Why accessibility in emerging technologies?
It is important for new emerging networks and services, for example
NGN, to consider accessibility from the very beginning. When planning, developing,
designing and distributing telecommunications equipment and services,
developers should consider people with special requirements to ensure
that they can gain the same benefits from ICT as the wider population.
Simply, it makes sound business sense for the largest number of
people to have access to ICTs. And with the emerging baby boomer market
and a generally increased life expectancy, more and more people will
find themselves with impaired hearing, sight etc, so it becomes more and
more important to take into account accessibility needs.
Taking into account the Total Conversation
concept in the creation of
new ICT standards will reduce the cost of having to redesign or add
costly amendments later. Worldwide compatibility and interoperability is
not only important for mainstream communication, but also in
communication for those with accessibility needs. And for this reason
accessibility needs should be regarded in the same light from the beginning.
SG 16 works with other ITU-T SGs on accessibility and its recently
created checklist will help standards writers take into account needs in
their recommendations.
Examples of emerging technologies
"Design for All" principles have been taken into account in
NGN
(next generation networks) work at an early stage. The
Accessibility
guidelines developed by Study Group 16 are referenced in the NGN
Release 1 specifications.
IPTV will require captioning for deaf and the hard-of-hearing and
live real time voice descriptions for the blind in order to be
accessible. It will be important to take into account these needs in
future standardization work. Accessibility needs are also important in
the Home Networking standards work taking place in SG 4, 9, 15,
16, 17 and the Joint Co-ordination Activity on Home Networking. And in
Cable TV, which is under the responsibility of SG 9,
accessibility needs are also important.
Another emerging technology in which ITU has a hand is
RFID
(radio frequency identification). Applications are in the planning
stage, but for example a scenario could be envisaged where someone with
accessibility needs equipped with an RFID tag approaches a telephone and
the RFID reader in that phone recognizes that the person is deaf and
makes the necessary adjustments. And for this type of application to
work on a universal scale, standards are imperative. |