8th Report on International ICT Accessibility Standards Proposed, Being Developed and Recently Published

 

Richard Hodgkinson FISTC,
8th January 2009

Overview:

This report covers current international activities in the development of standards, technical reports and guidelines that include accessibility requirements and recommendations for ICT products.

Accessibility standards are developed globally by committees of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), Joint Technical Committee (JTC) 1 of the ISO & IEC, national standards bodies (e.g. the BSi, ANSI, AFNOR, DIN…) and many other organisations.

Proposed new standards and activities

The following “projects” are currently under discussion or proposed by various standards organisations.

For international standards Working Drafts and New Project proposals will be submitted for international ballot. If the balloting is successful (acceptance of the project, commitment of experts, offer of a project editor, etc) the projects will be assigned to the appropriate standards organisations or new organisations will be created.

Inclusive eServices for all: Optimizing the accessibility and use of upcoming user interaction technologies

  1. The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) has posted a “Call for experts” to participate in a Specialist Task Force (STF) to develop this Technical Specification (see www.etsi.org/WebSite/AboutETSI/vacancies.aspx )
  2. Deadline for applications is 2009-01-25.
  3. The STF will develop an ETSI Guide (EG) as the main deliverable that will contain the guidelines on service design, the interaction technologies roadmap, the accessibility problems identified, and the proposed solutions for rectifying those problems. The first steps of this work, however, will be an analysis of forthcoming eServices and of the technologies enabling them. The results of this analysis will be published as a separate ETSI Technical Report (TR).

ISO 9241-135 – Natural language dialogues

This potential standard is being discussed in ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG 5 (Software ergonomics and human-computer interaction) and in due course a Working Draft will be prepared together with a New Project proposal for international ballot.
This standard would provide recommendations and guidelines for the user-centred design of software user interfaces for voice controlled dialogue systems to increase usability.

ISO 9241-136 – Voice/Auditory interaction

This potential standard is being discussed in ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG 5 (Software ergonomics and human-computer interaction) and a Working Draft is currently expected, together with a New Project proposal for international ballot.
This standard would provide recommendations and guidelines for the user-centred design of software user interfaces for voice interaction systems to increase usability.

ISO 9241-152 – Interpersonal communication – Usability and accessibility of computer-based data and voice communication

This potential standard is currently being discussed and developed within ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG 5 (Software ergonomics and human-computer interaction). In due course a Working Draft will be prepared together with a New Project proposal for international ballot.

ISO/IEC XXXXX – Enhanced Terminal Accessibility (ETA) using cardholder preference interface

Scope: This standard will specify a set of data elements to be personalised into the card encoding cardholder preferences. These data elements are to be retrieved from the card and to be used to indicate to the terminals that the user has special needs regarding the user interface. In particular, this standard applies to cards issued to citizens with special needs. It is not intended to standardize the API or other terminal specific software allowing the functionality, nor does it cover the actual alignment of the card to the card reader slot. This standard is applicable not only for ID-1 type card, but also for SIM/UIM on mobile ‘phone and Contactless IC card which is specified on ISO/IEC 14443.

This standard comprises:

  1. data elements containing user preferences,
  2. storage method of these data elements,
  3. security related to the information contained in these data elements,
  4. access method to these data elements, and
  5. examples of implementations.

Comments:

Standards currently being developed

ISO 9241-210 – Ergonomics of human-system interaction – Part 210: Human-centred design process for interactive systems

Scope: This part of ISO 9241 will provide guidance on human-centred design principles and activities throughout the life cycle of computer-based interactive systems. It is intended to be used by those managing design processes. This part of ISO 9241 is concerned with both hardware and software components of interactive systems.

NOTE: Computer based interactive systems vary in scale and complexity. Examples include off the shelf (shrink wrap) software products, custom office systems, plant monitoring systems, automated banking systems, web sites and applications, and consumer products, such as vending machines, mobile phones and digital television. Throughout this standard, such systems are generally referred to as products, systems or services although, for clarity, sometimes only one term is used.

This part of ISO 9241 will provide an overview of human-centred design activities. It does not provide detailed coverage of the methods and techniques required for human-centred design, nor does it address health or safety aspects in detail. Although it addresses the planning and management of human-centred design, it does not address all aspects of project management.

The information in this part of ISO 9241 is intended for use by those responsible for planning and managing projects that design and develop interactive systems. It therefore addresses technical human factors and ergonomics issues only to the extent necessary to allow such individuals to understand their relevance and importance in the design process as a whole. It also provides a framework for human factors and usability professionals involved in human-centred design.

