Accessible Technology
Technology is used for most of the things people do every day: communicating with others, finding out what’s going on, publishing and reading, watching videos, listening to music, selling and buying, going to school and even more. Most people don’t think much about how they interact with technology, but if it isn’t designed properly many people with different kinds of disabilities can’t do the things listed above or find it needlessly difficult. Because of those barriers, laws like the ADA have been enacted requiring equal access to the same things that people without disabilities take for granted. Just like legal requirements for ramps, elevators, and braille elevator buttons, these laws require websites, digital publications, software, videos, and other technologies should follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
Web accessibility is the inclusive practice of ensuring there are no barriers that prevent interaction with, or access to, websites on the World Wide Web. When sites are correctly designed, developed and edited, more users have equal access to information and functionality. Web accessibility means that websites, tools, and technologies are designed and developed so that people with disabilities can use them. Web accessibility encompasses all disabilities that affect access to the Web, including but not limited to:
- Visual: Visual impairments including blindness, various common types of low vision and poor eyesight, and various types of color blindness;
- Motor/Mobility: e.g. difficulty or inability to use the hands, including tremors, muscle slowness, loss of fine muscle control, etc., due to conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, stroke;
- Auditory: Deafness or hearing impairments, including individuals who are hard of hearing;
- Seizures: Photo epileptic seizures caused by visual strobe or flashing effects.
- Cognitive and intellectual: Developmental disabilities, learning difficulties (dyslexia, dyscalculia, etc.), and cognitive disabilities (PTSD, Alzheimer’s) of various origins, affecting memory, attention, developmental “maturity”, problem-solving and logic skills, etc.
Individuals living with a disability use assistive technologies such as the following to enable and assist web browsing:
- Screen reader software, which can read out, using synthesized speech, either selected elements of what is being displayed on the monitor (helpful for users with reading or learning difficulties), or which can read out everything that is happening on the computer (used by blind and vision-impaired users).
- Braille terminals consist of a refreshable braille display that renders text as braille characters (usually by means of raising pegs through holes in a flat surface) and either a mainstream keyboard or a braille keyboard.
- Screen magnification software enlarges what is displayed on the computer monitor, making it easier to read for vision-impaired users.
- Speech recognition software that can accept spoken commands to the computer, or turn dictation into grammatically correct text – useful for those who have difficulty using a mouse or a keyboard.
- Access to subtitle or sign language videos for deaf people.
Web accessibility also benefits people without disabilities, for example:
- People use mobile phones, smart watches, smart TVs, and other devices with small screens, different input modes, etc.
- Older people with changing abilities due to aging
- People with “temporary disabilities” such as a broken arm or lost glasses
- People with “situational limitations” such as in bright sunlight or in an environment where they cannot listen to audio
- People using a slow Internet connection, or who have limited or expensive bandwidth
While there is no formal federal law on exactly what you need to do, the best practice is to make your website conform to WCAG 2.1 AA. WCAG stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. 2.1 is the current version. AA refers to the conformance level that is most commonly required and accepted. You can review the W3C Accessibility Principles in more detail to learn about requirements for websites, web applications, web applications, browsers, and other tools.
The US Department of Justice has released a Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA which describe how state and local government and businesses open to the public can make sure that their websites are accessible to people with disabilities as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
This Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA covers the following:
- Why Website Accessibility Matters
- Examples of Website Accessibility Barriers
- When the ADA Requires Web Content to be Accessible
- How to Make Web Content Accessible to People with Disabilities
- Web Accessibility for People with Disabilities is a Priority for the Department of Justice
- Resources
Alternatively, you may ask us a question using our online form.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you want to know more about information technology or the difference between accessible information technology (AIT) and assistive technology (AT)? Check out our list of Frequently Asked Questions below.
- What is Information Technology?
- What is AIT?
- What is the difference between Accessible Information Technology (AIT) and Assistive Technology (AT)?
- Can AIT be used in the classroom to support learning?
- What is Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act?
- What is W3C Web Accessibility Initiative?
