The Marriage Between Testing and Compliance

Facilitated by:

Debra Ruh, TecAccess

www.TecAccess.net

Panelists:

Chip Gallo, PBGC

Ann Reed, US Marines

Joyce Miller, USPTO

TecAccess

We are a SBA 8(a), SDB, Small Woman-Owned IT Accessibility Company specializing in EIT Accessibility and Section 508 & Section 255 compliance solutions.

TecAccess is uniquely positioned to undertake the challenge of developing creative accessibility solutions because the majority of TecAccess’ associates are persons with disabilities.

We possess the inherent capability of realistically evaluating compliance technology from the perspective of the target audience – people with disabilities.

Elements of Accessibility

Types of Disabilities:

n Blindness and Vision Impairments

n Deafness and Hearing Impairments

n Mobility Impairments

n Cognitive and Learning Disabilities

n Multiple Disabilities

Section 508 Procurement Process Example

n Prior to selecting the software the agency developed a list of:

n content requirements,

n interactivity requirements,

n technical specifications,

n and performed market research

n The agency gave the software to a team to rank the products.

Section 508 Procurement Process Example

n After a review of the criteria,

n The team developed a justification

n Decided that no product with a total score of less than 210 on three items would be selected.

n The team members’ average scores are shown in the next slides.

Section 508 Procurement Process Example

Based on initial review, Vendor A & Vendor B were selected. Section 508 requirements were used to review software. A scale of 1 to 100 was used. A score of 100 indicates that the software fully meets all Section 508 requirements.

Section 508 Procurement Process Example

Vendor A = 50

Vendor B = 75

In this case, Vendor B. was selected. It had the highest score on content and interactivity and the highest score for Section 508 compliance.

Marketing Research

n Requiring activity officials must:

n Identifying applicable technical provisions

n Conduct market research to identify what products, if any, are available to meet those provisions or whether an exception applies

n Draft specifications

n Document non-availability and undue burden determinations.

n Source www.Section508.gov

VPAT

n VPAT 508 Standards: The applicable standards are listed in the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template and can be found on the web at:

n http://www.itic.org/policy/508/vpat.html

Source: US Access Board

Certification and Mandatory Testing?

n Certifications

n Government

n Private Industry

n Should there be mandatory or standardized testing?

n Independent 3rd Party Testing?

n Government

n Private Industry

Standardized Testing?

n Will agencies have a way of obtaining standardized product testing results to determine if EIT meets the Access Board’s technical provisions?

n Currently, there are no uniform testing processes for section 508.

n Source: www.Section508.gov

Gold Standard of Accessibility Testing

n Test for multiple relevant disabilities

n The testing facility must have its own assistive technology

n Testing staff must have experience and solid understanding in dealing with access issues

n Tools

n Human Factors

Standards of Accessibility Testing

Understand Clients’ Capabilities

n Design a standardized test environment by gaining a thorough understanding of the products capabilities.

n At that point decide which variables need to be considered as part of the equation.

Accessibility Test Plan

n Build a solid test plan

n Establish documentation standards for the testing process

n Don’t reinvent the wheel

n Let assistive technology do its job. Enable applications to work with assistive technology rather than replacing them when appropriate.

Demo of AT - Screen Reader

n John O’Rourke

n TecAccess,

n Senior Accessibility Consultant

Best Practices

These Organizations have made:

• Accessibility Part of the Design Process

• No Additional Charge for these solutions

• Universal Design

• Market Differentiator

• Global Advantages

Canon

Canon's vision is to create environments in which all users can live and work together into the future.

Canon is committed to designing products that are accessible to all users regardless of ability, age, or cultural background.

• Global Commitment to Accessibility

• Barrier Free Group

• Testing and Assessment

• Accessible Solutions for Copiers

• Remote UI Copying Feature

• Braille Label

• Accessibility Handle

Accessible Solutions Copiers, continued

• Reversed Display for Control Panel

• Enhanced Push Button Drawer

• Dual Control Panels

• Offset Reader Cable Kit

Other Accessibility Commitments

• www.Canon.com

Avaya

Avaya, formerly AT&T / Lucent Business Communication Systems - Avaya Labs, formerly part of Bell Labs

Avaya Accessibility Goal:

Avaya’s R&D teams wants to provide accessibility inexpensively, thereby minimizing the economic burden imposed on employers who hire people with disabilities.

History of Avaya Accessibility Achievements:

1983: Invent voice-output Blind Attendant Console.

1993: Develop TTY/TDD user interface for the Intuity AUDIX® Voice Messaging System.

2001: Invents world’s first Accessible Voting Solution.

2002: Avaya Advanced Speech Access provides voice access to telephony and messaging functions.

History of Avaya Accessibility Achievements:

2002: Develop TTY/TDD user interface for Avaya IP Office VoiceMail Pro system.

2003: Invent Universal Access Phone Status, software that provides by voice output the information presented by the visual displays and LED’s on business telephones and call center consoles.

2003: Provide enhancements that greatly improve the reliability of TTY transmissions on VoIP networks.