Detailed human factors, ergonomics, usability and accessibility issues are dealt with more fully in a number of standards including other parts of ISO 9241 (see Annex A). A number of other standards are relevant to the design of systems, including ISO 6385, which sets out the broad principles of ergonomics (see Annex B).

The guidance in this part of ISO 9241 can benefit all parties involved in human-centred design and development.

Comments:

  1. This will be a revision of ISO 13407:1999 - Human-centred design processes for interactive systems, incorporated and re-numbered into the expanded ISO 9241 series.
  2. The New Work Item Proposal (NP) was approved by the ballot which closed on 10th June 2008.
  3. The project is expected to be assigned to ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG 6 – Human-centred design processes for interactive systems.

ISO 9241-129 – Guidance on software individualisation

Scope: This standard will contain ergonomic requirements and recommendations for software-based individualization of human-computer interactions.
There are a variety of different basic individualization mechanisms, each of which can have different positive and negative effects on users:

  1. Individualization can result from customization (initiated intentionally by the user) and/or adaptation (initiated by the system).
  2. Individualization can result in a variety of changes to the user interface, depending on the particular individualization mechanisms involved.

This standard will include guidance on:

  1. determining where individualization is appropriate
  2. selecting appropriate types of individualization mechanisms
  3. using all types of individualization mechanisms
  4. using specific types of individualization mechanisms
  5. using combinations of different types of individualization mechanisms

This standard will also include guidance related to various types of general tasks that lend themselves to individualization, such as:

Current project plan:


WD

CD ballot

DIS ballot

FDIS ballot

ISO Publication

Under preparation

Approved 2008-09-17

To be decided

To be decided

To be decided

Comments:

  1. The new project proposal for this new standard was approved by international ballot (closed 2007-07-03) within ISO/TC 159/SC 4.
  2. Development will be by ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG 5 – Software ergonomics and human-computer interaction.

ISO 9241-154 - Ergonomics of human-system interaction – Part 154: Design guidance for interactive voice response (IVR) applications

Scope: This standard will contain ergonomic requirements and recommendations for the user interface design of both speech-enabled and touch-tone based interactive voice response (IVR) applications. Guidance will be focussed on phone-based applications that include no visual displays of information beyond that of a traditional phone key-pad.
The standard will include guidance on selection of user input mechanism (touch-tone, speech or hybrid applications), as well as guidance on the design of touch-tone based and speech-enabled IVR dialogues. It will also contain guidance on the general structuring of other IVR user interface features, for example:

  1. appropriate speech rates (for speech-enabled applications),
  2. determination of allowable user response times to prompts,
  3. handling of non-responses and errors,
  4. application navigation issues, including requests for repetition of prompts, mechanisms for leaving the application or being transferred to a customer service representative; and capabilities such as dial-through or barge-in, and
  5. the handling of delay situations.

The standard will also include guidance for making IVR applications accessible to the widest range of potential users.

Current project plan:


WD

CD ballot

DIS ballot

FDIS ballot

ISO Publication

Under revision

TBD

TBD

TBD

2010

Comments:

  1. Based upon US HFES 200.4: Software User Interfaces – Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and Telephony.
  2. Project approved 2008-09-15
  3. Assigned to a Working Group of ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG 5– Software ergonomics and human-computer interaction.
  4. This standard will use as its basis the US Human Factors & Ergonomics Society (HFES) 200.4 (Human Factors Engineering of Software User Interfaces – Interactive Voice Response and Telephony) guidelines which have now been approved as an American National Standard (ANSI).
  5. The revised Working Draft will be reviewed at the next meeting of WG 5 in April 2009.

ISO EN 9241-171 - Ergonomics of human-system interaction - Part 171: Guidance on software accessibility

Scope: This part of ISO 9241 provides requirements and recommendations for the design of accessible software for use at work, in the home, in education and in public places. It covers issues associated with designing accessible software for people with the widest range of physical, sensory and cognitive abilities, including those who are temporarily disabled, and the elderly. This part of ISO 9241 will address software considerations for accessibility that complement general design for usability covered by ISO 9241 part 110, ISO 9241 parts 11 to 17, ISO 14915 parts 1 to 3 and ISO 13407.

This part of ISO 9241 will be applicable to the accessibility of interactive systems. It addresses a wide range of software (e.g. office applications, web sites, learning support systems and library systems). It does not provide recommendations for the design of hardware.

