems related to implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
8. Suggest actions to be taken to resolve access-related problems if they are within the mandate of ITU.
9. Prepare clear guidelines on the application of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to the delivery of digital AV media.
10. Collect examples of good practice through case studies and other means, and to prepare guidelines for the inclusion of access services in all new digital AV user devices.
11. Suggest actions to be taken to build awareness of accessibility and the concepts of universal design.

2. Further aims

• Encourage people to become involved in the accessibility work of ITU.
• Encourage the participation of persons with disabilities.
• Encourage the participation of universities.
• Encourage the participation of company accessibility departments.

3. Relations within and outside ITU-T
The FG will set up its own relationships. The following non-exhaustive list is suggested: Q26/16, Q4/2, SG12, SG9, JCA-AHF, ITU-R SG6, ITU-R SG6 WP6C,ITU-D SG1 Q20/1, ISO/IEC JTC1 SWG-A, ISO/IEC JTC1 SC35, W3C/WAI, IPForum, WBU, EBU, ETSI HF.

4. Deliverables

• Various reports based on the above terms of reference.
• A report on good practices.
• Guidelines on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

5. Parent group
In accordance with Recommendation ITU-T A.7, the parent group is Study Group 16.

6. Leadership

Chairman: Mr Peter Olaf Looms (European Broadcasting Union and Denmark)

Vice-chairmen:

• Mr Masahito Kawamori (NTT, Japan)
• Mr Clyde Smith (Turner Broadcasting System, USA)
• Mr Axel Leblois (G3ict)

7. Participation
In accordance with Recommendation ITU-T A.7, clause 3, participation to this FG is open to any individual from a country that is a member of ITU. A list of participants will be maintained for reference purposes and reported to parent group (SG 16).

8. Administrative support
TSB Secretariat will provide TIES support and website capabilities from ITU headquarters, any other support should be provided in accordance with clause 5 of Recommendation ITU-T A.7.

9. General financing of the FG As mentioned in clauses 4 and 10.2 of Recommendation ITU-T A.7, the focus group will be self-funded by its members.

10. Meetings
The frequency and location of meetings will be determined by the focus group and the overall meetings plan should be announced as soon as possible. The focus group should use remote collaboration tools to the maximum extent, and collocation with existing meetings (e.g. study groups and research activities). The meetings will be announced by electronic means (e.g., e-mail and website, etc.) at least 4 weeks in advance.

11. Progress reports
As required by Recommendation ITU-T A.7, clause 11, the focus group will report to each meeting of parent group (SG 16), and transmitted in copy to all involved study groups.

12. Announcement of focus group formation
The formation of the focus group will be announced by TSAG via ITU publications and other means, including communication with the other organizations and/or experts, technical journals and the world wide web.

13. Milestones and duration of the FG
The focus group lifetime is 18 months from the creation of the FG.

14. Patent Policy
The focus group will follow the Common Patent Policy for ITU-T/ITU-R/IEC/ISO as required by Recommendation ITU-T A.7.