D: Definition of Accessible Design
- Introduction
- D-1. What is the definition of Universal Design? Design-for-all? Every Citizen Interfaces (ECI)?
- D-2. What is the scope of Accessible Design?
- D-3. What are the perceptions of the field of Accessible Design?
- D-4. What experiences have other countries had with Accessible
Design?
Introduction
Accessible design has also been referred to as universal design, design-for-all, and every citizen interfaces. However, the central concept of all these terms can be reduced to the design of interfaces such that they are accessible by a wide range of users. The European Commission concluded:
“Desk research showed almost identical definitions and conclusions in American discussions of ‘universal design’ and ‘accessibility’ and European ones on ‘barrier free design’, ‘usability’, and ‘Design for All’. All agree upon the American Trace Center definition of ‘universal design’…This normative concept implies that designers have to look at a person with a disability just as they look at any other person.” (European Commission, 1998)Accessible design means designing products such that both individuals with and without disabilities can use them. This includes people with vision, hearing, mobility, cognitive and other impairments, as well as anyone who might be experiencing a temporary disability due to an illness or accident. Accessible design also accounts for the elderly population, which is generally characterized by a gradual loss of ability of some sort. Accessible design also ensures effective implementation of technology in a variety of environments or conditions that would cause individuals who are not normally impaired to be temporally impaired. For example, if someone is using their visual channel in the performance of a demanding task, such as driving a car, their visual channel cannot be utilized for the operation of other equipment without impairment of the primary task. Similarly, someone who walks into a noisy environment may have difficulty hearing and comprehending information from an auditory display.
Weiser, et al (n.d.) believes that every citizen interfaces should be invisible, such that they are a natural part of the environment, rather than being identified as a tool to help someone with a disability. Vanderheiden (1997) emphasizes that anyone, at any time, can experience functional limitations, and therefore, the goal of accessible design is to maximize the range of people that can access and use technology.
There are many challenges and barriers to incorporating accessible design in mainstream society. The primary one is lack of knowledge about what accessible design is, and why it is important. Once individuals and organizations develop an understanding of it, most are quite open to including it in their designs (European Commission, 1998). On the other hand, there are many who are aware of the need for improved access, particularly with the multitude of technological advances, and are working toward promoting the concepts and researching methodologies (Feruzig & Goldberg, n.d.). Many software companies (e.g., Macromedia, IBM, Microsoft) have taken extensive steps to develop inclusive technologies.
Morrow (n.d.) and others perceive accessible design as being much more expensive to implement, though this is usually not the case. The United States appears to be far ahead of other countries in implementing and regulating universal access, but there have been efforts by other countries as well.
The following table contains a number of definitions found in the literature that pertain to the concept of accessible design.
Table 2: Common Definitions of Accessible Design Terminology.
| Universal Design | “the practice of designing products or environments that can be
effectively and efficiently used by people with a wide range of abilities
operating in a wide range of situations” (Vanderheiden, 1997) “building products that are robust and accommodating. Universal designs take account of differences in sight, hearing, mobility, speech, and cognition. Universal design helps not only people with disabilities, but also any of us when we're tired, busy, or juggling many tasks” (Francik, 1996) “products and buildings that are accessible and usable by everyone, including people with disabilities… Universal design… (as opposed to accessible design)… provides one solution that can accommodate people with disabilities as well as the rest of the population. Moreover, universal design means giving attention to the needs of older people as well as young, women as well as men, left handed persons as well as right handed persons.” (Steinfeld, 1994) “Universal design might be thought of as "accessible" or "inclusive" design. The underlying goal is to design products or services for the fullest range of human function--taking into account the physical, sensory, cognitive, and language needs or abilities of the broadest spectrum of customers during the initial design phase.” (Pacific Bell Network, 1996) “The design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.” (Connell, et al, 1997) “creat(ing) resources that can be used by the widest spectrum of potential visitors rather than an idealized ‘average’.” (University of Washington, n.d.) “the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. The intent of universal design is to simplify life for everyone by making products, communications, and the built environment more usable by as many people as possible at little or no extra cost. Universal design benefits people of all ages and abilities.” (The Center for Universal Design, n.d.) |
| Design for All | “the design of products and environments to be usable by all people,
