ISO/IEC JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility (SWG-A)
JTC 1 SWG-A N 209

2006-09-22

Replaces:	SWG-A N 188
Title:	Introduction to the User Needs Summary
Source:	Dr. Hajime Yamada, Ad Hoc 5 Leader

Requested	
Action:
Per SWG-A Brussels Resolution 16:  Acceptance of the User Needs Summary Introduction:
The JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility accepts SWG-A N 209 as the Introduction to the User Needs Summary for incorporation into Version 1.0 of the User Needs Summary.

Unanimous

JTC 1 SWG on Accessibility Secretariat
ITI/INCITS
1250 Eye Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20005
jgarner@itic.org

Introduction to User Needs Summary

JTC 1 believes that the work in the area of Information Communication Technology (ICT) standardization for accessibility is a major undertaking, encompassing many global, regional and local interests.  Additionally, there are significant standards efforts taking place in ISO, IEC, ITU and the national and regional standards bodies as well as various consortia/fora and user groups.

As identified in its long term business plan and to be responsive to global, regional, national, and end user requirements in the area of ICT accessibility, JTC 1 established a Special Working Group on Accessibility (SWG-A) in 2005.  The SWG-A is an open forum where everyone can participate.  Standardization organizations, organizations of and for people with disabilities, industry associations and individual experts in ICT accessibility participated in the development of the User Needs Summary.

The User Needs Summary is;
·	the first deliverable of SWG-A;
·	a document that gathers accessibility needs of ICT users, including those with the widest range of capabilities; and
·	a document that can be used to analyze whether or not an ICT accessibility standard fully takes into account the user needs.

The number of people using ICT equipment and services, which combine hardware, software, and network technologies, is increasing, as is the variety of ICT equipment and services.  Our everyday lives are filled with such equipment and services.

Currently available ICT equipment and services, however, are not always accessible. Typically, the people most excluded by poor accessibility of equipment and services are those with disabilities and those with limitations due to age.  However, they are not the only ones who experience difficulty in operating ICT equipment, such as personal computers (PCs).  It is essential to improve ICT accessibility so that people with such special needs can access to ICT equipment and services.  The improvement of accessibility of equipment and services benefits all users, not only people with such special needs, leading to an inclusive e-society.

By providing appropriate ICT accessibility standards, the market of accessible ICT equipment and services will develop more efficiently and effectively.  Standardization encourages organizations to address the needs of the people with disabilities and people with limitations due to age and triggers development of ICT equipment and services with built in accessibility.

Standardization bodies are starting to address disability and age-related issues and will, increasingly, develop and implement policies and programs in their standards development to include the needs of both people with disabilities and people with limitations due to age.  Individuals have different access needs because of their different level of capabilities and disabilities.  Particularly people with multiple disabilities have distinct needs.  The great variety and distinctiveness of individual differences make it difficult to gather the needs which address the widest range of capabilities and disabilities.

The User Needs Summary will be used to map existing standards and then define gaps between the user needs and ICT accessibility standards.  The gap analysis will improve both the awareness of and the quality of ICT accessibility standards and hence the quality of ICT equipment and services.

Some standards cover limited domains and in such cases some user needs will not apply. For example, visual accessibility needs are generally not relevant to standards addressing the ability to exert force.  Standardization organizations can selectively use the user needs summary for their own purposes.

JTC1 encourages standardization organizations to utilize the User Needs Summary in a variety of ways, including developing and improving the coverage of accessibility issues in their ICT standards.  JTC1 SWG-A would appreciate feedback from standardization organizations on how they have used the User Needs Summary, their findings in general and new work initiated as a result.