Implementing web accessibility a Universal Design approach

Implementing web accessibility – a Universal Design approach EDF-NDA Seminar “Accessibility of Public Sector Websites – legislative and practical approaches” Donal Rice Senior Design Advisor, ICT

Contents • • Who we are - remit of the Centre What we do - areas of work How we do it – education, awareness, standards Why we do it – motivators; legal, business, social

Centre For Excellence in Universal Design (CEUD) Standards – Stimulate research – Participate in Standardisation work nationally and internationally – Provide advice to stakeholders – Encourage compliance Education and Professional Development – Incorporate UD content into design curriculum – Guidance on Universal Design for teaching, examinations and accreditation Awareness – Maintain a best practice database (website) – Promote awareness and understanding

Universal Design aims: to maximize the number of people who can readily use a product, building or service which may be achieved by: (i) designing products, services and environments that are readily usable by most users without any modification, (ii) by making products or services adaptable to different users (adapting user interfaces), and (iii) by having standardized interfaces to be compatible with special products for persons with disabilities. (Standards: ISO, CEN, NSAI)

Built environment Products & Services ICT 3

1. BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Universal Design Buildings Guidelines Environment Shared Spaces, Shared Surfaces and Home Zones Research and Recommendations for Ireland

2. PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Size Data for Universal Design in Ireland (Anthropometry Research, Penn State, USA)

3. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES

Information Communication Technologies 1)National Universal Design Guidelines for Digital TV Equipment and Services 2) Research and National guidelines on the Lived experience of people using public sector websites 3)Trialing Universal Design Assessment Tool for assessing use/nonuse of Technology by Older People

Services: Customer engagement • Standard (SWi. FT) on “Universal Design for Energy Suppliers” - 2012 • Standard – “Universal Design for Customer Engagement in Tourism Services” – in development • Toolkit for effective customer communications – in development

3 3 3 1 EDUCATION

Universal Design 2 nd Level “Designing our Tomorrow Ireland”

3 rd level - Meet the Normals

WEB ACCESSIBILITY - AN IRISH PERSPECTIVE

Legislation and policy - Ireland • Disability Act 2005 – Electronic communications to be accessible, as far as practicable – Code of Practice: Compliance with WCAG 2. 0 (AA) • NDA Monitoring: 2008 – About half have had their website audited for accessibility – WCAG 2. 0 - AA or AAA level (32. 5% at Level AA and 17. 0% at Level AAA). • Equality Acts, Education for Persons with Special Needs education Acts

Legislation and policy - Ireland • “Opportunities for users to provide feedback should be integrated into the design of new electronic systems to facilitate suggestions from those that use the systems with a view to ensuring continuous improvement. ” – “e. Government 2012 – 2015” Action no. 14

“Universality Is the Foundation” “Several principles are key to assuring that the Web becomes ever more valuable. The primary design principle underlying the Web’s usefulness and growth is universality. When you make a link, you can link to anything. That means people must be able to put anything on the Web, no matter what computer they have, software they use or human language they speak and regardless of whether they have a wired or wireless Internet connection. The Web should be usable by people with disabilities. It must work with any form of information, be it a document or a point of data, and information of any quality—from a silly tweet to a scholarly paper. And it should be accessible from any kind of hardware that can connect to the Internet: stationary or mobile, small screen or large. ” - Tim Berners-Lee, W 3 C Director and Inventor of the World Wide Web. Long Live the Web

United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities • Universal Design: – Governments are: “to undertake or promote research and development of universally designed goods, services, equipment and facilities…” • Early Stage Accessibility Definitions: – “Promote the design, development, production and distribution of accessible information and communications technologies and systems at an early stage, so that these technologies and systems become accessible at minimum cost” (Art. 9)

Our approach to web accessibility 1. Standards 2. Education 3. Awareness

1. Standards - Public procurement • Standardisation – Mandate 376

2. Education • E. g. Events • “Universal Design for Digital Document Creation and Publication”

3. Awareness • Networks • Research – “Lived Experience of people in Ireland using public sector websites”

Key findings 1 • 48% of people surveyed do not use public services online • 80% satisfaction – but when questioned - the level of difficulty would appear to be greater • Persons with disabilities are 3 times more likely to encounter a difficulty

Key findings 2 • Main obstacles include the • ‘finadability’ • ‘readability’ of information

Key finding 3 • Challenge to provide content that is both comprehensive, and easy to read and use. • Disparity between perception of level of accessibility of their websites and what this and other studies found to be the actual case. – web accessibility considered a ‘once off’ versus quality assurance. • significant cost benefits – Servicing queries via the website takes staff no time as it's self-service, compared with: • 4 minutes over the phone • 11 minutes face to face • 15 minutes by email”

New research! “Measures to improve accessibility of public websites in Europe” • 3 questions • 5 - 8 Member States Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

The questions: 1. What is the current state of web accessibility in Ireland other Member States? 2. What is being done to improve web accessibility? 3. What more needs to be done?

Recommendations • on the most effective monitoring and reporting mechanisms to public sector bodies in the context of the draft Directive • constructive suggestions that may assist with its review in the Parliament and Council and transposition by Member States. • costs likely to be incurred and the benefits to be generated by bringing the samples sites up to the requisite standard

We need your help! Questionnaires, interviews, suggesting indicative websites

What does it all mean. . . “If anybody asks me what the Internet means to me, I will tell him without hesitation: To me (a quadriplegic) the Internet occupies the most important part in my life. It is my feet that can take me to any part of the world; it is my hands which help me to accomplish my work; it is my best friend - it gives my life meaning. ” Dr Zhang. Xu