Current project plan:


2nd CD ballot

DIS ballot

FDIS ballot

ISO Publication

Approved

Approved

Approved

Published (2008)

Comments:

  1. Development by ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG 5 – Software ergonomics and human-computer interaction
  2. Will also be published as a European standard (EN)
  3. Synchronised with the US Human Factors & Ergonomics Society (HFES) 200.2 (Human Factors Engineering of Software User Interfaces – Accessibility) guidelines which have now been approved as an American National Standard (ANSI).

Revised version of (and will replace) ISO TS 16071:2003 – Guidance on accessibility for human-computer interfaces (also based upon earlier HFES guidelines).

ISO 9241-910 – Framework for tactile and haptic interactions

Scope: This standard provides a framework for understanding and communicating about various aspects of tactile/haptic interaction.

It contains definitions, structures, models, and explanations that are used in other parts in the 9241-9xx series. It also provides general information about how various forms of interaction can be applied to various user tasks.

It applies to all types of interactive systems making use of tactile/haptic devices and interactions.
NOTE: This standard does not address purely kinaesthetic interactions, such as gestures, although it might be useful for such interactions.

Current project plan:


WD

CD ballot

DIS ballot

FDIS ballot

ISO Publication

Completed

TBD

TBD

TBD

2010

Comments:

  1. Passed New Work Item ballot (closed 2007-09)
  2. Development by ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG 9 – Haptic and tactile interactions.

ISO 9241-920 - Guidance on tactile and haptic interactions

Scope: This standard will contain ergonomic requirements and recommendations for tactile and haptic hardware and software interactions. It will provide guidance related to the design and evaluation of hardware, software, and combinations of hardware and software interactions. It will include guidance on:

This international standard does not provide recommendations specific to Braille, but can apply to interactions that make use of Braille.

It is recognized that some interactive scenarios might be constrained by the limitation that a real workspace is to be modelled in a virtual environment. Objects can be in suboptimal positions or conditions for haptic interaction, by virtue of the situation being modelled. The recommendations in this standard apply at least to the controls for the virtual workspace. These recommendations can also be applied to the entire virtual environment, consistent, as much as possible, with the simulation requirements.

Current project plan:


WD

CD ballot

DIS ballot

FDIS ballot

ISO Publication

Completed

Approved (2007-02-09)

Approved
(closed 2008-03-22)

TBD

TBD

Comments:

  1. Development by ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG 9 – Haptic and tactile interactions.
  2. The ISO 9241-9XX series is planned to include:
    • Part 900 – Introduction to tactile and haptic interactions.
    • Part 910 – Framework for tactile and haptic interactions.
    • Part 930 – Haptic and tactile interactions in multimodal environments.
    • Part 940 – Evaluation of tactile and haptic interactions.
    • Part 971 – Haptic and tactile interfaces to publicly available devices.

ISO TR 22411 - Ergonomic data and guidelines for the application of ISO/IEC Guide 71 to products and services to address the needs of older persons and persons with disabilities (Revision)

Scope:

1.1 This Technical Report (TR) provides standards developers with ergonomic data and design considerations on how to take into account the needs of older persons and persons with disabilities, in accordance with the factors described in ISO/IEC Guide 71.
This TR contains:

  1. considerations for accessible design of products, services and environments, and
  2. ergonomic knowledge and data on human abilities – sensory, physical, cognitive abilities – and on allergy.

Each design consideration is based on ergonomic principles that are necessary to make products, services and environments accessible for older persons and persons with disabilities.

1.2 This TR applies to products, services and environments encountered in all aspects of daily life, the consumer market and the workplace. For the purposes of this TR, the term 'products and services' is used to reflect all these purposes.

1.3 The design considerations and ergonomic data in this TR may also be useful for others such as manufacturers, designers, service providers and educators.

This TR does not provide techniques for designing assistive devices. However, some of the design considerations support interoperability with assistive technology.

Conformity assessment of any international, regional, or domestic standards is not in the scope of this TR.

Current project plan:


WD

PDTR ballot

DTR ballot

ISO (TR) Publication

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

Comments:

  1. Development by ISO/TC 159/WG 2 - Ergonomics for people with special requirements
  2. This standard was first published by ISO in 2008
  3. Preparatory work on a revised version of ISO TR 22411 is underway.