to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialised
design. The intent of the universal design concept is to simplify life for
everyone by making products, communications, and the built environment more
usable by more people at little or no extra cost. The universal design concept
targets all people of all ages, sizes, and abilities.” (COST 219 Bis,
1997) “the designing of products, services and systems that are flexible enough to be directly used, without assistive devices or modifications, by people within the widest range of abilities and circumstances as is commercially practical” (Porrero & Ballabio, 1998; Quoted in European Commission, 1998) “designing products that are readily useable for most of the potential users without any modification, or are easily adaptable to different users (e.g. by adapting their user interfaces), or have standardised interfaces to be compatible with special products (e.g. special interaction devices) for people with disabilities” (Porrero, 1998; Quoted in European Commission, 1998) |
| Inclusive Design | “a feature of mainstream technology: part of the quality of mass market products and services, which makes them usable for a wider market” (InClude, 1999) |
| Accessible Design | “maximizing the number of potential customers who can readily use
a product. While no product can be readily used by everyone, accessible
design can impact market size and market share through consideration of
the functional needs of all consumers, including those who experience functional
limitations as a result of aging or disabling conditions” (TIA Access,
1996) “products and buildings that are accessible and usable by people with disabilities… Accessible design has a tendency to lead to separate facilities for people with disabilities, for example, a ramp set off to the side of a stairway at an entrance or a wheelchair accessible toilet stall.” (Steinfeld, 1994) “can make it possible for everyone, including people with varying degrees of disabilities, to use (technology) successfully in work, education, and recreation” (Microsoft, n.d.) “can be accessed by anyone” (RNIB, 2000) “maximizing the number of potential customers who can readily use a product” (Monterey Technologies, Inc., 1996) |
D-1. What is the definition of Universal Design? Design-for-all? Every Citizen
Interfaces (ECI)?
Accessible design, frequently equated with Universal Design, Inclusive Design, and Design for All (European Commission, 1998; Microsoft, n.d.; Pacific Bell Network, 1996; RNIB, 2000), is the practice of designing environments and products to be usable by people with the widest possible range of abilities and in the widest possible range of situations (Francik, 1996; Steinfeld, 1994; Vanderheiden, 1997). Accessible environments and products are readily usable by all people, or are easily adapted, without modification or specialized design (Connell, et al, 1997; Porrero, 1998; Quoted in European Commission, 1998; Porrero & Ballabio, 1998; in European Commission, 1998).
Steinfeld (1994) distinguishes between accessible design and universal design, describing the former as design that promotes accessibility by individuals with disabilities, but often produces environments and products that are specialized for use by individuals with disabilities (such as wheelchair ramps or specialized bathroom stalls). Universal design, in contrast, is expected to benefit both users with and without disabilities alike (through such developments as phone keypads that can be operated without sight). This distinction is often not made.
Not a design practice, like Accessible Design and Design for All, but a design product, Every Citizen Interfaces (ECIs) are developed in the spirit of maximizing the range of individuals who can use a product (CSTB, CPSMA, & NRC, 1997 ). In the case of ECIs, however, specific access to the national information infrastructure is of primary interest.
Francik, E. (1996). Telephone interfaces: Universal design filters. Retrieved January 18, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://www.trace.wisc.edu/docs/taacmtg_aug96/pbfilter.htm
Gjöderum, J. (Ed.). (NFTH/COST219). Text telephony for deaf, hearing impaired, deaf-blind, and speech impaired people. Retrieved December 12, 2000, from the World Wide Web: http://www.stakes.fi/cost219/Texttelephony.htm
InClude. (1999, December). Handbook on Inclusive Design of Telematics Applications (Sections 1 through 3). Retrieved December 12, 2000, from the World Wide Web: http://www.stakes.fi/include/handbook.htm
Namioka & Fisher. (n.d.). Position papers on application areas regarding every-citizen interfaces in the nation's information infrastructure. Retrieved December 12, 2000, from the World Wide Web: http://stills.nap.edu/html/screen/13.html
TIA Access. (1996, November). Resource guide for accessible design of consumer electronics. Electronic Industries Alliance/Electronic Industries Foundation. Retrieved January 9, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.tiaonline.org/access/guide.html
Vanderheiden, G. C. (1997). Design for people with functional limitations resulting from disability, aging, and circumstance. In G. Salvendy (Ed.), Handbook of human factors and ergonomics (2nd Ed., pp. 2010-2052). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Weiser, Maybury, Shedroff, Winograd, Siewiorek, & Tognazzini. (n.d.). Position papers on interface specifics regarding every-citizen interfaces in the nation's information infrastructure. (n.d.). Retrieved December 12, 2000, from the World Wide Web: http://stills.nap.edu/html/screen/11.html
D-2. What is the scope of Accessible Design?
