The Basics of Accessible IT - Definitions & Legalities

This article is compiled with information provided through articles by AccessIT, Technical Assistance Project, University of Washington.

The general definition of electronic and information technology includes any product used to acquire, store, manipulate, or transmit information. This includes software applications and operating systems; Web-based information and applications such as distance learning; telephones and other telecommunications products; video equipment and multimedia products that may be distributed on videotapes, CDs, DVDs, or the World Wide Web; office products such as photocopiers and fax machines; calculators; and computer hardware.

The problem that most commonly arises for individuals with disabilities when using both electronic and information technology is that it is often inaccessible. E/IT becomes inaccessible to people with disabilities if it provides only one way for users to gain access to or manipulate information. For example, people who are blind cannot read instructions presented only in a visual format; people who are deaf cannot understand content that is presented only aurally; people who are color-blind cannot discriminate between color-coded options; people with specific physical limitations cannot use a software application that requires use of a mouse; people who use wheelchairs cannot operate a fax machine if the controls are positioned too high or too far for them to reach from a seated position.

All too often, school websites, industry websites, and various other medias rely on forms on communication that ultimately are inaccessible to people with disabilities. If a student who is blind needs to read necessary information from a class assignment that is offered only in a PDF format (a format that is not compatible with a screen reader), then the student inevitably misses out on the pertinent class information. If an instructor, or any website, uses an online audio video to express important information and there is no captioning for the audio, then an individual who is deaf misses that information. However, many of these barriers can be reduced or eliminated when technology environments are developed using an approach called "universal design."

Universal design is defined by the Center for Universal Design (http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/) at North Carolina State University as the "design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design." It is the process of creating products that are accessible to people with a wide range of abilities, disabilities, and other characteristics. Universally designed products accommodate a wide range of individual preferences and abilities; communicate necessary information effectively (regardless of ambient conditions or the user's sensory abilities); and can be approached, reached, manipulated, and used regardless of the individual's body size, posture, or mobility. Application of universal design principles minimizes the need for assistive technology, results in products compatible with assistive technology, and makes products more usable by everyone, not just people with disabilities.

Asssitive Technology, as defined by The Access Board's "Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards," published in accordance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998, is "Any item, piece of equipment, or system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is commonly used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities."

The above definition was derived from the definition of assistive technology in the Assistive Technology Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 3002).

Examples of assistive technology include wheelchairs, alternative automobile controls, communication aids, and hearing aids, plus a variety of technologies that increase, maintain, or improve access to electronic and information technology for individuals with disabilities. For example, people with limited hand function may use a keyboard with large keys or a special mouse to operate a computer; people who are blind may use software that reads text on the screen in a computer-generated voice; people with low vision may use software that enlarges screen content; people who are deaf may use a TTY (text telephone); or people with speech impairments may use a device that speaks out loud as they enter text via a keyboard.

With assistive technology and electronic and information technology that is universally designed, an individual with a disability will be able to fully and equally access the same information that anyone else would have access to.

But one may ask, what is accessible Electronic and Information Technology? What makes it accessible?

Accessible electronic and information technology is technology that can be used by people with a wide range of abilities and disabilities. It incorporates the principles of universal design. Each user is able to interact with the technology in ways that work best for him or her. Accessible technology is either directly accessible--in other words, it is usable without assistive technology--or it is compatible with standard assistive technology. Just as buildings that have ramps and elevators are accessible to wheelchair users, products that adhere to accessible design principles are usable by people with a wide range of abilities and disabilities.

Examples of accessible electronic and information technology:

• Accessible software applications may include features specifically designed for users with disabilities. However, they always give users more than one way of accomplishing a task. They use established standards for displaying menus and prompts, which can be interpreted by assistive technology. They allow users to use the mouse alone, the keyboard alone, or a combination of the two. They rely on more than color to convey information. Installation instructions, user guides, and other documentation is available in alternate formats, such as large print, Braille, and electronic text.
  
  
• Accessible multimedia products, which may be distributed on videotapes, CDs, DVDs, or the World Wide Web, include synchronized text captions for spoken information and other audio content and provide synchronized audio descriptions for visual content. They offer more than one way to input commands or respond to prompts. For instance, imagine that a character's voice on a CD tells a child to click on an animal to learn more about it. Deaf or hard-of-hearing children cannot hear the instructions. Blind children cannot click on the animal because they cannot see what is on the computer screen. Providing captions in addition to spoken instructions allows children with hearing impairments who can read to participate. Providing keyboard commands for all functions of the software allows blind children to participate. Captioning and alternative ways of navigating can make a big difference in the ability of students with disabilities to use these technologies independently. Descriptive narration and audio navigation (talking menus) are also essential in order for those with vision impairments to access videos and DVDs independently.
  
  
• Accessible Web sites are designed to be usable by individuals with a broad range of abilities and disabilities; they are designed so that all visitors can navigate the site, access content, and participate in interactive Web activities. Accessible Web sites provide a text equivalent (typically a description) for all non-text elements, such as audio, video, graphics, animation, graphical buttons, and image maps. This allows those who cannot see the screen to access the information with a screen reader that can read the description of the picture, but cannot "read" a picture.
  
  
• Accessible copy machines can be operated in more than one way using keypads, touch screens, or voice recognition. Height and position can be adjusted so that controls are within easy reach and the display can be viewed easily. Document feeders are located at desk height, putting them within reach.