ISO 24500 – Accessible design – Auditory signals for consumer products

Scope: This International Standard specifies the auditory signals used as a means to communicate information as feedback of operation or the condition of products when a user, even a person with visual impairment or an older person with impairments of vision and hearing, uses a consumer product.

It does not specify fire alarm sounds, gas leak alarm sounds, or crime prevention alarm sounds, which are determined by other laws and regulations, nor does it specify electronic chimes, voice guides, and other sounds peculiar to communication instruments such as telephones.
It is applicable to auditory signals of a fixed frequency used in general applications (also called beep sounds).

NOTE: It is also recommended that this document be used when variable frequency sounds or melodic sounds are used.

Current project plan:


WD

CD ballot

DIS ballot

FDIS ballot

ISO publication

Available

Approved

Imminent

TBD

TBD

Comments:

  1. Development by ISO/TC 159/SC 5/WG 5 – Ergonomics of the physical environment – People with special requirements

ISO 24501 – Accessible design - Sound pressure levels of auditory signals for consumer products

Scope: This International Standard specifies methods for determining the sound pressure level range of auditory signal so that the users of consumer products, including elderly people with hearing loss which develops during ageing, can hear the signal properly in the presence of specific interfering sounds. When an auditory signal with a fixed sound level is used, the level shall be adjusted to fall in the range. When the sound level is controllable by the user, the level shall be variable to cover the entire range at the narrowest.

Auditory signals, in this International Standard, refer to sounds with a fixed frequency (also called beep sounds). Electronic chimes and voice guides are not included.

NOTE: It is also recommended that this document be used when variable frequency sounds or melodic sounds are used.

This International Standard is applicable to auditory signals which are heard in the same room where the product is used or in an adjacent room not entirely enclosed within walls (at approximate maximum distance of 4 m from the product). It is not applicable to auditory signals heard through a head receiver or earphones, or to those heard with the ear located near the sound source.

This International Standard does not specify the sound pressure level of auditory signals regulated by other statutes such as those for fire alarms, gas leakages, and crime prevention, nor does it specify auditory signals peculiar to a communication tool such as telephones.

Current project plan:


WD

CD ballot

DIS ballot

FDIS ballot

ISO publication

Available

Approved

Imminent

TBD

TBD

Comments:

  1. Development by ISO/TC 159/SC 5/WG 5 – Ergonomics of the physical environment – People with special requirements

ISO 24502 – Accessible design - Guidelines for specification of age-related relative luminance contrast in visual signs and displays

Scope: This international standard specifies age-related luminance contrast of any two lights of different colour seen by a person at any age by taking into account the age-related change of relative luminous efficiency of the eye.

This basic international standard provides a method that can be applied to the design of visual signs and displays. It applies to visual environments in which the spectral radiance is known or measurable and viewed under the moderately bright light level called photopic vision. It does not apply to those which are seen under a dark environment called mesopic and/or scotopic vision.

NOTE 1: This document specifies the luminance contrast for people from 10 yrs to 70 yrs of age who have had no medical treatment or surgery on their eyes throughout their life. For people younger than ten years old or older than 80 years old, this document may apply by estimating the age-related spectral luminous efficiency by extrapolation.

NOTE 2: This document does not apply to visual signs and displays seen by people with colour defects who have different spectral luminous efficiency from people with normal colour vision.

Current project plan:


WD

CD ballot

DIS ballot

FDIS ballot

ISO publication

Awaited

Closed 2008-09

TBD

TBD

TBD

Comments:

  1. This new project was proposed by the Japanese National Body and is based upon Japanese standard JIS S 0031:2004 - Guidelines for all people including elderly persons and persons with disabilities – Visual signs and displays – Specification of age-related luminance and its use in assessment of light.
  2. Development by ISO/TC 159/SC 5/WG 5 – Ergonomics of the physical environment – People with special requirements
  3. The new project was approved by international ballot (2007-04).

ISO 24503 - Ergonomics – Accessible design - Using tactile dots and bars on consumer products

Scope: This standard will specify the guidelines for marking tactile dots to be put on the
operating parts of various consumer products that have electrically-operated switches. The purpose is to enhance usability for all people including visually handicapped people and elderly people with declining of visual acuity.

Current project plan:


WD

CD ballot

DIS ballot

FDIS ballot

ISO publication

Available

Approved

TBD

TBD

TBD

Comments:

  1. Standard proposed by the Japanese National Body.
  2. The NP ballot was approved 2007-04.
  3. Development by ISO/TC 159/SC 4/WG 10 – Accessible design for consumer products.
  4. The establishment of WG 10was approved 2007-06.
  5. The Japanese national body provides the convenor for WG 10.
  6. Based upon Japanese standard JIS S 0011-2000.

