Accessibility - A Guide for Businesses and Organizations by Microsoft
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Accessible technology addresses the personal needs of all computer users, including those with physical disabilities, learning and language impairments, and age-related limitations, making it easier for organizations to empower employees, serve customers, and engage with partners | Published by Microsoft in 2011
This guide from Microsoft® provides information about accessibility and accessible technology to help organizations worldwide ensure that all the people they serve or engage have equal access to information and services. For organizations new to accessibility and working with people with disabilities, accessibility can sometimes seem overwhelming. To help your organization meet the needs of people with all types of abilities, this guide provides specific information about many types of impairments and some of the accessible technology solutions that help address them.
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Guidelines for the Development of Accessible Mobile Interfaces
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More and more people are using touch screens and traditional mobile devices. Most are designed to work well for users with disabilities, with or without the need for assistive technology. Consequently, it is increasingly necessary for those who develop apps and mobile interfaces to know more about accessibility and the different needs that users may have | Funka Nu, Sweden | March 2012
Funka Nu’s work and services are based on the international Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2.0). Their experience of accessibility work and user testing with users with various needs and abilities, with and without assistive technology, show that WCAG 2.0 is not enough to provide accessibility as it lacks development principles for mobile interfaces. Funka has developed its own test criteria that supplements the international regulations.
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Implementing Inclusive Education: A Commonwealth Guide to Implementing Article 24 of the UNCRPD (Second Edition)
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The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities requires the development of an inclusive
education system for all. This revised and expanded second edition of Implementing Inclusive Education
examines the adoption of the Convention and provides examples of how inclusive education systems for all children have been established in pockets throughout the Commonwealth and beyond | Commonwealth Secretariat, London | 2012 (Second Edition)
Article 24 of the UNCRPD requires the development of an inclusive education system at all levels, where children and students with disabilities can be part of their local school alongside their non-disabled peers, with the right support and accommodation to develop academically and socially. It has been necessary to revise and update this publication as more countries have since signed and ratified the Convention.
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Transforming Learning Through mEducation
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Mobile technology is raising the quality of education and improving access to it. Early initiatives in mobile education, or “mEducation” are already enhancing learning outcomes worldwide. With growing availability and demand, mEducation is poised to become a USD 70 billion market by 2020 | GSMA and McKinsey & Company | 2012
We define mEducation as technology-enabled learning solutions available to learners anytime, anywhere. Any portable device, such as a tablet, laptop or mobile phone, that provides access to educational content through mobile connectivity (2G, 3G, or 4G complemented by mobile-based Wi-Fi) can be a tool for mEducation. Mobile technology’s power to transform education is difficult to
overstate, given the importance and impact of learning that takes place outside a traditional classroom environment.
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A Comparative Test of Web Accessibility Evaluation Methods
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After a quick review and description of methods, the paper illustrates a comparative test of two web accessibility evaluation methods: conformance testing and barrier walk through | Giorgio Brajnik,
Dipartimento di Matematica e Informatica, Università di Udine | October 2008
Accessibility auditors have to choose a method when evaluating accessibility: expert review (a.k.a. conformance testing),
user testing, subjective evaluations, barrier walkthrough are some possibilities. The comparison in this study aims at determining merits of barrier walkthrough, using conformance testing as a control condition. A comparison framework is outlined, followed by the description of a laboratory experiment with 12 subjects (novice accessibility evaluators), and its results.
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Accessible Publishing - Best Practice Guidelines for Publishers
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The publishing landscape is becoming much more user-oriented; ensuring your published content is accessible by all your potential readers is more and more important. Providing “access” to content for people with print impairments is a challenge that all publishers can and should be tackling. The aim of this publication is to supply publishers with clear and concise guidance to assist them in these endeavors | April 2011
Making sure that your products are accessible makes good business sense, commercially, legally and ethically. With the right people, processes and practices in place you can increase the size of your market while at the same time enhancing your Corporate Social Responsibility profile at the same time. Our guidelines encourage publishers to make their mainstream publications as accessible as possible so that full access becomes the norm rather than being “special”.
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Accessibility - A Guide for Educators by Microsoft
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This guide from Microsoft provides information about accessibility and accessible technology to help educators worldwide ensure that all students have equal access to learning with technology | Microsoft Corporation | Edition 3.1, published in 2011
In the era of personalized learning where we shift the focus from what is being taught, to what is being learned, the student’s needs and style become more central. Personalized learning requires attention to the unique needs of all students—particularly students with learning difficulties or physical disabilities. As students are encouraged to take greater responsibility for their learning, and for using technology to acquire new skills, schools have a responsibility to provide accessible technology that can be personalized for each student’s needs. For educators new to accessibility and working with students with disabilities, accessibility can seem overwhelming. To help educators teach students with all types of abilities, you will find specific information about each type of impairment and accessible technology solutions.
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The Global Economics of Disability
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The intent of this paper is to inform those grappling with how to position disability as a new market segment, and speak to the market in an economic context | Fifth Quadrant Analytics and Return on Disability Company | March 2012
Making up 1.1 billion people globally, Persons with Disabilities represent a sizeable population. Unlocking the potential in this large subset of the global community has serious ramifications for GDP, public and private institutional cash flows and how economies grapple with an aging population. The familiar emerging market investing question must be asked: when does this market tip? When does the global platform of disability mirror the scope and revenue generating power of Green?
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Forced Migration Review Issue 35: Disability and Displacement
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The feature theme articles in this issue of FMR show why disabled people who are displaced need particular consideration, and highlight some of the initiatives taken (locally and at the global level) to change thinking and practices so that their vulnerability is recognized, their voices heard – and responses made inclusive | University of Oxford, Refugee Studies Centre | July 2010
An oft-quoted statistic is the World Health Organisation’s estimate that persons with disabilities account for 7-10% of the world’s population. This would imply that there are three to four million persons living with disability among the world’s 42 million displaced. It is not (yet) common practice, however, to include people with disabilities among those who are considered as particularly vulnerable in disasters and displacement and who therefore require targeted response.
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ILO-Irish Aid Case Study on Ethiopia: Disability Inclusion through Effective Legislation and Policies
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For nearly a decade, the ILO-Irish Aid Partnership Programme has been working with Ethiopia's Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MOLSA) to raise awareness of the need for review and reform of legislation and policy on disability and employment | ILO-Irish Aid | March 2012
Over the past four years in Ethiopia, several factors have played a pivotal role in intensifying the focus on disability and better understanding the barriers faced by disabled persons. At the international level, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which came into force in 2008 and was ratified by Ethiopia in 2010, stimulated much discussion on the implications of the new international human rights instrument and how it might be utilized to support disability-inclusive policies and practices. At the national level, the synergies and complementarities created by two recent instruments - "Right to Employment of Persons with Disability" and the Growth and Transformation Plan for 2011-2015 - provide a framework for more effective participation of disabled persons in Ethiopian society and embrace a disability perspective. Together, all three instruments help to strengthen and support legal protection, policymaking and inclusive planning for development.
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Making Television Accessible - Polish Edition
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This report has been prepared by Peter Olaf Looms, Chairman ITU-T Focus Group on Audiovisual Media
Accessibility, in cooperation with G3ict | Polish translation courtesy: National Broadcasting Council of Poland (Krajowej Rady Radiofonii i Telewizji) | November 2011
Ensuring that all of the world’s population has access to television services is one of the targets set by world leaders in the World Summit on the Information Society. Television is important for enhancing national identity, providing an outlet for domestic media content and getting news and information to the public, which is especially critical in times of emergencies. Television programmes are also a principal source of news and information for illiterate segments of the population, some of whom are persons with disabilities. In addition, broadcasting can serve important educational purposes, by transmitting courses and other instructional material.
The emphasis of this report is on making digital media accessible. This report identifies accessibility solutions for media executives, regulators and policy makers, pay-TV operators, consumer electronics manufacturers, sales outlets as well as disabled persons organizations. The goal of this report is to assist ITU members to take the necessary steps to ensure that persons with disabilities can enjoy their CRPD right to access TV.
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ATHEN Report on the Accessibility of GMail and Google Calendar
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The Access Technology Higher Education Network (ATHEN) is continuing its functional evaluation of the components of the Google Application Suite to determine the accessibility of each component for users with various types of disabilities and assistive technology.
This evaluation covers GMail and Google Calendar (Calendar). There are several positive findings for users with certain types of disabilities, including users of:
● screen magnification software
● keyboard-only interactions
● some high-contrast visual layouts This report is the second in a series of reports on the accessibility of Google Apps. Its predecessor, the “ATHEN Report on the Accessibility of Google Documents”, is available at http://athenpro.org/google-docs-accessibility.