- Are there laws related to Telecommunications?
- Does Section 508 apply to a state university or community college?
- How do Parents play a role in Education-based IT in education?
- Are local schools required to be accessible for children with mobility limitations?
General
Guidelines and Standards
Post-Secondary
Resources for Parents
- What is Information Technology?
- Computer software that works with text-to-speech software
- Web pages with resizable fonts
- Desktop computers with front-mounted audio and USB ports
- Printers and copiers with simple layouts and easy-to-reach controls
- Message systems with text captioning options
- What is AIT?
- What is the difference between Accessible Information Technology (AIT) and Assistive Technology (AT)?
- Can AIT be used in the classroom to support learning?
- What is Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act?
- What is W3C Web Accessibility Initiative?
- Are there laws related to Telecommunications?
- wired and wireless telecommunication devices, such as telephones (including pay phones and cellular phones), pagers, and fax machines;
- other products that have a telecommunication service capability, such as computers with modems; and
- equipment that carriers use to provide services, such as a phone company’s switching equipment.
- Does Section 508 apply to a state university or community college?
- How do Parents play a role in Education-based IT in education?
- Do the vendors acknowledge the importance of accessibility in their products?
- Can the vendor demonstrate the inherent accessibility features of their product?
- Does the school have any procurement requirement dealing with accessibility?
- Does the school have an accessibility requirement in their published bids?
- Can the vendor provide references or testimonials from other schools using their products?
- Are local schools required to be accessible for children with mobility limitations?
Information Technology (IT) is everyday technology used to acquire, store, manipulate or transmit information; such as telephones and telecommunications products, video equipment, websites, message systems, computer hardware, and more. Accessible IT (AIT) is information technology designed with special features and properties built-in that make it more useable for people with a variety of disabilities.
Examples of Accessible Information Technology include:
Let’s start with the definition of Information Technology. 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.
A more formal definition is provided within the Access Board’s Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards, written in accordance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998:
Electronic and information technology [includes] information technology and any equipment or interconnected system or subsystem of equipment, that is used in the creation, conversion, or duplication of data or information. The term electronic and information technology includes, but is not limited to, telecommunications products (such as telephones), information kiosks and transaction machines, World Wide Web sites, multimedia, and office equipment such as copiers and fax machines. The term does not include any equipment that contains embedded information technology that is used as an integral part of the product, but the principal function of which is not the acquisition, storage, manipulation, management, movement, control, display, switching, interchange, transmission, or reception of data or information. For example, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) equipment such as thermostats or temperature control devices, and medical equipment where information technology is integral to its operation, are not information technology.
Information technology [is] any equipment or interconnected system or subsystem of equipment, that is used in the automatic acquisition, storage, manipulation, management, movement, control, display, switching, interchange, transmission, or reception of data or information. The term ‘information technology’ includes computers, ancillary equipment, software, firmware and similar procedures, services (including support services), and related resources.”
Simply put, “accessible education-based information technology” is simply information technology that has inherent functions, properties, and the potential to be used by people with a wide range of abilities and disabilities. Examples of “accessible information technology” can include computer towers with front-mounted headphone jacks and ports, electronic devices which allow the user to increase the screen resolution, operating systems that support screen enlargement and text-to-speech capabilities, voice mail and messaging systems, and copier/fax machines which allow for users to interface and function with the device without the use of touch or sight.
On the other hand, “assistive technology” is technology (software, hardware) that helps people with specific disabilities maximize their abilities to access information or services. Examples of “assistive technology” include text-to-speech software, screen enlarging software, alternative-output hardware, large-print keyboards, as well as alternative tracking devices.
For example, JAWS, a popular screen-reading package, can be considered Assistive Technology (AT), but not necessarily Accessible Information Technology (AIT), because, by itself, JAWS does not contain the functions necessary to be a stand-alone information system. Only accessible information technology, such as accessible web browsers (like Internet Explorer)can work with JAWS. Assistive technology, like JAWS, cannot function for the user if software titles and systems are not programmed with accessibility in mind.