ISO 28803 - Ergonomics of the physical environment - Application of international standards to people with special requirements

Scope: Unknown

Current project plan:


WD

CD ballot

DIS ballot

FDIS ballot

ISO publication

Available

Approved

Imminent

TBD

TBD

Comments:

  1. Development by ISO/TC 159/SC 5 – Ergonomics of the physical environment
  2. Project registered 2007-08

ISO 32000-1 - Document management - Portable document format - PDF 1.7

Scope: This International Standard specifies a digital form for representing electronic documents to enable users to exchange and view electronic documents independent of the environment in which they were created or the environment in which they are viewed or printed. It is intended for the developer of software that creates PDF files (conforming writers), software that reads existing PDF files and interprets their contents for display and interaction (conforming readers) and PDF products that read and/or write PDF files for a variety of other purposes (conforming products).
ISO 32000-1:2008 does not specify the following:

  1. specific processes for converting paper or electronic documents to the PDF format;
  2. specific technical design, user interface or implementation or operational details of rendering;
  3. specific physical methods of storing these documents such as media and storage conditions;
  4. methods for validating the conformance of PDF files or readers;
  5. required computer hardware and/or operating system.

Current project plan:


WD

CD ballot

DIS ballot

FDIS ballot

ISO publication

Available

Approved

Approved

Approved

Published 2008

Comments:

  1. Development by ISO/TC 171/SC 2 – Document management applications – Application issues, under the ISO Fast-Track Procedure
  2. Clause 14.9 addresses accessibility support

ISO 32000-2 – Document Management - PDF/Universal Accessibility 1.0

Scope: This International Standard will specify how to use the Portable Document Format (PDF) ISO 32000 to produce electronic documents which are accessible to users with disabilities.
This International Standard will not apply to:

  1. Specific processes for converting paper or electronic documents to the PDF/UA format
  2. Specific technical design, user interface, implementation, or operational details of rendering
  3. Specific physical methods of storing these documents such as media and storage conditions
  4. Required computer hardware and/or operating systems

Comments:

  1. Development by the Association for Information and Image Management (AIIM) PDF/ Universal accessibility Committee, with the aim of producing an International (ISO) Standard. This committee is developing a specification for accessible PDF. The Committee's goal is to set standards for PDF authoring such that conforming PDF files are accessible and usable to all, including those who use assistive technology.
  2. This is not meant to be a techniques (how to) specification, but rather a set of guidelines for creating accessible PDF. The components and their structure are highly dependent upon which objects (graphics, text, multimedia, form fields) are to be present in the PDF file. The specification will describe such components and the conditions governing their inclusion in a PDF file in order to be considered accessible for a particular document type. The mechanisms for including the components in the PDF stream will be left to the discretion of the individual developer, PDF generator, or PDF viewing agent.

ISO/IEC 13066 - User interfaces - Information Technology - Interoperability with Assistive Technology (AT)

Scope: This standard defines the responsibilities of different Information Technology (IT) and Assistive Technology (AT) functional units in supporting interoperability. It recognizes that AT can be provided both as functional units that are installed or otherwise connected to a system or can be utilized by being provided as a service which is accessed via communications connections. It bases these responsibilities on fundamental IT definitions of major types of functional units. It focuses on the utilization of standard, public interfaces for functional units and on the provision of accessible documentation of their capabilities.

This standard recognizes that IT is implemented both in traditional computer systems and as a major component of other systems within the wider scope of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). The requirements and recommendations of this standard apply to IT components of ICT.

This standard recognizes the fundamental role of operating systems in managing interoperability, and in providing guidance to developers of other functional units. It also recognizes that different operating systems will have their own standardized methods of supporting interoperability.

This standard does not define or require specific commands, Application Program Interfaces (APIs), or hardware interfaces. It defers to other existing standards and supports the development of new standards in these areas.