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Doing Transport Differently: How to Access Public Transport
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This guide is aimed at people with lived experience of disability or health conditions and at those advising or
working with them. Using a question and answer approach to enable different people with different travel needs to dip into it in different ways, it will show you how far access to public transport has
improved and how to make use of it | Radar - The Disability Rights People | March 2012
During the last two decades much of the public transport in the UK has become accessible to disabled people although there remains much to do. Despite this progress, the missing element is often that some disabled people have insufficient information about what is available and therefore lack the confidence to use it. This guide is an attempt to put that right. The information you need to get out and about is between the covers of this publication.
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Implementation of Universal Design for Learning and the Use of Accessible Technology to Improve the Learning of all Students
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Statement report by Dr John B. Quick, superintendent of Bartholomew Consolidated Schools, Corporation (BCSC) in Columbus, Indiana to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions in February 2012
UDL is a curriculum designing tool that helps teachers design lessons that will be accessible to all students. There are three overarching principles (engagement, representation, and action and expression). Each is broken down into nine guidelines (three under each principle). The guidelines help teachers select teaching strategies, methods and accessible technologies, which will, when combined, create an accessible learning environment. Because instructional goals might involve the use of technology, it is expected that teachers choose whether or not to utilize accessible technology to align with the standards-based goals they have determined for their lessons. Specifically, accessible technology must be chosen based on the framework of UDL.
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Technology Accessibility in the Postsecondary Environment
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Statement of Mark Turner, Director Center for Accessible Media, California State University, before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, “The Promise of Accessible Technology | February 7, 2012
The accessibility issues encountered by students with disabilities in a postsecondary environment are the result of a combination of factors including (1) the student’s specific functional impairments, (2) the specific instructional and administrative programs/services with which they interact, and (3) the level and nature of accessibility support provided by those programs/services. For this reason, the campus Disability Services program meets with each CSU student to establish an individualized plan of services that constitute ‘reasonable accommodations’. These services are essential for the success of students with disabilities. By addressing accessibility gaps in university programs/services, postsecondary institutions ensure students have the opportunity to fully utilize curricular materials, demonstrate a mastery of their curriculum, and develop the skills necessary for future employment.
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Internal Market for Inclusive and Assistive ICT, Targeted Market Analysis and Legislative Aspects
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The report provides analysis of the market and the legal frameworks and implementation of support schemes (referred to as Service Delivery Models) for assistive ICT in nine EU Member States. The study has been commissioned by the European Commission, Directorate General for Information Society and Media, unit ICT for Inclusion. | June 2011
The aim of the study was to examine the main barriers and opportunities today in the European Internal Market for assistive ICT and look at what could be gained from addressing these. The study has assessed the different models existing in nine Member States for the provision of assistive ICT to people with a disability, analysed the demand- and supply side of the market and conducted a number of case studies. The study puts forward a number of scenarios, conclusions and recommendations for the achievement of the European Internal Market for assistive ICT that supports the digital inclusion of people with a disability.
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Accessible ICTs and Personalized Learning for Students with Disabilities: A Dialogue among Educators, Industry, Government and Civil Society
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On 17-18 November 2011, UNESCO in cooperation with Microsoft Corporation convened a consultative two day meeting of 30 experts from more than 10 countries. The participants included teachers working with children with learning difficulties and physical disabilities, school administrators, experts from the IT industry, representatives from non-governmental organizations and disabled persons organizations. This report is an outcome of the meeting | UNESCO Communication and Information Sector Knowledge Societies Division, November 2011
Personalized learning requires attention to the unique needs of all students of all abilities, acknowledging that each have different learning styles including students with mild, moderate or severe disabilities. The use of technology in education plays a particularly vital role by enabling flexible curriculum development and assisting students with disabilities to participate as equals in the learning experience. It also helps to prepare them for life-long learning, recreation and work outside of school. As the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities continues to be implemented globally, State Parties to the Convention continue efforts to realise the goal of Inclusive Education to ensure that students with disabilities have full access, on an equal basis with other students, to regular schools and teachings.
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UK Parliament Human Rights Committee: The Summary of the Report on Implementation of the Right of Disabled People to Independent Living
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This report is a easy-read summary of the UK Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights report on Article 19 of the UN CRPD, 'Implementation of the Right of Disabled People to Independent Living' | February 2011
Article 19 is all about living independently and being included in the community. Because the UK has agreed to these rules, the governments across the UK should be making sure that all disabled people, including people with learning disabilities, have the same rights as everyone else to: live in the community, have the same choices, be fully included and take part in community, choose where to live, choose who to live with and other choices.
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Business Case Study: Costs and Benefits of Implementation of Dutch Webrichtlijnen
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The focus of the study is on the potential costs and benefits of implementation of the national Dutch Webrichtlijnen (internationally known as W3C WCAG). Authors: Eric Velleman and Thea van der Geest from the Center for e-Government Studies - Universiteit Twente | November 2011 | Dutch & English versions
In 2004, the Dutch government published an extensive set of guidelines for the development of high quality, maintainable and usable websites. In 2011, the updated version including WCAG2.0 became part of the ‘comply or explain’ list of Dutch Standards. Both versions fully include the accessibility criteria that W3C (the organization governing the Web) has published for accessible web content.
In commission of ECP-EPN, Platform for the Information Society, the University of Twente is conducting a study on the potential costs and benefits of implementation of the national Dutch Webrichtlijnen. The focus of the study is on non-governmental organizations, like businesses, corporations, not-for-profit, charity organizations and other private parties. What is the cost-benefit of (starting to) comply with the Webrichtlijnen (internationally known as W3C WCAG with some added guidelines) and what is the yield of the implementation of this national, governmental standard?
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The Promise of Accessible Technology: Challenges and Opportunities
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Statement of Eve Hill, Senior Counselor to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Department of Justice presented before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, United States Senate concerning the "Promise of Accessible Technology: Challenges and Opportunities" | US Department of Justice | February 2012
Excerpt from the report: When Congress enaxted the ADA and Section 504, the internet and electronic and information technologies as we know them today – the ubiquitous sources of information, commerce, services, and activities – did not exist. For that reason, although the ADA and Section 504 guarantee the protection of the rights of individuals with disabilities in a broad array of activities, neither law expressly mentions the internet or contains specific requirements regarding developing technologies. When Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act in 1998, it added what is now known as section 508. That provision specifically requires Federal government agencies to ensure that their electronic and information technologies, including their websites, are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Watch the video transcription of the Senate Committee meeting here. |
Framework for Designing and Implementing Accessible Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Strategic Plans
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This paper provides a framework that can be used to develop technical assistance tools to help employers (including government contractors) design, purchase, lease, maintain and use ICT that is accessible to and usable by people with disabilities and others.
US Office of Disability Employment Policy | February 2012
As technology continues to transform the workplace, demand is growing for the development, purchase, maintenance and use of information and communication technology (ICT) that is accessible to and usable by all applicants and employees, including individuals with disabilities. Leading companies recognize that fostering an accessible workplace is the smart thing to do, both from a business standpoint and a legal perspective. The paper also includes a comprehensive Benchmarking Tool, llocated in the Appendix, which companies could use to conduct a self-assessment and create their own corporate-wide, comprehensive strategic plan (affirmative action program, where applicable), including accountability mechanisms and methods for ensuring continuous improvement. This Benchmarking Tool is organized in accordance with the key components of an Accessible ICT Strategic Plan outlined herein.
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Freedom Guide: Paving the Way Towards Free Movement for Persons with Disabilities
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This publication provides an overview of the implications of the rights recognized by the European Union Treaties linked to Free movement of persons, goods and services, for persons with disabilities. The Freedom Guide concretely aims to illustrate the fact that Freedom of movement is still not a reality for persons with disabilities.
European Disability Forum | December 2011
Persons with disabilities often face accessibility barriers when they want to go to work, to attend school or, for example, go to vote. Such barriers also impede their full and equal participation in leisure, sports and cultural activities. In 2011, EDF launched a Top Campaign on the theme ‘Freedom of movement’, focusing on the Free Movement of persons, as well as goods and services within the European Union. This campaign aims at removing the main barriers to Freedom of movement that persons with disabilities daily face. This publication uses data derived from a survey launched by EDF during the summer 2011. This survey intends to generate a clearer picture of the experiences for persons with disabilities in relation to Freedom of Movement. It was completed by individuals with disabilities and/or family members of persons with disabilities who need support to represent themselves.
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Technological Innovations in Transportation for People with Disabilities
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The report summarizes a workshop held on February 23, 2011 to examine technological innovations in accessible transportation and better understand the requirements of pedestrians and travelers with visual impairment or other disabilities | U.S. Department of Transportation | February 2011
To examine technological innovations in accessible transportation and better understand the requirements of pedestrians and travelers with visual impairment or other disabilities, the Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Research, Development, and Technology and, specifically, leaders from the Office of Operations Research and Development and the Exploratory Advanced Research Program, convened a 1-day workshop to explore this area. In February 2011, a panel of speakers made up of disability experts, academia professionals, transportation industry experts, and other professionals were brought together to discuss applications of technology, identify knowledge gaps and opportunities, and highlight barriers to implementation.
