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Towards Accessible ICT :
Promoting Accessible ICT :
Expert Group Meeting on Information and Communications Technologies (ICT)
for Persons with Disabilities
Beirut, 25-26 May 2004
Promoting Accessible Information and Communications Technologies with
Reasonable Adaptation:
learning from the Manila "Declaration" and "Design
Recommendations" on Accessible ICT*
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Annex I-B
MANILA ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES (ICT)
DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS
Recognizing that information and communication technologies (ICT)
accessibility barriers are systemic and reach all sectors of our global economy,
and that ICT accessibility barriers prevent the global community of persons with
disabilities from full and equal participation and enjoyment in daily life; and
Noting that the global community is prevented from being enriched by
our diverse abilities and contributions; and
Acknowledging that Universal Design[1] concepts
inform public policy by calling for the development of ICT flexible enough to
accommodate the needs and preferences of the broadest range of users, regardless
of age or disability or the limitations of our computer equipment; and
Noting that accessible ICT:
- removes communications and information access barriers that restrict
business and social interactions between persons with disabilities and
non-disabled persons;
- removes age-related barriers to participation in society;
- reduces language and literacy-related barriers to society;
- reduces risk of information worker injuries and
- enhances global commerce opportunities.[2]
Therefore, the "Manila Declaration on Accessible ICT" confirms that we are at
a significant crossroad where ICT accessibility barriers need to be addressed at
all levels effectively and urgently, and call for progress on the elaboration of
a comprehensive and integrated international convention on the rights of persons
with disabilities in the context of development, endorsed by General Assembly
resolution 56/168 of 19 December 2001.
The normative basis for the "Manila Accessible ICT Design Recommendations" is
Rule 5 (Accessibility) of the United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalization
of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities[3]
that provides "States should recognize the overall importance of accessibility
in the process of equalization of opportunities ... and should ... undertake
measures to provide access to information and communication."
The conceptual basis for the "Manila Accessible ICT Design Recommendations"
is Universal Design in the light of its concern with designs that meet the needs
of diverse users through inclusive solutions and open and democratic
participation. The business case for Universal Design is based on the fact that
benefits extend beyond the community of people with disabilities. In the case of
ICT, designs based on universal concepts provide for flexibility to accommodate
those who operate in low bandwidth settings, use cell phones to synthesize text
and access the Internet by means of alternative devices.
Five considerations in the design for accessibility with reasonable
accommodation are important:
- Content is organized and presented appropriate to the interests, needs and
preferences of end users;
- Aesthetics of the design accommodate the needs and preferences of diverse
users;
- Accessibility of the design benefits all users as well as users with
special needs;
- Usability of the design allows users to access, navigate, search and leave
the information resource easily, intuitively and without barriers;
- Sustainability of the design is based on content management that affords
flexibility to accommodate needs and preferences of diverse users.
The operational focus of the "Manila Accessible ICT Design Recommendations"
is timely and reliable information goods and services appropriate to each user.
The "Manila Accessible ICT Design Recommendations" are based on the premise
that accessibility by reasonable accommodation can be achieved easily and
efficiently with the application of "first principles" of accessibility. For
accessible Web design, two principles are central:[4]
- Every visual element should be implemented with a textual element that
describes it. Alternative text <alt> allows for description of graphical
images.
- The structure and layout of the document should be dealt with separately.
Structure is defined by HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) elements and
attributes; and layout is defined by style sheets. Separation of layout from
content aids text browsers to extract easily the logical structure of the
document.