Current project plan:


WD

NP

CD ballot

DIS ballot

FDIS ballot

ISO publication

Available

Approved 2008-09-08

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

Comments:

  1. This potential standard is currently being discussed and developed within ISO/IEC SC JTC 1/SC 35 (User interfaces). A Working Draft was prepared for discussion at the meeting of SC 35/WG 6 (User interface accessibility) in Japan in February 2008.
  2. At the February 2008 meeting a number of modifications were made to the Working Draft and the editor instructed to prepare the draft for New Work Item ballot.
  3. The New Work Item Proposal (NP) ballot closed on 2008-07-18
  4. The Working Draft has been revised further for discussion at the next meeting in February 2009.
  5. A seven part standard is proposed (subject to re-balloting approval), as follows:
    1. Part 1 - Requirements and recommendations for interoperability
    2. Part 2 - Windows accessibility API
    3. Part 3 - I-Accessible-2 accessibility API
    4. Part 4 - Java accessibility API
    5. Part 5 - Macintosh-OS accessibility API
    6. Part 6 - Linux accessibility API
    7. Part 7 - ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) accessibility API

ISO/IEC 24756 - Framework for specifying a Common Access Profile (CAP) of needs and capabilities of users, systems and their environments

Scope: This standard will define a framework for selecting and supporting computer related accessibility including accessibility supported by assistive technologies. It will provide a basis for identifying and dealing with accessibility issues in a standardized manner across multiple platforms. It can be used to evaluate accessibility of existing systems in particular environments for particular users.

Current project plan:


WD

CD ballot

FCD ballot

2nd FCD ballot

FDIS ballot

ISO publication

Completed

Approved

Approved

Approved

Closes 2009-02-02

Mid 2009 (Estimated)

Comments:

  1. Development by ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 35/WG 6 – User interface accessibility.
  2. Whilst the FCD was approved by national body ballot in February 2007, further discussions within WG 6 identified the need to conduct a 2nd FCD ballot.

ISO/IEC 24786 – Accessible user interface for accessibility settings

Scope: This International Standard describes requirements and recommendations to make accessibility settings accessible. It provides guidance on specific accessibility settings. It describes how to access and operate the accessibility settings mode, and how to directly activate specific accessibility functions.

This International Standard applies to all operating system user interfaces on computers, but can also be applied to other types of information/communication technology, where appropriate.
This International Standard does not apply to the user interface before the operating system is loaded and active.

Current project plan:


WD

CD ballot

FCD ballot

2nd FCD Ballot

FDIS ballot

ISO publication

Completed

Approved

Not Approved

Approved

TBD

TBA

Comments:

  1. Development by ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 35/WG 6 – User interface accessibility.
  2. The first FCD ballot was unsuccessful.

ISO/IEC 26511 – Software and systems engineering - Requirements for managers of user documentation

Scope: This standard will support the interests of software users in consistent, complete, accurate, and usable documentation.

Current project plan:


WD

CD ballot

FCD ballot

FDIS ballot

ISO publication

Completed

2008-12

2009-06

2009-12

2010-06

Comments:

  1. Will include guidance on planning, developing and writing accessible software documentation.
  2. Will replace primarily ISO/IEC 15910:1999 – Systems and software engineering – Software user documentation process.
  3. Development by ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 7/WG 2 – Software and systems documentation

ISO/IEC 26512 – Software and systems engineering - Requirements for acquirers and suppliers of user documentation

Scope: This standard will support the interests of software users in consistent, complete, accurate, and usable documentation. It is addressed to acquirers and suppliers of software user documentation.

Current project plan:


WD

CD ballot

FCD ballot

FDIS ballot

ISO publication

Completed

2008-12

2009-06

2009-12

2010-06

Comments:

  1. Will include guidance on accessible software documentation.
  2. Development by ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 7/WG 2 – Software and systems documentation

ISO/IEC 26513 - Software and systems engineering - Requirements for testers and assessors of user documentation

Scope: This standard will support the interests of software users in consistent, complete, accurate, and usable documentation. It is addressed to testers and assessors of software user documentation.

Current project plan:


WD

CD ballot

FCD ballot

FDIS ballot

ISO publication

Completed

Approved

Approved

2009-01

2009-06

Comments:

  1. Will include guidance on testing and assessing software documentation for accessibility.
  2. Development by ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 7/WG 2 – Software and systems documentation

ISO/IEC 29136 - Accessibility functions for personal computers

Scope: This International Standard provides requirements and recommendations for the design of accessibility functions regarding Personal Computers (PCs).
Requirements and recommendations that solely focus on software are not included in this standard. Requirements and recommendations for PC software accessibility are specified in ISO 9241-171.