School districts are required (by law) to consider and provide appropriate AT to students with disabilities when it’s needed for them to learn, participate, and interact in school. AT is anything that makes it easier for a student to read, write, see, use a computer, turn something on, get dressed, eat, communicate, travel, or play. Although the word ‘technology’ is used, AT is not limited to something electronic or computerized. Some examples of AT include pencil grips, special paper, calculators, books-on-tape, special keyboards, communication devices, and computer software.
The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) defines Assistive Technology (AT) as both a device and a service. An AT device is any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customize, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability. An AT service is any service that directly assists a person with a disability in the selection, acquisition or use of an assistive technology device.
Yes. Technology use in schools continues to increase, and using an accessible computer and other media makes learning easier and more available to everyone. AIT in the classroom reduces the need for special modifications (AT) for students with disabilities because computers are ready for everyone to use all the time.
Imagine Kay, a student with a reading disability, is working on an assignment at a computer. Kay has difficulty reading and understanding text, the assignment she is doing is a science project, but reading is involved. Kay uses a feature on the computer that will highlight words and read the text out loud (called Text-to-Speech) as she listens with earphones. This way Kay is able to learn the science information and is not limited by her reading disability. Accessible computer software features, like text-to-speech, are ready for any student who needs them and ignored by the students who do not need them. Using Accessible IT in classrooms helps to meet the diverse learning needs of all students.
The Reauthorized Rehabilitation Act of 1998 included amendments to Section 508 of the Act. In these amendments was a call that the federal government be barred from procuring, using or maintaining Electronic and Information Technology (E&IT) goods and services that were not fully accessible. The law applies to all Federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology. Federal agencies must ensure that this technology is accessible to employees and members of the public with disabilities to the extent it does not pose an “undue burden.” Section 508 speaks to various means for disseminating information, including computers, software, and electronic office equipment. It applies to but is not solely focused on, Federal pages on the Internet or the World Wide Web. It does not apply to web pages of private industry.
The W3C is an international, vendor-neutral group that determines the protocols and standards for the Web. The W3C realized that they needed to make provisions to ensure that people with disabilities were not excluded from accessing it. From this realization, the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) was born. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) develops international standards for the Web: HTML, CSS, and many more. The W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) develops standards and support materials to help you understand and implement accessibility. You can use W3C WAI resources to make your websites, applications, and other digital creations more accessible and usable to everyone.
http://www.w3.org/wai/
The Official Website of the Web Accessibility Initiative
Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 requires manufacturers to ensure that their telecommunications equipment is compatible with existing peripheral devices or specialized customer premises equipment commonly used by individuals with disabilities to achieve access, if readily achievable. This is required to the extent access is readily achievable,
meaning easily accomplishable, without much difficulty or expense. What is readily achievable
will be different for each manufacturer based on the costs of making products accessible or compatible and their resources.
Telecommunications products covered include:
https://www.access-board.gov/law/ta.html
United States Access Board site for Section 255 telecommunications accessibility.
Section 508 addresses the obligations of Federal agencies. As written, 508 does not automatically apply to institutions of higher education, even if they receive federal funding. However, States that receive funds through the Assistive Technology Act are required to comply with 508. The goal of the act is to provide assistive technology to persons with disabilities, so they can more fully participate in education, employment, and daily activities on a level playing field with other members of their communities. However, state governments or individual institutions of higher education may have adopted some or all of the 508 standards or other standards such as those published by the World Wide Web Consortium.
Parents can play a major role in getting technology into the classroom that can help children, regardless of disability status. Parents can ask questions about the general technology being used in the classrooms, not just “special education” software.
Yes. Local school districts must make modifications to at least one school for children with mobility challenges. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, 1973 require accessible passenger loading areas, designated parking spaces, and an accessible route to the school’s entrance. In addition, consideration should be given to accessibility of hallways and interior doorways, classrooms, bathrooms, water fountains, libraries, gymnasiums, auditoriums and other sites where school activities are held.