Through the distribution of this summary report to the workshop participants and the broader highway and disability communities, we aim to encourage further discussion regarding the development of technological applications for pedestrians and travelers with disabilities. These discussions could also lead to the identification of future research needs and opportunities to enhance the transportation accessibility for all Americans.
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Caption Accuracy Metrics Project - Research into Automated Error Ranking of Real-time Captions in Live Television News Programs
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Caption Accuracy Metrics Project report is produced by The Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family National Center for Accessible Media at WGBH (NCAM) | Authors: Tom Apone, Brad Botkin, Marcia Brooks and Larry Goldberg | September 2011
Real-time captioned news is a lifeline service for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, providing critical information about their local communities, national events and emergencies. The project scope was to: develop an industry standard approach to measuring caption quality, and use language-processing tools to create an automated caption accuracy assessment tool for real-time captions on live news programming.
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ILO Report - Disability in the Workplace: Employers' Organizations and Business Networks
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Employers’ organizations and business networks can play a major role in providing technical advice
and services that help employers to hire, manage and retain employees with disabilities | ILO Bureau for Employers’ Activities and Skills and Employability Department 2011
Disability in the Workplace: Employers’ Organizations and Business Networks provides insights into how representative organizations of business address the issue of disability. The practices described in these examples demonstrate how such organizations are well placed to link business interests and the productive integration of people with disabilities in the labour market. At a moment when countries are rapidly ratifying and seeking to implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a comprehensive human rights convention for people with disabilities, there are increasing needs to provide inspiration and guidance for businesses. Disability in the Workplace: Employers’ Organizations and Business Networks responds to an emerging body of information that supports the business case for hiring people with disabilities and the interest of companies to maintain diverse workforces.
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ILO Report - Disability in the Workplace: Company Practices
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Disability in the Workplace: Company Practices describes the contemporary experiences of 25 companies and their work on the issue of disability | ILO Bureau for Employers’ Activities and
Skills and Employability Department 2010
Disability in the Workplace: Company Practices is timely for many reasons. It comes in the wake of a major global economic crisis, yet the companies profiled have nevertheless given strength to their disability and diversity initiatives. It provides inspiration and guidance to companies at a time when countries are ratifying and seeking to implement the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ‐ a comprehensive human rights Convention for people with disabilities that will require some changes in national policies and practices related to work and employment. Disability in the Workplace: Company Practices also responds to an emerging body of information that supports the business case for hiring people with disabilities and the interest of companies to maintain diverse workforces.
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International Impact of the United Nations Convention the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – A New Engine of Reform
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This is a paper presented by Gerard Quinn, Director, Centre on Disability Law & Policy, National University of Ireland, Galway at the 2009 Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium.
Excerpt: "To see a theory of justice embodied in a single instrument – in a single piece of law – lives one confidence in the possibility of seeking justice through law. That is precisely why the Americans with Disabilities Act lit a fire that spread rapidly throughout the world. And so it is with the new United National Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. I once wrote that while disability rights is an American invention, it is now truly a global challenge. I want to talk about why such a convention was deemed necessary. The real added‐value of the convention lies in its ability to trigger a new kind of disability politics worldwide. For without a new dynamic of change – one that can sustain itself – we will not see real change happening.
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The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – What Role for Philanthropy?
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The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – what role for Philanthropy? is a paper presented by Professor Gerard Quinn, Director, Centre for Disability Law & Policy,
National University of Ireland, Galway at the 2010 International Human Rights Funders Group conference held at San Francisco, California.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is anchored on the view that the person with the disability is not the problem. Remember what Theresia Degener says – traditional disability law and policy ‘problematizes the person’. The problem resides in how third parties (including the State) reacts to disability. This is reflected in the definition of disability in Article 1 of the Convention: disability does not exist in the abstract. It is a function of how impairment is compounded by arbitrary barriers placed in front of people.
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Web Accessibility Policy Making: An International Perspective (Revised Edition 2012)
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This is the third edition of the Web Accessibility Policy Making: An International Perspective (Revised Edition 2012) white paper jointly researched by G3ict, The Centre for Internet & Society and The Hans Foundation. Editor: Nirmita Narasimhan, Revised edition: January 2012
With 153 countries parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as of February 2012, an increasing number of governments are now in the midst of developing policies and programs to ensure that websites and services under their jurisdictions are accessible. Indeed, the Preamble of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recognizes “the importance of accessibility to the physical, social, economic and cultural environment, to health and education and to information and communication, in enabling persons with disabilities to fully enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms”. Download the DAISY version here. |
Enabling Access for Persons with Disabilities to Higher Education and Workplace: Role of ICT and Assistive Technologies
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Enabling Access for Persons with Disabilities to Higher Education and Workplace: Role of ICT and Assistive Technologies is an editorial publication released on the conference of the same name in January 2012 in Bangalore, India. It compiles best practices, case studies and personal stories of overcoming barriers to inclusion in higher education and employment for persons with disabilities.
With the intent of generating awareness and creating an atmosphere of equal opportunity towards inclusivity at academic institutions and workplaces across India, this publication - released on the occasion of the Enabling Access conference - is an initiative in bringing the key stakeholders of industry, NGOs and educational institutes together on a platform where best practices and case studies can be discussed.
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Understanding Web Accessibility: A Guide to Create Accessible Work Environments
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This handbook provides insights and tips on what a company needs to do for ICT accessibility and the potential benefits that thus accrue.
Web accessibility simply means that the web pages are usable by all and also on different devices. Web Accessibility Guidelines are popularly known as WCAG 2.0. The website www.w3.org/wai not only provides these guidelines, but also provides links to testing the websites and suggests changes that need to be made in order to make a website compliant to WCAG 2.0. Whenever, a new website or web-based user interface is created or updated, one must insist that the web developers make the site WCAG 2.0 compliant. Having this deliverable as part of the contract would help ensure execution of the task. This publication is released by NASSCOM Foundation and has been made possible with the support of the Wadhwani Foundation.
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Travelling with Hearing Loss Research
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Travelling with Hearing Loss, commissioned by the New Zealand National Foundation for the Deaf, aims to establish what people with hearing loss want in terms of tourism products and services, and to offer a better understanding of Access Tourism as a legitimate tourism market.
In 2011, the New Zealand National Foundation for the Deaf (NFD) commissioned the New Zealand Tourism Research Institute (NZTRI) to conduct research into the tourism, travel, and hospitality experiences and needs of people with hearing impairments. Hearing impairment ranges from slight hearing loss to total loss. The research was led by Dr. Sandra Rhodda, Research Programme Leader in Access Tourism. The research included two surveys, one for residents of New Zealand and one for residents of countries other than New Zealand who are deaf or have hearing loss and who are 20 years old or older. The aim of the research was to find out what it is like to travel with hearing loss, and how the travel experiences of hearing impaired people can be improved.
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Review of International Best Practices in Accessible Public Transportation for Persons with Disabilities
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This United Nations Development Programme publication covers easy to long-term practices for improving access in transport. It discusses the elements of accessibility, road and pedestrian environments, vehicle design and operation, stops and stations, signage and information, and training and policies | Kementerian Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat
Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development
One of the articles of the Convention, which is also the subject of this report, is the core issue of accessibility. Article 9 of the Convention requires countries to identify and eliminate obstacles and barriers and ensure that persons with disabilities can access their environment, transportation, public facilities and e-services, and information and communications technologies. More importantly, the Convention approaches issues of persons with disabilities from a rights-based approach. Hence, Article 9 also speaks about the importance of enabling persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life, which will not be possible, if accessibility is not fully ensured. This report provides an international overview of the key technical issues on accessible public transportation for persons with disabilities. It begins with a brief description of the prevalence of disability and factors that influence accessibility. It also explains why safe and convenient pedestrian infrastructure is particularly essential for persons with disabilities if they wish to satisfactorily access public transport.
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A Community for All: Implementing Article 19
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A Guide for Monitoring Progress on the Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This guide and checklist were developed as part of a project of the Mental Health Initiative and the Law and Health Initiative of the Open Society Public Health Program | Open Society Foundations, December 2012
The Community for All guide and checklist offers a detailed look at the rights identified in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), especially Article 19 of the CRPD which provides for the right to live independently and be included in the community. The guide and checklist are intended to help advocates and program implementers identify the obligations on States to realize these rights. Community for All promotes the right of all people with disabilities to live and participate in the community as equal citizens, particularly in countries in which people with disabilities continue to be segregated in institutions.