Accessible design is applicable to a wide range of commercial products, from buildings and playgrounds to telephones and cutlery (Steinfeld, 1994). Accessible design is expected to increase the accessibility of all man-made environments or products, to varying degrees. (For example, a web site could be made accessible to individuals who have cognitive or movement limitations, but a high-performance aircraft cockpit could not. While the application of accessible design principles could make the cockpit interface easier to use in highly attention-demanding situations, or even across users who do not share languages, such an interface would likely remain inaccessible to individuals who have severe cognitive or movement impairments.) Legislation notes that environments and telecommunications products must be made as widely accessible as possible but only where it is “readily achievable” or does not pose “undue burden” (Access Board, 1998, 2001). Presumably, for highly specialized devices, such as cockpit or command and control center interfaces, truly accessible design is not “readily achievable”.
The benefit of accessible design extends to a population with a wide range of characteristics, including cognitive, perceptual, and movement disabilities, age, sex, education level, nationality, and circumstance (Vanderheiden, 1997). In this way, the scope of accessible design is broader than that of user-centered design. As opposed to a specific population of users, accessible design principles have been based on the access needs of a very general population of users (COST 219, n.d.; Vanderheiden, 1997). Accessible design is not, however, an attempt to make products available to individuals who could not otherwise afford them. Accessible design is an engineering and architectural endeavor and not a method of social reform.
Preiser, W. F. E. (n.d.).Universal Design Evaluation. Proceedings, Designing for the 21st Century II: An International Conference on Universal Design. Boston: Adaptive Environments Center.
Steinfeld, E. (1994). The concept of universal design. Buffalo, NY: E. Steinfeld. Retrieved January 3, 2001 from the World Wide Web:
Click here to go to this resource. (http://www.arch.buffalo.edu/~idea/publications/free_pubs/
pubs_cud.html)
Vanderheiden, G. C. (1997). Design for people with functional limitations resulting from disability, aging, and circumstance. In G. Salvendy (Ed.), Handbook of human factors and ergonomics (2nd Ed., pp. 2010-2052). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
D-3. What are the perceptions of the field of Accessible Design?
Designers in industry are often unaware of the needs of older adults and individuals with disabilities, and are unaware of accessible design principles (European Commission, 1998). In other cases, accessible design is often thought of as a costly, effortful, time-consuming process that is not worthwhile in designing commercial products because individuals with disabilities do not represent a sizable target market (e.g., InClude, 1999). However, several companies in Europe and the US are recognizing not only the legal ramifications but also the business ramifications of failing to incorporate accessible design principles in the design process (e.g., European Commission, 1998; IBM, n.d.).
The Trace Center in Wisconsin conducted a 3-year research project toward identifying the factors determining the acceptance of accessible design in industry. Several attitudes toward accessible design, both negative and positive, have been identified. The negative attitudes include fear that applying accessible design principles will result in increased litigation by dissatisfied customers, fear that since products cannot be truly accessible to everyone they will leave more customers dissatisfied, and belief that incorporating accessible design principles into the design process will require substantial retraining of staff designers. Positive attitudes include belief that accessible design is cost-effective, appealing to the average user as well as the user with disabilities, and beneficial for increasing the target market.
Christenson, M. A.. (n.d.). Roadblocks to incorporating universal design. Proceedings, Designing for the 21st Century II: An International Conference on Universal Design. Boston: Adaptive Environments Center.
European Commission. (1998). Design for all and ICT business practice: Addressing the barriers. Examples of best practice (EC Ref. Number 98.70.022). Telematics Applications Programme: “Design-for-All” for an Inclusive Information Society, Brussels.