The "Manila Accessible ICT Design Recommendations" seek to address problems
of barriers in Web-based information goods and services with the identification
of a select set of "electronic curb cuts"[5]
that provide flexibility for accommodating each user's needs and preferences.[6] For
example:
- Provide an Access Instruction page for visitors (explaining the
accessibility features of the Web site and providing an e-mail hyperlink for
visitors to communicate problems with Web page accessibility);
- Provide support for text browsers and descriptive hyperlinks (links such
as "this" and "click here" do not alone convey the nature of the target link);
- Attach ALT<alt> (alternative) text to graphic images so that assistive
computer technology such as screen readers can reach the content;
- For each photograph contributing meaningful content to the page, provide a
"D" hyperlink to a page providing descriptive text of the image;
- Provide text transcriptions or descriptions for all audio and video clips;
- Provide alternative mechanisms for online forms since forms are not
supported by all browsers (such as e-mail or voice/TTY phone numbers);
- Avoid access barriers, such as the posting of documents in Adobe ® PDF
(Portable Document Format), non-linear format, Frame format or requiring
visitors to download software to access the content. If posting in Adobe ®
PDF, accessible HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) or ASCII text must also be
posted by the Web master converting the document.[7]
The "Manila Accessible ICT Design Recommendations" represent a minimum
threshold in accessibility with reasonable accommodation.
These recommendations are always "under construction" to promote provision of
flexibility to accommodate needs and preferences of users of electronic and
information technology products and services in response to continuing technical
innovations.
Adopted at Manila, 7 March 2003 <
http://www.worldenable.net/manila2003/DesignRecommendations.htm>
N.B. Products mentioned are trademarked to their respective
manufacturers or publishers. They are provided for reference and do not
constitute endorsement.
Notes:
[1] Universal design is
based on the following premises: (a) varying ability is not a special condition
of the few but a common characteristic of being human and we change physically
and intellectually throughout out lives; (b) if a design works well for people
with disabilities, it works better for everyone; (c) at any point in our lives,
personal self-esteem, identity, and well-being are deeply affected by our
ability to function in our physical surroundings with a sense of comfort,
independence and control; and (d) usability and aesthetics are mutually
compatible <http://www.adaptenv.org/universal/index.php>.
See "Report" of International Seminar on Environmental Accessibility; planning
and design of accessible urban development in developing countries (Beirut, 30
November -- 3 December 1999) <http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/disisea.htm
>. See also, Leslie Kanes Weisman, "Creating justice, sustaining life: the role
of Universal Design in the 21st century"; Keynote address to Twentieth
anniversary celebration, Adaptive Environments Center (Boston, MA, April 1999),
which discusses three tenets of Universal Design: "First, universal design
reminds us that there is no separation between mind and body, and between people
and their environments. Second, universal design recognizes that there is no
separation between human health, environmental health, and social justice.
Third, universal design upholds the democratic ideals of social equality and
personal empowerment because universal designers strive to create products and
spatial environments that are designed to provide the same level of comfort,
accessibility and assistance to multiple users and multiple publics." <http://www.adaptiveenvironments.org/examples/article2.php>.
[2] Cynthia D. Waddell, JD. "The
Growing Digital Divide in Access for People with Disabilities: overcoming
barriers to participation" (1999), p. 2 at <http://www.icdri.org/CynthiaW/the_digital-divide.htm>.
(Hereinafter Digital Divide Paper).
[3] General Assembly resolution
48/96, annex, of 20 December 1993 <http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/dissre00.htm>.
[4] Association Braille Net, "To
make a site more accessible" <
http://www.braillenet.org/accessibilite/livreblanc/accessibilite.html>.
[5] Digital Divide Paper, op.
cit p. 10-11.
[6] "Implementation of the
World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, report of the
Secretary-General (A/54/388/Add.1)" <http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/disa54e6.htm#A>.
[7] Cynthia D. Waddell, "Overview
of Law and Guidelines," Chap. 2 in Jim Thatcher et al., Constructing
Accessible Web Sites, (Birmingham (UK) Glasshaus, 2002), republished July
2003 (San Francisco CA (USA) Apress) <http://www.apress.com/book/bookDisplay.html?bID=342>.
Copyright (c) 2003 AIMS/VisionOffice.
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