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Universal Service for Persons with Disabilities
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Universal Service for Persons with Disabilities | A Global Survey of Policy Interventions and Good Practices by The Centre for Internet & Society, India and G3ict | December 2011
Universal Service definitions have been developed by 125 countries and are the foundation for policies and programs ensuring that telecommunications are available to all categories of population. Universal service funds are the main vehicle used to fund those programs, primarily addressing imbalances such as lack of availability of services in rural areas. While geographic coverage has vastly improved over the past decade with wireless infrastructure, the scope of Universal Service has expanded to include other categories of underserved populations. This report aims to serve as a useful reference for policy makers, operators, organizations of persons with disabilities, and as a framework for good practice sharing among countries currently implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
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M-Enabling Summit 2011 Official Show Guide
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Official Show Guide for the Inaugural Edition of the M-Enabling Summit 2011 Global Conference and Showcase for Mobile Applications and Services for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities | 5-6 December 2011, The Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center at National Harbor, Washington, D.C.
The M-Enabling Summit (5-6 December 2011), Global Summit and Showcase for Mobile Applications and Services for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities, is the first global program solely dedicated to participants in the emerging ecosystem for mobile accessible and assistive technologies, applications and services. Visit event website at: http://www.m-enabling.com/
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Making Mobile Phones and Services Accessible for Persons with Disabilities
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Making Mobile Phones and Services Accessible for Persons with Disabilities is a joint report of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and G3ict. Researched and Edited by the Center for Internet & Society | November 2011
Mobile communications have become in less than two decades omnipresent in all countries, reaching out to the most isolated and underserved populations in developed and developing countries alike. In 2011more than 5.4 billion mobile phones are in use, almost one per human being on the planet. In the midst of this telecommunication revolution, however, populations of senior citizens and persons living with disabilities have been left out due to accessibility factors: complex human interfaces difficult to understand and activate for persons with cognitive impairments or learning disabilities, lack of alternative communications for persons living with low vision, blind, hard of hearing or deaf, or, quite often handset ergonomics too difficult for persons with physical disabilities such as dexterity or mobility limitations. This report contains references to the new legislative and regulatory framework set by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, an important resource for policy makers. It also covers practical elements required for a successful implementation of those programs and policies
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Making Television Accessible
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This report has been prepared by Peter Olaf Looms, Chairman ITU-T Focus Group on Audiovisual Media
Accessibility, in cooperation with G3ict | November 2011
Ensuring that all of the world’s population has access to television services is one of the targets set by world leaders in the World Summit on the Information Society. Television is important for enhancing national identity, providing an outlet for domestic media content and getting news and information to the public, which is especially critical in times of emergencies. Television programmes are also a principal source of news and information for illiterate segments of the population, some of whom are persons with disabilities. In addition, broadcasting can serve important educational purposes, by transmitting courses and other instructional material. The emphasis of this report is on making digital media accessible. This report identifies accessibility solutions for media executives, regulators and policy makers, pay-TV operators, consumer electronics manufacturers, sales outlets as well as disabled persons organizations. The goal of this report is to assist ITU members to take the necessary steps to ensure that persons with disabilities can enjoy their CRPD right to access TV.
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Oracle Accessibility Program for Customers
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Oracle WSC Workshop on Accessibility and the Contributions of International Standards. Report by Luke Kowalski - Vice President, Corporate Architecture
Group, Oracle, and Peter Wallack - Accessibility Program Director, Oracle
Accessibility is about making user interfaces perceivable, operable, and understandable by people with a wide range of abilities. Assistive, Access or Adaptive Technology are devices for people with disabilities that enable people to perform tasks that they were formerly unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing, by providing enhancements to or changed methods of interacting with the technology needed to accomplish such tasks. Oracle products are coded to standards, and are capable of providing comparable access to individuals with disabilities when they are used in accordance with Oracle's product documentation and provided that assistive technologies and other products used with them properly interoperate with our product. A timely report on the corporation's accessibility practices.
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Orange & Accessibility: Facilitating Access to Communication Services for the Elderly and Disabled
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Orange & Accessibility: Facilitating Access to Communication Services for the Elderly and Disabled. Report by François René Germain, VP France Telecom Group Accessibility
Orange and Accessibility: What has been accomplished? Orange develops accessibility and integrates it into all of its activities. It dialogues with institutions, associations and customers in order to identify the needs of disabled and older people with disabilities. The report, presented at the WSC workshop “Accessibility and the Contribution of International Standards" highlights Orange's accessibility program for its customers.
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Addressing the Proposed WIPO International Instrument on Limitations and Exceptions for Persons with Print Disabilities: Recommendation or Mandatory Treaty?
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The Information Society Project at Yale Law School Releases White Paper Addressing the Proposed WIPO International Instrument on Limitations and Exceptions for Persons with Print Disabilities
This Working Paper addresses the proposed WIPO International Instrument on Limitations and Exceptions for Persons with Print Disabilities. The authors conclude that if WIPO wants to achieve compliance, this proposed instrument should be binding hard law. Enacting this agreement as soft law would undermine the goal of making copyrighted works accessible to persons with print disabilities. Authors: Margot Kaminski, Yale University - Yale Information Society Project; Yale University - Information Society Project; Yale University - Law School; Shlomit Yanisky-Ravid, Yale Law School; ONO Academic College; Yale University - Information Society Project
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Accessibility of Social Networking Services
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Discapnet’s Observatory on ICT Accessibility has been carrying out sectoral studies on the accessibility of Web portals since 2004. This December 2010 report by Discapnet, Technosite and Fundacion ONCE, surveys present status of accessibility to social networking services for persons with disabilities.
Anybody with access to Internet and basic knowledge of how to use such tools is a potential user of social networking services. It is therefore a duty of the managers of such services to ensure accessibility, both to the services themselves and to the information they generate, under equal conditions for all users, including people with functional diversity. The study on the Accessibility of Social Networking Services on Internet carried out by the Observatory offers a panorama of the current level of accessibility of the most widespread social networking services in Spain, with the aim of providing their managers with a diagnosis to help them improve accessibility, and their users with a breakdown of what each service has to offer. Related Blog: Social Media and Accessibility by Debra Ruh. Read Here. |
Design for Accessibility: A Cultural Administrator's Handbook
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The goal of “Design for Accessibility: A Cultural Administrator’s Handbook” is to provide guidance to cultural administrators on accessibility and inclusion
for creating new or opening up existing programs to include individuals with disabilities and older adults, whether as staff, volunteers, program participants or audience members. Produced by: National Endowment of the Arts, National Endowment of the Humanities, National Assembly of State Art Agencies, and John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Since the disability rights movement rose to prominence in the 1970s, federal legislation has been passed, and disabled individuals are finally becoming part of the cultural mainstream. Great strides have been made, particularly in architectural and program access. Many Americans with disabilities now have the opportunity to create and participate fully in the arts and humanities. Much work, however, remains to be done.
“Design for Accessibility: A Cultural Administrator's Handbook” represents an update of the Arts Endowment's "The Arts and 504” (1992) with additional information from the 700-page “Design for Accessibility: An Arts Administrator’s Guide” produced by the Arts Endowment and NASAA in 1994. This resource is designed to help you not only comply with Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, but to assist you in making access an integral part of your organization’s planning, mission, programs, outreach, meetings, budget and staffing.
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The Design of Human-Powered Access Technology
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In this paper, the authors frame recent developments in human computation in the historical context of accessibility, and outline a framework for discussing new advances in human-powered access technology. Authors: Jeffrey P. Bigham, Richard E. Ladner and Yevgen Borodin.
People with disabilities have always overcome accessibility problems by enlisting people in their community to help. The Internet has broadened the available community and made it easier to get on-demand assistance remotely. In particular, the past few years have seen the development of technology in both research and industry that uses human power to overcome technical problems too difficult to solve automatically. The paper presents a set of 13 design principles for humanpowered access technology motivated both by historical context and current technological developments. We then demonstrate the utility of these principles by using them to compare several existing human-powered access technologies.
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The Effectiveness of M-Health Technologies for Improving Health and Health Services: A Systematic Review
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This systematic review will summarize the evidence for the effectiveness of mobile technology interventions for improving health and health service outcomes (M-Health) around the world.
Authors: Caroline Free, Gemma Phillips; Lambert Felix; Leandro Galli; Vikram Patel; Philip Edwards; BMC Research Notes
M-health, the use of mobile computing and communication technologies in health care and public health, is a rapidly expanding area of research and practice. M-health programmes and interventions use mobile electronic devices (MEDs), such as personal digital assistants and mobile phones, for a range of functions to support health behaviour change and chronic disease management by patients in the community. This systematic review will provide recommendations on the use of mobile computing and communication technology in health care and public health and will guide future work on intervention development and primary research in this field.
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Accessible Content: Best Practices Guide for Digital Environments
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Video description should offer equivalent access to film, television and online content in multi-platform environments for people who are blind or have low vision. Publication by Analysis and Research in Communications, ARC and Media Access Canada.
