Accessibility to broadcasting services for persons with disabilities

There are 650 million people with disabilities in the world today – about 10 per cent of the world’s population – and their proportion and number are growing, as humanity lives longer. A disproportionately high number of those with disabilities are in developing countries. Television, radio, and Internet are an integral part of the fabric of society, and we cannot imagine a “full life’ without them. Having a disability can deny normal access to the media, and this can limit life-choices, personal independence, personal fulfilment, sense of identity, enjoyment, and social cohesion.

What kind of accessible broadcast services may be introduced on what timescale depends on local conditions in each country. This reports analyses technologies that may contribute to accessible services, depending on local conditions.