Current project plan:


WD

CD ballot

DIS ballot

FDIS ballot

ISO Publication

Available

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

Comments:

  1. Development by ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 35/WG 6 (User interface accessibility)
  2. Based upon Japanese national standard JIS X8341-2 Guidelines for older persons and persons with disabilities - Information communication and services - Part 2: Information processing equipment.
  3. The Working Draft is being revised and will be discussed at the WG 6 meeting planned for February 2009.

ISO/IEC TR 29138 - Information technology - Accessibility considerations for people with disabilities

Structure and scopes of parts:

Current project plan:


WD

PDTR ballot

DTR ballot

ISO (TR) Publication

Approved

Approved

Underway,
closed 2008-10-12

TBD

Comments:

ETSI TS 102 577 – Human Factors: Public Internet Access Points (PIAPs)

Scope and field of application: The ETSI Technical Specification will establish and set out guidance for providers and operators of Public Internet Access Points (PIAPs). A "Design for All" approach will be followed to ensure that PIAPs will be more readily accessible to all people, including elderly or disabled users and users from a wide range of cultural backgrounds.

Comments:

ETSI ES 202 076 - Human Factors; User Interfaces; Generic spoken command vocabulary for ICT devices and services

Scope and field of application: This ETSI Standard will specify a minimum set of spoken commands required to control the generic and most common functions of ICT devices and services that use speaker independent speech recognition, developed in a Design for All approach. It will specify the necessary and most common vocabularies to be supported by ICT devices and services for voice input, including command, control and editing and will be applicable to the functions required for navigation, information retrieval, basic call handling and configuration of preferences.

Comments:

ETSI ES 202 975 - Human Factors: Harmonised Relay Services

Scope and field of application: The standard will set out the requirements for the provision of all kinds of relay services in all networks. It will identify those new types of text phone services that are IP based and make recommendations on how they should be handled. The provisions in this standard will directly assist users who are unable to hear and/or speak. This work will convert and update ETSI TR 101 806 (Guidelines for relay services) into an ETSI Standard.

Comments:

ETSI TR 102 612 - Human Factors: European accessibility requirements for public procurement of products and services in the ICT domain (European Commission Mandate M/376, Phase 1)

ETSI established Specialist Task Force (STF) 333 in response to Phase 1 of Mandate M/376 on European accessibility requirements for public procurement of products and services in the ICT domain. The activity is being co-ordinated between ETSI, CEN and CENELEC.

Scope and field of application: The ETSI STF has produced:

Current plan:

The public commenting period is now closed (4 public drafts were provided) and the final draft report has been submitted for approval by ETSI and CEN management.
The draft will then be submitted to the European Commission for approval. This process closes in March 2009.

Comments:

ETSI ES 202 746 - Human Factors: Personalization and user profile management; User profile preferences and information standardization

Background: Personalization and effective user profile management will be critical to achieve eInclusion and eAccessibility. The objective of this work is to provide means to achieve the goal of the new ICT era where services and devices can be personalized by the users in order to meet the individual users’ requirements and needs, in various situations.

The ETSI STF 265 on "User Profile Management" produced an ETSI Guide, EG 202 325, that described the concept and established a set of guidelines relevant to users and their need for managing their user profiles to personalize their services and terminals. It is necessary that different services and terminals understand users’ preferences and offer an expected user experience. This STF will build on the results from STF 265 and perform further standardization work.

Comments:

CEN/BT WG 185 PT - Report on Conformance schemes (Second report as requested by M/376, Phase 1)

In parallel to the ETSI Specialist Task Force 333 (see above) CEN has established a project team to produce a report under Phase 1 which “will present an analysis on testing and conformity schemes of products and services meeting accessibility requirements.”

Current plan:

The public commenting period is now closed and the final draft report is being submitted for approval by ETSI and CEN management.
The draft will then be submitted to the European Commission for approval. This process closes in March 2009.

Comments:

Draft BS 8878:2009 Web accessibility – Building accessible experiences for disabled people – Code of practice

(BSi) New Web accessibility standard in development
From the BSi web site: “BSI British Standards has established a new technical committee with responsibility for the development of a British Standard on web accessibility. The standard will enable all types of organizations and individuals to commission and maintain websites which are accessible to all their potential audiences.

The new consensus standard will build on PAS 78, Guide to good practice in commissioning accessible websites, which has been a great success in terms of demand and application.  It will take into account developments in technology and web use since the publication of PAS 78 in March 2006, such as an increase in user generated content and social networking and will consider the accessibility of tools used by web designers.”

Comments:

(BSi) PAS 124:2008 – Defining, implementing and managing website standards: A statement of best practice.