The purpose of video description is to support and reflect the entertainment qualities of the content through description of the visual stimuli and style conveyed. Visual elements that are often overlooked by describers include title and end credits, subtitles and captions. Commercials and online content that stand alone or serve to support a program should also be described. Visual elements necessary to understand and enjoy the entertainment experience are described in this publication.
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Strategies for Funding the Human Rights of People with Disabilities
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Funders could employ many different strategies and approaches to advance the human rights of people with disabilities. After extensive field consultations, several overarching recommendations for disability grantmaking are outlined in this report.
The disability funding field remains open and relatively untainted by common grantmaking pitfalls. As the field grows, it is important for funders to continue to support the active participation of PWDs at all levels of activity, and to nurture collaboration and collective learning experiences. The recommendations in this report summarize the learning of current funders as well as the advice of the grantseekers themselves.
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ICTs in Education for People with Disabilities - UNESCO IITE and the European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education
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The Practice Review 'ICTs in Education for People with Disabilities' has been published as part of the IITE ‘ICTs in Education: Best Practices’ series.
How Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can be used in the most effective ways for education of people with disabilities is currently high on the political agendas of all countries, particularly those who have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Person with Disabilities (CRPD, 2006). A number of the general principles included in the CRPD are directly linked to UNESCO’s mandate. In this context, the application of ICT is very important as it plays an essential role in supporting high quality education for learners with disabilities. With this in mind, the UNESCO Institute for Information Technology in Education (UNESCO IITE) and the European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education (the Agency) agreed in 2010 to combine their expertise in this field and collaborate on the development of a Review of innovative practice. The intention for the review was to build on findings from past work – notably UNESCO IITE’s activities in this area and in particular ICTs in Education for People with Special Needs: Specialized Training Course (2006) and the Agency’s ICT in Special Needs Education project related work.
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Leading Practices on Disability Inclusion
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Through the Leading Practices on Disability Inclusion initiative, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the US Business Leadership Network (USBLN®) invited business leaders to share their successful disability inclusion strategies | September 2011
While businesses sometimes encounter serious challenges as they seek to implement inclusion strategies, many employers have overcome these hurdles with robust and creative practices. Through the Leading Practices on Disability Inclusion initiative, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the US Business Leadership Network (USBLN®) invited business leaders to share their successful disability inclusion strategies. This publication highlights successful strategies that can be used by businesses of all sizes to create a more inclusive workplace, marketplace, and supply chain. Real-life examples, such as these, are important to help businesses realize the wide range of opportunities available and the potential for replicating success.
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e-Accessibility Policy Handbook for Persons With Disabilities (Russian Version)
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The e-Accessibility Policy Handbook for Persons with Disabilities is based upon the online ITU-G3ict e-Accessibility Policy Toolkit for Persons with Disabilities (www.e-accessibilitytoolkit.org) which was released in February 2010. This is the Russian translation of the same.
The Toolkit and its companion handbook have contributions from more than 60 experts around the world on ICT accessibility and is a most valuable addition to policy makers and regulators, advocacy and research organisations and persons with disabilities on the implementation of the ICT dispositions of the CRPD. The handbook is a joint publication of ITU, G3ict and the Centre for Internet and Society, in cooperation with The Hans Foundation. The book is compiled and edited by Nirmita Narasimhan. Preface by Dr. Hamadoun I. Toure, Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union. Introduction by Dr. Sami Al-Basheer, Director, ITU-D. Foreword by Axel Leblois, Executive Director, G3ict. UNIC Moscow (United Nations Information Centre - Moscow) has translated the English version of the kit to Russian. For more information on the translation initiative by UNIC Moscow visit: http://www.unic.ru/news_inf/viewer.php?uid=164
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Implementation of Convention of Rights of Persons with Disability - Role of the UN and Other International Organizations
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In this presentation initially developed for the Dynamic Coalition on Disability and Development of the Internet Governance Forum, Peter Major, Special Adviser, Permanent Mission of Hungary to the United Nations in Geneva, reviews the institutional bodies, initiatives and programs currently involved in supporting the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities among United Nations affiliates and related international organizations. A clear, concise and useful roadmap for all involved in international cooperation in matters of disability rights.
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Shifting Perspectives: Opening Up Museums and Galleries to Blind and Partially Sighted People
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Shifting Perspectives: Opening up museums and
galleries to blind and partially sighted people, a research initiative of CultureLink, supported by RNIB (2011)
The museum experience of disabled people is beginning to be talked of as a human and cultural right. Indeed, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ratified by the UK in 2009, recognises the right of disabled people to take part in culture “on equal terms”. This is a major shift. Shifting Perspectives, seeing disabled people as part of the design solution and not the problem, will renew museums. This user-focused report gives a step-by-step approach to making cultural institutions accessible to the blind and partially sighted people.
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The Role of High-Speed Broadband in Telecommunications Between People with Limited Speech and the Health Workforce
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Report for the Institute for a Broadband-Enabled Society, University of Melbourne, Australia, detailing the role of high speed broadband in communication between people with little or no speech and GPs. Year: 2010/2011
In April 2009, the federal government announced that it will be launching a National Broadband Network, with Internet speeds up to 100 times faster than current speeds in Australia. Evidence has shown that internet-based solutions enable people with communication impairments to make themselves heard and to interact with others. This research sought to address the communication needs of people with little or no speech in healthcare, and began to explore the potential role of high-speed broadband in facilitating communication between GPs and patients with communication difficulties.
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The Clear Print Standard: Arguments for a Flexible Approach
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This report makes recommendations for a more flexible and practicable version of the Clear Print guidelines published by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) for adoption within the public sector.
As well as Large Print for people with impaired vision, the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) also publishes Clear Print guidelines for general use. These have been widely adopted in the public sector. In these notes we take a critical look at what they say about type size, and the evidence on which the standard is based. We support the idea of a minimum type size for normal text, but question the inflexibility which inhibits some organisations from using even slightly smaller sizes for diagrams and tables – features that can make information clearer. We make recommendations for a more flexible and practicable version.
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FCC-EAAC Report on Emergency Calling for Persons with Disabilities, 2011
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This report, presented by the Emergency Access Advisory Committee (EAAC) established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) contains the findings of an in-depth review and analysis of a national survey of persons with disabilities conducted by the EAAC in accordance with The Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010
This report, presented by the Emergency Access Advisory Committee (EAAC) established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission), contains the findings of an in-depth review and analysis of a national survey of persons with disabilities conducted by the EAAC in accordance with The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA), signed into law by President Obama on 8 October 2010.
The CVAA requires the Commission to take various steps to ensure that people with disabilities have access to emerging communications technologies in the 21st century. The Commission established the EAAC in accordance with the CVAA, which directs that an advisory committee be established within 60 days after the date of enactment, for the purpose of achieving equal access to emergency services by individuals with disabilities as part of our nation’s migration to a national Internet protocol-enabled emergency network, also known as the next generation 9-1-1 system.
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Sightsavers Policy Paper - Making Inclusive Education a Reality
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Sightsavers policy paper 'Making Inclusive Education a Reality' comprehensively discusses the merits of incorporating inclusive education in mainstream schools for children with visual impairment within the broader context of universal access to education.
Sightsavers policy paper 'Making Inclusive Education a Reality' comprehensively discusses the merits of incorporating inclusive education in mainstream schools for children with visual impairment within the broader context of universal access to education. All people have a right to education. There is no single model for ensuring that ducation is inclusive and approaches continue to evolve. Inclusive education is an approach that ensures the presence, participation and achievement of all students in education. This may be in formal schools, or in non-formal places of learning, such as extra-curricular clubs and humanitarian camps. Sightsavers aim is to see increased access to an education system that fully meets the needs of visually impaired children and enables them to become productive and fulfilled members of society, whilst working to ensure that all disabled children have the opportunity to receive a quality education within a wider education system.
This policy paper was written by Juliette Myers and Sunit Bagree.
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WHO-World Bank "World Report on Disability"
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More than one billion people face some form of disability, says a UN report developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank.
The World Report on Disability, developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank, with contributions from over 380 experts, urges governments to “to step up efforts to enable access to mainstream services and to invest in specialized programmes to unlock the vast potential of people with disabilities.” “Disability is part of the human condition,” said WHO Director-General Margaret Chan at a ceremony in UN headquarters to launch the report. “Almost every one of us will be permanently or temporarily disabled at some point in life.”
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99 Tips for the Use of Mobile Phones for Students with Disabilities
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The 99 tools from the magical pocket of Aki-chan: this research project provides tips on how mobile phones can offer strategies to engage students in learning in ways that best suit their needs.
“The 99 tools from the magical pocket of Aki-chan”: reading, writing, keeping and making notes, understanding time, planning activities, listening, calculating and using a dictionary, surfing the web, calling and messaging friends can all be undertaken on a mobile phone using tools from the ‘magical pocket".
