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Developing and Maintaining an
Accessibility Eco-System to
Ensure Sustainability of
Assistive Technology Solutions
Presented by:
Harry Lew. BASc, P.Eng., CUA
Manager of R&D
June 2013
We use technology, knowledge, and passion to empower Canadians with
physical disabilities.
What is an Eco-System?
“An eco-system the complex relationships that exist among the
stakeholders/participants of a sector or community. Each
stakeholder/participant that lives in the eco-system is dependent on
the members of the eco-system. If one part of the eco-system
disappears then everyone is affected. When an eco-system is
healthy it is sustainable which means all elements are in balance
and are capable to reproducing itself. “
Accessible Mobile Technology Eco-System Participants:
1) people with disabilities that use mobile device and
consume the services
2) mobile device manufacturers who create the primary
platform for accessing the services
3) AT developers and manufacturer that create
devices/applications that facilitate access to the mobile
devices
4) wireless service providers (WSP) that provide the medium
(wireless connection) to access services and in some
cases service themselves
5) regulatory agencies that set the terms of reference for the
eco-system and create an imperative around accessibility
(demand pull)
Introduction
Assistive Technology (AT) Solutions are transitory in nature
unless they are supported by a well defined and well
developed eco-system.
Challenges to Developers in the Eco-System are:
- quickly changing technology
- the lack of industry wide accepted descriptions of what
defines each on the disability communities, the sub-groups
of users within each community and the functional
description of abilities of each user within the sub-group
- the lack of standards or guidelines on what makes up the
technical aspect of an accessibility strategy which each
mobile device manufacturer and service provider
- Market and regulatory forces that do not pro-active
encourage adoption of more formal accessibility strategies
Lack of common Definitions
- Outside of the disability community a lot of myths still exist about the
nature of disability
Myth 1: Mobility impairment group is characterized with
the needs of only a single class user
Myth 2: The needs of the mobility impaired community
is too difficult to deal with – “There are too
many issues”
Example 1: Mobile Manufacturing Forum selection tool
http://www.mobileaccessibility.info/findphones-step2.cfm
MOBILITY/DEXTERITY FEATURES
Speaker-phone capable Hands free operation during dialling and
after call initiated Hands free operation during dialling and after call
initiated
Text Messaging Service Capable Can all the text message
features supported be read, composed and sent using the phone's
screen and/or keypad Can all the text message features
supported be read, composed and sent using the phone's screen
and/or keypad
.
Example 1 Mobile Manufacturers’ Forum cont’d
Predictive Text Input Helps you write text messages more quickly
by predicting words from the first few letters you type. Helps you
write text messages more quickly by predicting words from the first
few letters you type.
Guarded/recessed keys Individual keys are recessed or guarded
in some way to reduce the chance that you will press the wrong key
Individual keys are recessed or guarded in some way to reduce the
chance that you will press the wrong key
Device Coupling - Cable Allows customised devices to work with
the phone
Example 1 Mobile Manufacturers’ Forum cont’d
Device Coupling - Infrared Allows customised devices to work with the
phone.
Device Coupling - Bluetooth/WLAN Allows customised devices to work
with the phone.
Flat Back for Table Top Operation Has a flat back, so it can be used
while it is lying on a table
Automatic Answer You can set it to answer all calls automatically without
you having to do anything.
Example 1 Mobile Manufacturers’ Forum cont’d
Automatic Redial You can set it to automatically redial if the
number you called is busy or unavailable.
Any Key Answering Can the user answer the call by pressing any
key?
Voice Recognition for Dialing Allows you to dial a number by
speaking the person’s name, if it is stored in your contact list (a
personal ‘telephone book’ you create in your phone)
Example 1 Mobile Manufacturers’ Forum cont’d
Hand Movement Some controls require you to pinch or twist them
with your fingers, or rotate your wrist
Voice recognition for accessing features Allows you to activate
features by speaking commands into the phone, reducing the need
to use the keypad
Example 2: Regulatory Process in Canada
- CRTC held regulatory hearing on the unmet needs in regards to
people with disabilities in 2008
- in 2009 CRTC issued a directive that asked all Canadian Wireless
Service Providers “to carry at least one handset that met the needs
of people who have vision, moderate to severe mobility
impairments and cognitive impairment”
-A follow in 2010 of what Canadian Wireless Service providers were
offering showed it had not changed
Example 2: Regulatory Process in Canada cont’d
- A lot of people did not know about the ruling. There was an active
effort by the disability community to file complaints.
- Response from the wireless service providers are that no problems
exist as the Mobile Manufacturing Forum has a category for mobility
impairment
- “The problem is too complex there is no solution”
- “If it formalized then we have to do something about it.”
High Level Definition of People with Mobility Impairments
Mild
-some impairment of dexterity (range of motion of fingers and wrists)
-potential impairment of strength
Moderate
- no dexterity
- use of arms
- potential impairment of strength
Severe
- no dexterity
- no use of arms
* sub-categories of user who are vocal and those who non-vocal
Lack of Complete and Formal Accessibility Strategies by the
Mobile Device Manufacturers
- Assistive Technology Developers have no formal standards or
guidelines to work from when interfacing AT to mobile devices
(No holistic approach to accessibility) – no leveraging of the existing
AT solutions for Personal Computers (PC)
- Assistive Technology Developers have to often rely on
undocumented Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)
- Internal groups with the responsibility for accessibility do not have
the mandate to ensure that APIs are preserved in future versions of
the device or suggest changes to the device without a regulatory
imperative
Lack of Formal Accessibility Strategy by Wireless Service
Providers
- Wireless Service Providers are relying too much on the
incomplete/flawed strategies put forward by the mobile device
manufacturers (CVAA makes them responsible too)
- Wireless Service Providers (WSPs) have a place in the eco-system
by create a demand pull from mobile device manufacturers
- WSPs can create formal technical procurement criteria for each
disability groups (WSPs procurement criteria are testable)
Market and Regulatory Forces to Encourage Adoption of
Accessibility Strategies
- There is no compelling business case for addressing
accessibility
- Most gains in accessibility in ICT has been made
through regulation (Section 508 American
Disabilities Act and Section 255 of the American
Telecommunications Act)
- Regulatory process is slow but effective
Parallels between the PC Industry and the Mobile Technology
Industry
- new green field opportunity create a lot of competitors
(IBM, Apple, Commodore, Amiga, Apricot, Radio Shack,
Timex)
- AT developers saw the opportunity and started to develop
an array of assistive technologies based on this new
technologies
- Obsolescence of PC platforms and the lack of standards
around interfaces diluted the impact of the Assistive
Technology
- Maturing of the market place reduced the number of
competitors
- Regulation created a demand pull for assistive technology
Parallels between the PC Industry and the Mobile Technology
Industry cont’d
- standardization of interfaces and API allowed AT solutions to
remain on the market longer and more devices to become
commercially viable
“There is not an App for that !”
Applications (Apps) are not a substitute for a well thought out
and complete accessibility strategy with the appropriate
“infrastructure”.
Informal working group made of up members from the Assistive
Technology Industry Association (ATIA) and
Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) trying to create
definitions of mobility impairment and guidelines for implementing an
accessibility strategy for people with mobility impairments
A Sustainable Assistive Technology
Eco-system can be a reality!