PAS 124 provides guidance for best practice in defining, implementing and managing website standards in companies and organizations. This PAS is aimed at public and private organizations with public websites, intranets or extranets, specifically:

Comments:

British Standard (BS) to support “Readability”

A proposal has been prepared to produce a new BS to support readability.

Its purpose would be to provide a standard that has wide industry and public sector support, this standard will support development of Web bases materials ensuring that the subject of readability is addressed to enable target audiences within the fields of learning, education and training to be provided with correctly written subject materials.

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JIS X8341-1: 2004 - Guidelines for older persons and persons with disabilities - information communication equipment, software and services - Part1: Common Guidelines 2

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JIS X8341-2: 2004 - Guidelines for older persons and persons with disabilities - Information communication equipment and services - Part 2: Information processing equipment  

Scope: This part of JIS X 8341 specifies the matters to consider when planning, developing and designing the information processing equipment and its peripheral device in order to ensure information accessibility when mainly older persons, persons with disabilities and persons with temporary disabilities (hereafter referred to as “older persons and persons with disabilities”) use the information processing equipment and its peripheral device.

Comments:

JIS X8341-3: 2004 - Guidelines for older persons and persons with disabilities - Information communication equipment and services - Part 3: Web content

Scope: This Standard provides a set of guidelines which must be taken into consideration
in planning, designing, development, production, operation and maintenance (hereafter referred to as “planning and production”) of Web content to insure and improve information accessibility primarily for older persons, persons with disabilities, and persons with temporary disabilities (hereafter referred to as “older and disabled persons”) when they use Web content.

“Web content” in this Standard refers to various information and services which are accessed by users through a Web browser and other means, and is applied, for instance, to electronic document created using World Wide Web technology and distributed through the Internet, intranet, and on recorded media, such as CD-ROM, as well as equipment which is designed to be operated using a Web browser.

This Standard is applied also to new technology relevant to the World Wide Web.

This Standard, however, does not necessarily need to be applied to new World Wide Web technology which is in research and development phase.

Comments:

JIS X8341-4: 2005 - Guidelines for older persons and persons with disabilities - Information communication equipment and services - Part 4: Telecommunications equipment

Scope: This Standard specifies the matter to consider when the telecommunications equipment is planned, developed and designed in order to ensure and improve telecommunications accessibility in the case where mainly older persons. Persons with disabilities and persons with temporary disabilities (hereafter referred to as “older persons and persons with disabilities”) use telecommunications equipment.

Comments:

  1. The Japanese accessibility standard applicable to telecommunications equipment
  2. ITU-T SG16 had responsibility of the development of F.790 the baseline document of which became JIS X8341-4.
  3. JIS X8341-3 will be revised in 2010 (five years after publication in 2005) that will be an identical to F.790.

JIS X8341-5: 2005 - Guidelines for older persons and persons with disabilities - Information communication equipment and services - Part 5: Office equipment

  1. The Japanese accessibility standard applicable to office equipment.
  2. JIS X8341-3 will be revised in 2011 (five years after publication in 2006) and will be identical to ISO/IEC 10779, the baseline document of which was JIS X8341-5.

TTAK.KO-06.0180 - AD (Automatic Identification and Data Capture) 2D Bar Code for Visually Impaired Persons

Overview: This Korean specification will define the requirements for the AD 2D barcode symbology. It specifies AD 2D barcode symbology characteristics like as location and size, data character encoding, symbol formats, dimensions and print quality requirements, error correction rules, decoding algorithm and user-selectable application parameters for the blind to access information on printed materials.

TTAK.KO-06.0181 - 2D Barcode for Printed Material Accessibility with Text to Speech for Visually Impaired Persons

Overview: This Korean specification will define the requirements for the 2D Barcode symbology. It specifies 2D Barcode symbology characteristics like as location and size, data character encoding, symbol formats, dimensions and print quality requirements, error correction rules, decoding algorithm and user-selectable application parameters for the blind to access information on printed materials.

ISO/IEC Guide 71:2001 - Guidelines to address the needs of older persons and people with disabilities when developing standards

Scope: This Guide provides guidance to writers of relevant International Standards on how to take into account the needs of older persons and persons with disabilities. Whilst recognizing that some people with very extensive and complex disabilities may have requirements beyond the level addressed in this Guide, a very large number of people have minor impairments which can be easily addressed by relatively small changes of approach in standards, thereby increasing the market for the product or service.

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