The Magical Pocket of Aki-chan Project has been co-researched by the Research Centre of Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Tokyo and SoftBank Mobile Corp. The project name represents the mobile phone as a ‘magical pocket’ filled with tools ‒ each time you go into the pocket you can pull out a strategy that may help support the learning and participation in the classroom, of a student with disabilities. The aim of the project is to conduct research as well as raise awareness of the use of the mobile phone to support the independence of these students in their daily lives.
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Text Version - CRPD Progress Report on ICT Accessibility 2010
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A G3ict Report Assessing the Degree of Compliance of States Parties with the ICT Accessibility Provisions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Text Version | 2010
The CRPD Progress Report on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) accessibility is a unique benchmarking tool that identifies the degree to which each of the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on ICTs and Assistive Technologies (ATs) is actually enacted in local laws, policies and regulations and their impact. It includes data points relative to the status of ICT accessibility and ATs availability among ratifying countries. Data collected measure: # State Party CRPD legal and programmatic commitments
# State Party capacity for implementation
# Assessment of the State’s implementation and actual results for persons with disabilities Download the text version. You can also download the PDF version here.
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PDF version - CRPD Progress Report on ICT Accessibility 2010
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A G3ict Report Assessing the Degree of Compliance of States Parties with the ICT Accessibility Provisions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. PDF Version | 2010
The CRPD Progress Report on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) accessibility is a unique benchmarking tool that identifies the degree to which each of the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on ICTs and Assistive Technologies (ATs) is actually enacted in local laws, policies and regulations and their impact. It includes data points relative to the status of ICT accessibility and ATs availability among ratifying countries. Data collected measure: # State Party CRPD legal and programmatic commitments
# State Party capacity for implementation
# Assessment of the State’s implementation and actual results for persons with disabilities Download the PDF version. You can also download the Text version here.
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e-Accessibility Policy Handbook for Persons with Disabilities
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The e-Accessibility Policy Handbook for Persons with Disabilities is based upon the online ITU-G3ict e-Accessibility Policy Toolkit for Persons with Disabilities (www.e-accessibilitytoolkit.org) which was released in February 2010.
The Toolkit and its companion handbook have contributions from more than 60 experts around the world on ICT accessibility and is a most valuable addition to policy makers and regulators, advocacy and research organisations and persons with disabilities on the implementation of the ICT dispositions of the CRPD. The handbook is a joint publication of ITU, G3ict and the Centre for Internet and Society, in cooperation with The Hans Foundation. The book is compiled and edited by Nirmita Narasimhan. Preface by Dr. Hamadoun I. Toure, Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union. Introduction by Dr. Sami Al-Basheer, Director, ITU-D. Foreword by Axel Leblois, Executive Director, G3ict. Braille and Daisy formats available here: http://g3ict.org/resource_center/e-Accessibility%20Policy%20Handbook
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Data-Enabled Travel: How Geo-Data Can Support Inclusive Transportation, Tourism, and Navigation through Communities
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This report explains what we have learned about the potential of geo-data for accessible travel. It also offers suggestions to interested stake holders about next steps toward the realization of this potential.
This report is a result of discussions that took place in July 2010 commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act at the White House. Participants of the discussion were asked to focus on the challenge of more accessible travel, transportation, and tourism by applying geo-data.
User needs should form the basis of any initiative aimed at improving transportation information services for people with disabilities. In the field of assistive technologies, mobile devices, have emerged as a champion for accomodating user needs. Mobile technology has helped inform and empower citizens of all ages and abilities to accomplish safe and independent travel around our country.
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Accessibility, Innovation and Sustainability at AT&T
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A G3ict White Paper Documenting How Mobile Service Providers Can Serve Persons with Disabilities and Seniors
In order to promote the business practices required to provide accessible and assistive mobile equipment and services to persons with disabilities, G3ict requested that AT&T opens its doors to review and document its internal R&D and business processes for the benefit all interested parties. Read more.
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Open Source Software-Based Assistive Technologies
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Written by Fernando Botelho, founder of Project F123.org, this article defines open source software-based assistive technology.
Written by Fernando Botelho, founder of Project F123.org, this article defines open source software-based assistive technology. |
National Accessibility Standard in the Russian Federation: A First Step toward Creating a Barrier-Free Internet
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by Anatoliy D. Popko, Head of the Information Technology Department, “Rehacomp” on-Governmental Institution of Professional Rehabilitation and Training of the All-Russian Society of the Blind; Anatoliy J. Kamynin, Founder and Administrator of the Tiflocomp.ru portal, a leading Russian Internet resource on Adaptive Technology for the Blind and Visually Impaired, April 2010; Reproduced with the kind permission from the “Information Society Magazine” translated from Russian to English by UNIC Moscow.
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UNESCO Consultative Meeting on Mainstreaming ICTs for Persons With Disabilities to Access Information and Knowledge
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UNESCO, in cooperation with the Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies (G3ict), conducted a consultative
expert meeting to discuss how UNESCO could assist its Member States in facilitating social inclusion of persons with disabilities through information and communication technologies (ICTs).
Eighty-nine countries have ratifi ed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), committing them to ensuring that persons with disabilities enjoy all human rights on an equal basis. A number of the general principles included in the CRPD are directly linked to UNESCO’s mandate. In order to facilitate the implementation process of the CRPD, UNESCO, in cooperation with the Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies (G3ict), organized a consultative meeting on 22-23 February 2010 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. This report provides an overview of the background and rationale for this meeting, and a description of the process for and content of this meeting, is well as the outcomes of this meeting and their implications for action by UNESCO.
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Public Procurement of Accessible ICTs - Training Workshop Presentation
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Public procurement is the process used by public agencies to acquire goods, services, works and other
supplies. The use of procurement policies as a
social justice vehicle is a modern development in government contract agreements
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NTT DOCOMO's Mobile Phones for Persons with Disabilities
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In his presentation, Mr. Ryuji Nagata, Manager of Product Department, NTT DOCOMO Inc., Japan reviews: (1) Japanese cell phone market; (2) Universal design approach in NTT DOCOMO; (3) What is Raku-Raku phone?; (4) New features of Raku-Raku phone; (5) Bone condyction receiver "Sound Leaf."
In his presentation, Mr. Ryuji Nagata, Manager of Product Department, NTT DOCOMO Inc., Japan reviews: (1) Japanese cell phone market; (2) Universal design approach in NTT DOCOMO; (3) What is Raku-Raku phone?; (4) New features of Raku-Raku phone; (5) Bone condyction receiver "Sound Leaf."
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Mobile Industry Good Practice Guide for Service Delivery for Disabled and Elderly Customers in the UK
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This good practice guide for service delivery is designed to advise and assist the mobile industry, including network operators, service providers and retailers on how to make their products and services more accessible to the UK's disabled and elderly consumers.
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Accessibility Criteria Defined by Voluntary French Charter (in French)
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Wireless Phones: Survey of Users Needs (Georgia Tech Wireless RERC)
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This is the second in a series of annual reports based on data collected from the Survey of User Needs (SUN), an ongoing survey conducted by the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies (Wireless RERC).
The original Survey of User Needs (SUN1.0) was conducted from 2001-2006, with more than 1200 people responding to that survey. In 2007, the SUN was revised and data collection began with version 2.0 in April 2007. By December 2007, over 1200 participants had completed SUN 2.0. A year later, another 348 respondents had completed the survey for a total of 1556. 1406 respondents reported one or more functional limitations such as difficulty in learning or remembering, difficulty in doing manual tasks, or difficulty in seeing or hearing. Download the report for survey findings.
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Technology for Employability in Latin America: Research with At‐risk Youth & People with Disabilities
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Compiled by the Center for Information & Society at the University of Washington.
This study examines the recent investment into computer centers providing basic technology training for people with disabilities and at‐risk youth in five Latin American countries: Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Venezuela. The authors discuss the ways in which technology training impacts the employability concerns of two populations with diverse needs and histories of social and economic exclusion from formal labor markets. Read Dr. Joyojeet Pal's review. |
G3ict "ICT Accessibility Self-Assessment Framework"
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The G3ict Self-Assessment Framework is the first comprehensive tool made available to policy makers to evaluate their country’s compliance with the many dispositions of the Convention in matters of ICT accessibility. Developed by the G3ict Research Committee, it is designed to facilitate consensus building among governments and multiple stakeholders seeking to identify priorities at national level.
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Presentation on the Convention's New Agenda for Digital Accessibility and Assistive Technologies
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Compiled by G3ict, this presentation was given at CSUN 24th Annual International Conference on Technology and Persons with Disabilities, held in Los Angeles (March 16-21, 2009).
Compiled by G3ict, this presentation was given at CSUN 24th Annual International Conference on Technology and Persons with Disabilities, held in Los Angeles (March 16-21, 2009).