Feurzeig, Porter & Goldberg. (n.d.). .Position papers on selected population groups regarding every-citizen interfaces in the nation's information infrastructure. Retrieved December 12, 2000, from the World Wide Web: http://stills.nap.edu/html/screen/14.html
Gill, J. (2000, November). Approaches for influencing the design of new telecommunication systems and services. Retrieved January 4, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.tiresias.org/reports/approach.htm
IBM. (n.d.). Identifying reasons for producing accessible content and products. Retrieved, December 15, 2000, from the World Wide Web (link updated September 22, 2003): http://www.ibm.com/able/access_ibm/reasons.html
InClude. (1999, December). Handbook on Inclusive Design of Telematics Applications (Sections 1 through 3). Retrieved December 12, 2000, from the World Wide Web: http://www.stakes.fi/include/handbook.htm
Internet World. (2000, October 25). Macromedia enables creation of accessible web content. Retrieved January 9, 2001, from the World Wide Web (link updated September 22, 2003):
Click here to go to this resource. (http://www.macromedia.com/macromedia/proom/pr/2000/
accessibility.html)
Macromedia. (2000, October). Accessibility at Macromedia. Retrieved January 9, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.macromedia.com/macromedia/accessibility/
Morrow, R. (n.d.). Inclusion as a critical tool in design education. Proceedings, Designing for the 21st Century II: An International Conference on Universal Design. Boston: Adaptive Environments Center.
NCR. (2001, January). Access for all. Retrieved January 9, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.ncr.com/solutions/self-service/access_for_all.htm
Qualcomm. (1999). Creating possibilities with accessibility. Retrieved January 9, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.qualcomm.com/corporate/accessibility/index.html
Royal National Institute for the Blind. (2000, November 12). Accessible web design. Retrieved December 15, 2000, from the World Wide Web: http://www.rnib.org.uk/digital/hints.htm
Sun Microsystems. (2000). Accessibility Program. Retrieved January 9, 2001 from the World Wide Web: http://www.sun.com/access/general/overview.html
Tedeschi, B. (2001, January 1). E-Commerce Report. New York Times.
Trace Center. (n.d.). Universal design research project. Retrieved January 25, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.trace.wisc.edu/docs/univ_design_res_proj/udrp.htm
Vanderheiden, G. C. (In print). Telecommunications - accessibility and future directions. In Abascal, J., & Nicolle, C. (Eds.), Inclusive guidelines for HCI.
Vanderheiden, G. C. (1990). Thirty-something million: Should they be exceptions? Human Factors, 32, 383-396.
Vanderheiden, G., Vanderheiden, K., & Tobias, J. (n.d.). Universal design motivators and facilitators. Proceedings, Designing for the 21st Century II: An International Conference on Universal Design. Boston: Adaptive Environments Center.
Weiser, Maybury, Shedroff, Winograd, Siewiorek, & Tognazzini. (n.d.). Position papers on interface specifics regarding every-citizen interfaces in the nation's information infrastructure. Retrieved December 12, 2000, from the World Wide Web: http://stills.nap.edu/html/screen/11.html
D-4. What experiences have other countries had with Accessible Design?
The experience in other countries with accessible design has been similar to that in the US, with the exception that the US has regulations requiring accessibility, while some other nations apparently do not (Gill, 2000). That is, individuals with disabilities in other nations experience similar barriers to accessibility, such as web sites that are not compatible with screen readers, voice interactive menus that advance too quickly, and product information that is unavailable in alternate formats (HREOC, 2000). Further, other nations have attempted to remove accessibility barriers through promoting accessible design (or Design for All) principles and guidelines for design (e.g., European Commission, 1998; InClude, 1999; PSCC, n.d.) and providing online resources to product developers (COST 219, n.d.; Engelen, et al, 1999; RNIB, 2000). Advocates of accessible design in some countries, however, must sell the idea of accessibility to developers and legislators because the government does not require it (Gill, 2000).
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. (2000). Accessibility of Electronic Commerce and New Service and Information Technologies for Older Australians and People with a Disability: Report of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission on a reference from the Attorney-General, 31 March 2000. Retrieved January 26, 2001 from the World Wide Web (link updated September 22, 2003): http://www.independentliving.org/docs4/hreo2000.html
Independent Living. Report on a Priority Theme: Accessibility on the Internet. Retrieved January 24, 2001, from the World Wide Web (link updated September 22, 2003): http://www.independentliving.org/docs5/UN-Report-accessibility-on-the-internet.html
Internet Industry Association. IIA Warns SOGOC: Disability Web Decision Puts Businesses on Notice. Retrieved January 24, 2001, from the World Wide Web (link updated September 22, 2003): http://www.independentliving.org/docs5/sydney-olympics-blind-accessibility-decision-press-release.html
Public Service Commission of Canada. Building the Site. Retrieved January 25, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://canada.gc.ca/programs/guide/3_1_4e.html