Avaya Best Practices

This is what a normally sighted reader might see in documentation…

Graphic shown is clear

Or what a low-vision reader might see …

Graphic shown is fuzzy

Or this …

Graphic shown is very fuzzy

Or this

Graphic shown is black can not be seen at all

Avaya feels Accessibility in documentation is not a “Black and White” issue

It is better looked at in shades of gray

Best practices and checks help increase information product accessibility

Microsoft Accessibility Accomplishments

The ability to adjust appearance options to enhance accessibility to specific vision, hearing, mobility, cognitive, and seizure-related needs:

• Appearance and behavior controls: including high contrast mode, text, and other ways to customize the settings of the keyboard.

• Display, sound, and mouse functions cursor/mouse pointer/timing options

• Extensive support and documentation for keyboard shortcuts

• Customize desktop elements, including resizing and rearranging toolbars and menus, choosing color, size, sound, and format options.

• Office XP increases your productivity by supplementing traditional mouse and keyboard input with voice commands.

• Dictate text, make direct formatting changes, and navigate menus using speech and voice commands via input by microphone.

Marines

• Who we are

• USMC College of Continuing Education (CCE)

• Standards for all online learning within the Corps

• What we’re doing

• Standardized Courseware Interface

• Style Guide

• Technical Specifications

• Training Vendors

Ann Reed – USMC, College of Continuing Education

Senior Instructional Designer & Project Manager

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation

• Testing and Assessment

• Internal Testing

• Remediation

• Training for Section 508 Compliance

• Online

• Instructor-Led

Chip Gallo - Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp - Web Master

United States Patent and Trademark

Our Solution

Ø 508 Compliance Program

• Process

• What standards are applicable

• Testing and Assessment Project or Program

Ø 504 EIT Program

Ø Micropurchase – Credit Card Process

Joyce Miller – USPTO, Deputy Sections 508 & 504 Coordinator

GSA – www.section508.gov

How can we support the Agencies?

Buy Accessible Services & Products

Market Research

Section 508 Coordinators

Section 508 Training

US Access Board – http://www.access-board.gov/

Independent Federal Agency devoted to accessibility for people with disabilities.

Section 508 Key responsibilities:

• Developing and maintaining accessibility requirements for E&IT

• Providing technical assistance and training on these guidelines and standards

• Enforcing accessibility standards for federally funded facilities

The Marriage Between Testing and Compliance

Elements of Accessibility

Types of Disabilities:

n Blindness and Vision Impairments

n Deafness and Hearing Impairments

n Mobility Impairments

n Cognitive and Learning Disabilities

n Multiple Disabilities

Section 508 Procurement Process Example

n Prior to selecting the software the agency developed a list of:

n content requirements,

n interactivity requirements,

n technical specifications,

n and performed market research

n The agency gave the software to a team to rank the products.

Section 508 Procurement Process Example

n After a review of the criteria,

n The team developed a justification

n Decided that no product with a total score of less than 210 on three items would be selected.

n The team members’ average scores are shown in the next slides.

Section 508 Procurement Process Example

Based on initial review, Vendor A & Vendor B were selected. Section 508 requirements were used to review software. A scale of 1 to 100 was used. A score of 100 indicates that the software fully meets all Section 508 requirements.

Section 508 Procurement Process Example

In this case, Vendor B. was selected. It had the highest score on content and interactivity and the highest score for Section 508 compliance.

Marketing Research

n Requiring activity officials must:

n Identifying applicable technical provisions

n Conduct market research to identify what products, if any, are available to meet those provisions or whether an exception applies

n Draft specifications

n Document non-availability and undue burden determinations.

n Source www.Section508.gov

VPAT

n VPAT 508 Standards: The applicable standards are listed in the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template and can be found on the web at:

n http://www.itic.org/policy/508/vpat.html

Source: US Access Board

Standardized Testing?

n Will agencies have a way of obtaining standardized product testing results to determine if EIT meets the Access Board’s technical provisions?

n Currently, there are no uniform testing processes for section 508.

n Source: www.Section508.gov

Gold Standard of Accessibility Testing

n Test for multiple relevant disabilities

n The testing facility must have its own assistive technology

n Testing staff must have experience and solid understanding in dealing with access issues

n Tools

n Human Factors

Standards of Accessibility Testing

Understand Clients’ Capabilities

n Design a standardized test environment by gaining a thorough understanding of the products capabilities.

n At that point decide which variables need to be considered as part of the equation.

Accessibility Test Plan

n Build a solid test plan

n Establish documentation standards for the testing process

n Don’t reinvent the wheel

n Let assistive technology do its job. Enable applications to work with assistive technology rather than replacing them when appropriate.

Demo of AT - Screen Reader

n John O’Rourke

n TecAccess,

n Senior Accessibility Consultant

Best Practices

These Organizations have made:

• Accessibility Part of the Design Process

• No Additional Charge for these solutions

• Universal Design

• Market Differentiator

• Global Advantages

Avaya Best Practices

This is what a normally sighted reader might see in documentation…

Graphic shown is clear

Or what a low-vision reader might see …

Graphic shown is fuzzy

Or this …

Graphic shown is very fuzzy

Or this

Graphic shown is black can not be seen at all

Avaya feels Accessibility in documentation is not a “Black and White” issue

It is better looked at in shades of gray

Best practices and checks help increase information product accessibility

Questions?

druh@tecaccess.net

www.TecAccess.Net