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A Case Study of One of the Most Successful Programs Designed by a Higher Education Institution to Promote Employability among Students Living with Disability
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Written by Professor Licia Sbattella, President's Delegate for Disabilities at Politecnico di Milano, Italy, this case study will be presented at the 4th Shafallah International Forum on Children with Special Needs: Achieving Independence, Doha, Qatar, April 20-22.
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AGE-ANEC-EDF Response to the European Commission's Communication "Towards an Accessible Information Society" (COM/2008/804 final)
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AGE-ANEC-EDF Response to the European Commission's Communication "Towards an Accessible Information Society."
ICT have a crucial role to play in everyday life of consumers of all ages and abilities and are gateways to education, work and leisure. Therefore, AGE, the European Older People’s Platform, ANEC, the European consumer voice in standardisation, and the European Disability Forum (EDF) are responding to the European Commission (EC)’s Communication “Towards an accessible information society”.
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The Accessibility Imperative
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"The Accessibility Imperative" is the first attempt made to present in one comprehensive volume the challenges and opportunities of implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in matters of accessibility to Information and Communication Technologies. The Convention at large - and more specifically its Article 9 - creates the first universal framework specifically addressing these issues which affect over 600,000,000 persons living with disabilities worldwide.
"The Accessibility Imperative" is the first attempt made to present in one comprehensive volume the challenges and opportunities of implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in matters of accessibility to Information and Communication Technologies. The Convention at large - and more specifically its Article 9 - creates the first universal framework specifically addressing these issues which affect over 600,000,000 persons living with disabilities worldwide. This book was developed based upon the proceedings of the first Global Forum of the G3ict, the Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs, held at the United Nations headquarters in New York on March 26, 2007. It presents the perspective of multiple stakeholders from all regions of the world and from a variety of backgrounds: industry, policy makers, international institutions, academia, and non-governmental organizations representing persons living with disabilities. Additional editorial content was contributed to G3ict and included in this first edition from meetings held in Russia, Korea, and the United States during the Spring of 2007. With 129 countries having signed the Convention as of May 2008, the scope of legislative and regulatory work which will take place over the next few years in matters of ICT accessibility is considerable. This first edition will be the first reference made available to policy makers and their many constituents to facilitate the process of identifying the best path towards effective implementation of the Convention.
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EU - Proposal for a Council Decision concerning the conclusion, by the European Community, of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
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The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol were adopted on 13 December 2006 by the United Nations General Assembly. On the basis of negotiating directives adopted by the Council on 24 May 2004, the Commission conducted the negotiation of the Convention on behalf of the European Community. The Council Decision dated 27 March 2007 (ST07404/07) authorized the Community to sign the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Commission signed the Convention on 30 March 2007. On 3 May 2008, the Convention and its Optional Protocol entered into force. Since the Optional Protocol has not yet been signed, its accession should be proposed. Two proposals, one for concluding the Convention, the other for acceding to the Optional Protocol, are therefore required.
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EU - Proposal for a Council Decision Concerning the Conclusion, by the European Community, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
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The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol were adopted on 13 December 2006 by the United Nations General Assembly. On the basis of negotiating directives adopted by the Council on 24 May 2004, the Commission conducted the negotiation of the Convention on behalf of the European Community. The Council Decision authorized the Community to conclude the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. On 3 May 2008, the Convention and its Optional Protocol entered into force. Since the Optional Protocol has not yet been signed, its accession should be proposed.
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G3ict-ITU Toolkit for Policy Makers on e-Accessibility & Service Needs for Persons with Disabilities - Table of Contents
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Designed to provide a comprehensive online resource for all stakeholders involved in implementing the digital accessibility agenda of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the G3ict ITU Toolkit is making good progress towards completion by the end of March 2009. The Toolkit was announced jointly by G3ict and ITU on April 21, 2008. The complete table of contents of the Toolkit can be downloaded here.
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G3ict-ITU Toolkit for Policy Makers - Goals and Objectives
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ITU-D and G3ict announced at their joint Global Forum (Geneva, April 21, 2008) that they would collaborate in the development of an online toolkit for policy makers on e-Accessibility.
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Presentation on Assistive Technologies: Leveraging ICTs for Persons with Disabilities, Challenges and Opportunities
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Compiled by G3ict , this presentation was given at the ITU Regional Workshop on "ICT Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities," held in Lusaka, Zambia (July 15-16, 2008)
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Meeting Information and Communications Technologies Access and Service Needs for Persons with Disabilities
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Written by Cynthia D. Waddell, Juris Doctor (ICT Expert for Persons with Disabilities, International Center for Disability Resources on the Internet), the background paper was originally prepared for the seminar "Sharing Experience on Best Practices and Services for People with Disabilities," held on 17 September 2007 in Geneva, Switzerland. This paper has been updated and includes the addition of the Arab Region based on presentations at the first Arab Regional Conference on Sharing Experience on Best Practices in ICT Services for Persons with Disabilities held in Cairo, Egypt, 13-15 November 2007. It was presented at the ITU Regional Workshop on "ICT Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities in the African Region" held in Lusaka, Zambia (July 15-16, 2008).
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"See it right" publication for Clear Print - RNIB
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Guidelines for Editing for Low Vision Readers - Some guidance regarding styles for leaflet from the "See it right" publication for Clear Print from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) - not a standard, but research-based.
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EU - Proposal for a Council Directive on Implementing the Principle of Equal Treatment
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The aim of this proposal is to implement the principle of equal treatment between persons
irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation outside the labor
market. It sets out a framework for the prohibition of discrimination on these grounds and
establishes a uniform minimum level of protection within the European Union for people who
have suffered such discrimination. This proposal supplements the existing EC legal framework under which the prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation applies only to employment, occupation and vocational training.
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EU - Total Conversation and Emergency Call 112
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EU press release and packet regarding the EU announcement of stepped up efforts to use a single emergency phone number to call for assistance – 112 and implementing a pilot service, “Total Conversation”, making the 112 number accessible to all across Europe.
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Technology and Disability Policy Highlights, October 2008
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Published monthly by the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies (Wireless RERC), this October 2008 issue focuses on a key piece of legislation, the Broadband Data Improvement Act that was signed into law this past month. The Act seeks to improve broadband deployment throughout the nation, especially in underserved areas by advancing federal data collection efforts to inform subsequent legislation and regulatory rulemakings. In addition, the law has the aim of enhancing economic development, furthering public safety in communities, improving health care and educational opportunities, and providing a better quality of life for all Americans through more comprehensive deployment of broadband services.
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Technology and Disability Policy Highlights, September 2008
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Published monthly by the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies (Wireless RERC), this September 2008 issue focuses on legislative activity addressing emerging technologies and accessibility by persons with disabilities.
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Technology and Disability Policy Highlights, July/August 2008
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Published monthly by the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies (Wireless RERC), this July/August 2008 issue focuses on legislative activity addressing emerging technologies and accessibility by persons with disabilities.
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Technology and Disability Policy Highlights, June 2008
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Published monthly by the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies (Wireless RERC), this June 2008 issue focuses on The House Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management hearing discussing the introduction of proposed legislation entitled \"Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2008\" and the passing of the \"New and Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008\" that includes a directive to improve access to 911 and enhanced 911 services for people with disabilities.
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Technology and Disability Policy Highlights, May 2008
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Published monthly by the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies (Wireless RERC), this May 2008 issue focuses on The House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet hearing discussing the draft legislation "Enhancing Access to Broadband Technology and Services for Persons with Disabilities."
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Technology and Disability Policy Highlights, April 2008
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Published monthly by the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies (Wireless RERC), this April 2008 issue focuses on how reducing wireless accessibility barriers has been a recurring theme in recent legislation in the U.S. Congress.
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Technology and Disability Policy Highlights, March 2008
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Published monthly by the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies (Wireless RERC), this March 2008 issue focuses on regulators at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and how the Commission raised a total of $19.592 billion in its auction of 700MHz airwaves that concluded March 19, 2008.
Read below for more information on RERC Efforts in the AT&T Press Release:
RERC Efforts Acknowledged in AT&T Press Release 03.13.2008 - In an effort to encourage application developers and handset manufacturers to consider the needs of seniors or customers who have disabilities when designing products and services, AT&T Inc. announced through a press release that the company's approach to Universal Design will be made publicly available for the first time. AT&T embraces the concept of Universal Design and has urged its handset and software partners to consider this methodology as they develop wireless products and applications. AT&T's recently launched Mobile Speak and Mobile Magnifier applications are examples of accessible products and services that result from innovative collaboration and design.
In creating its Universal Design methodology, AT&T consulted with many leading experts, such as the Wireless RERC. By making AT&T's Universal Design methodology available on its website, the company is hoping all developers of wireless products and applications will consider how future designs can create accessible products, like Mobile Magnifier and Mobile Speak. "Integration of Universal Design into business practice is fundamental to our mission of equitable access to wireless technologies for people of all ages and abilities," said Jim Mueller, project director, User-Centered Research, Wireless RERC. "We're glad that AT&T shares our commitment and is making its Universal Design methodology publicly available."
AT&T's document on Universal Design [http://developer.att.com/universaldesign].
AT&T's resources for people with disabilities [http://www.wireless.att.com/about/disability-resources/disability-resources.jsp]
[Source: AT&T]
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Web Accessibility at General Electric
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Preety Kumar, Founder, President, and CEO of Deque Systems, Inc., discusses the significance of web accessibility and how General Electric recognized the necessity of accessible techniques in regards to making Web sites accessible to persons with disabilities.
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Assessment of the Status of eAccessibility in Europe
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This Executive Summary of Measuring Progress of eAccessibility in Europe (MeAC) is a report from a study commissioned by the European Commission in 2006 as a follow up to the eAccessibility Communication of 2005. The basic aim was the provide an evidence base to support the future deveopment of EU policy in the eAccessibility field.
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Speech by World Blind Union (WBU) President on the Occassion of the Launching of the "Global Right to Read" Campaign
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Read the speech made by WBU President Dr. William Rowland in Amsterdam on Wednesday 23rd April 2008 on the occasion of WBU’s Press Conference launching the Global Right to Read Campaign.
This document also contains a press release announcing the launch of the Global Right to Read Campaign.
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Joint ANEC-EDF Position on eAccessibility
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This joint ANEC/EDF position paper expresses views on the accessibility of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) products and services by consumers of all ages and abilities.
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Web Accessibility in Context, an Investigation into Standardisation Issues
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This study has set out to investigate the apparent gap between current published guidelines on accessibility and the current practice of web developers, and the tools used by the developers to create accessible websites.
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Finding the Gaps: A Comparative Analysis of Disability Laws in the United States to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
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"Finding the Gaps: A Comparative Analysis of Disability Laws in the United States to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities" was written by John Vaughn, the Chairperson of the National Council on Disability. The purpose of this paper is to help the NCD, and others, better understand how the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, if ratified by the United States, might impact U.S. disability laws by examining the degree to which U.S. law is consistent with the CRPD. The paper endeavors to analyze the issue in the way a treaty monitoring body would - to see if any area within federal law contravenes the Convention and/or whether there are gaps where legislation or practice might be introduced or reformed to ensure compliance.
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Making a Difference: A Quarterly Magazine of the Georgia Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities
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This Spring 2008 issue of "Making a Difference" features a wide range of articles including one about the 10th Annual Disability Day where over 2,000 people came to hear Ambassador Luis Gallegos, G3ict Chair, speak on the steps of the Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia. Also featured towards the end of the publication is "Creating an Accessible World with the United Nations Convention," an article written by G3ict Executive Director Axel Leblois.
To read about the 10th Annual Disability Day with Ambassador Gallegos, please turn to page 12-15.
To read Axel Leblois' article on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, please turn to page 24.
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Impact of Technology Trends on e-Inclusion Policy and Practice
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The technologies used in information and communication products are advancing at an ever increasing rate. Devices are getting smaller, lighter, cheaper, and more capable. Electronics are being incorporated into practically everything, making a wide variety of products programmable, and thus more flexible. Computing power is increasing exponentially. What requires a supercomputer one year can be done on a child's game player 15 years later.
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An Avatar Based Approach for Automatic Interpretation of Text to Sign Language
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Written by Mohamed Jemni and Oussama Elghoul, this paper describes a current project at the University of Tunis to develop, for the deaf community, a tool facilitating communication through the Web. The aim of this tool is to interpret automatically texts in visual-gestural-spatial language by using Avatar technology.
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State of the eNation Accessibility Reports: Social Networking Web sites
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Today many services are only available, or offered at a discounted rate on the Internet. Other Web sites provide vital information or functionality. If a Web site doesn't meet a base level of accessibility then it will be impossible for a large number of disabled visitors to use. Many others with some sort of limiting condition will also have great difficulty.
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Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center's (RERC) First Report on the Findings of the Survey of User Needs (SUN)
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Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center's (RERC) first report on the findings of a new study aimed at surveying user needs vis-a-vis wireless technologies. The people surveyed represent a large portion of the 40 million Americans with disabilities.
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Summary of the Discussion Draft of the “21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act”
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Summary of the discussion draft of the bill entitled "21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act", which aims to establish new safeguards for disability access to ensure that people with disabilities are not left behind as technology changes and the United States migrates to the next generation of Internet-based and digital communication technologies.
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U.S. 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act Discussion Draft
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The discussion draft of the bill entitled "21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act" aims to establish new safeguards for disability access to ensure that people with disabilities are not left behind as technology changes and the United States migrates to the next generation of Internet-based and digital communication technologies.
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Clas Thoren's Response to Professor Hajime Yamada’s Paper on ICT Accessibility Standardization and Its Use in Policy Measures
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Clas Thoren, Development Strategist at Verva, the Swedish Administrative Development Agency, offers a response to Professor Hajime Yamada's white paper on "ICT Accessibility Standardization and Its Use in Policy Measures".
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European e-Inclusion Initiative: First Contributions to the Campaign (Lisbon, 3 December 2007)
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The European Commission's first publication on its European e-Inclusion Initiative.
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European Commission's First Communication on the European e-Inclusion Initiative
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European Commission's first communication on its European e-Inclusion Initiative.
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ITU Report of the First Global G3ict Forum Meeting (New York, 26 March 2007)
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This document contains the report of the 26 March Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies Forum in New York. It was written by Mr. Greg Ratta, who participated in the Forum on behalf of the ITU.
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John Kemp's Keynote Address at the 2007 Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference
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John Kemp, Esq. addresses the importance of building an infrastructure that supports the creativity and innovation that can be brought to the lives of people with disabilities through accessible technology.
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IBM Italy - Mobile Wireless Accessibility Project
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IBM Italy's white paper on its Mobile Wireless Accessibility (MWA) project.
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NPR's Accessible Digital Radio Project
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NPR's Accessible Digital Radio Project PowerPoint presentation.
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ICT Accessibility Standardization and Its Use in Policy Measures
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Professor Hajime Yamada of Toyo University explores the issue of third party versus self-certification of ICT accessibility standards.
Read Clas Thoren's, Development Strategist at Verva, the Swedish Administrative Development Agency, response to Professor Hajime Yamada's white paper on "ICT Accessibility Standardization and Its Use in Policy Measures".
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OAS/Trust - POETA: From a Pilot Project to a Hemispheric Initiative
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Rene Leon's PowerPoint presentation given at the first G3ict Global Forum (New York, 26 March 2007)
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Moving Towards a Fully Inclusive Digital Europe
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EICTA, founded in 1999, is the voice of the European technology industry. This brochure provides an overview of the need for accessible technologies in the European technology industry while profiling several companies that are currently highly active in effort towards accessible technology. Companies featured include Adobe, Epson, HP, IBM, JVC, MediXine, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia, Oracle, Panasonic, RIM, SAP, SIEMENS, Sony, and Sun Microsystems.
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Suppliers Declaration and ICT Accessibility
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Explains the new European Council's new conformity assessment system of "Supplier's Declaration of Conformity" (SDoC). Discusses the role of SDoC in eAccessibility and the benefits of Internal Accessibility Training to allow manufacturers to monitor their own accessibility standards.
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Compassionate Assistive Technology
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Approaches the problem of technological inaccessibility through compassion. Focuses on developing computer, global networks, and artificial vision aids for the disabled while working for integration, policymaking and research and development of accessibility ICTs.
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IGDA Accessibility in Games: Motivations and Approaches
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White paper from the International Game Developer's Association describing the necessity and steps to be taken in order to make gaming accessible to those with disabilities.
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Best Practices for Web Accessibility Design and Implementation
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Written by Dr. Alan Foley of North Carolina State University and Bob Regan of Macromedia, this document outlines a process-based approach to implementing accessibility design.
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The Accessibility Imperative: DAISY Format
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Accessibility Imperative, DAISY, G3ict research paper
The Accessibility Imperative is the first attempt made to present in one comprehensive volume the challenges and opportunities of implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in matters of accessibility to Information and Communication Technologies. The Convention at large - and more specifically its Article 9 - creates the first universal framework specifically addressing these issues which affect over 600,000,000 persons living with disabilities worldwide. With 129 countries having signed the convention as of May 2008, the scope of legislative and regulatory work which will take place over the next few years in matters of ICT accessibility is considerable. This first edition will be the first reference made available to policy makers and their many constituents to facilitate the process of identifying the best path towards effective implementation of the Convention. This audio version of the publication conforms to DAISY standards (Digital Talking Books) and is accessible to visually-impaired or otherwise print-disabled persons. The DAISY version has been made possible due to the efforts of the Danish National Library for the Blind.
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