[gui-talk] NCD Explores Emerging Technology Trends and Provides Strategies for Change

[David Andrews]

>From: Mark Quigley <MQuigley at NCD.GOV>
>Subject: NCD Explores Emerging Technology Trends 
>and Provides Strategies for Change
>Date: Wed, 27 Dec 2006 14:48:23 -0500
>
>NEWS RELEASE
>
>NCD #06-528
>
>December 27, 2006
>
>Contact: Mark S. Quigley
>
>202-272-2004
>
>202-272-2074 TTY
>
>
>
>National Council on Disability Explores Emerging 
>Technology Trends and Provides Strategies for Change
>
>WASHINGTON¯The National Council on Disability 
>(NCD) today released Over the Horizon: Potential 
>Impact of Emerging Trends in Information and 
>Communication Technology on Disability Policy 
>and Practice 
>(http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2006/emerging_trends.htm), 
>a policy paper that explores key trends in 
>information and communication technology, 
>highlights the potential opportunities and 
>problems these trends present for people with 
>disabilities, and suggests some strategies to 
>maximize opportunities and avoid potential problems and barriers.
>
>The technologies used in information and 
>communication products are advancing at an ever 
>increasing rate. Devices are getting smaller, 
>lighter, cheaper, and more capable. Electronics 
>are being incorporated into practically 
>everything, making a wide variety of products 
>programmable, and thus more flexible. Computing 
>power is increasing exponentially.
>
>According to NCD chairperson John R. Vaughn, 
>"The more reliant society becomes on technology 
>to perform fundamental aspects of every-day 
>living, how we work, communicate, learn, shop, 
>and interact with our environment , the more 
>imperative it is that people with disabilities 
>have access to that same technology, and the 
>more costly will be the consequences of failure to ensure access."
>
>
>
>This paper discusses technology trends that 
>present opportunities for universally designed 
>products, and for improved availability, 
>usability, and affordability of assistive 
>technology that can have significant impact on 
>quality of life for people with disabilities. 
>The first trend discussed is the ever-increasing 
>computational power plus the decreasing size and 
>cost of technology-resulting in technology that 
>is more portable, affordable, and for which it 
>is easier to build in access. Second, advances 
>in interface technology are creating new 
>opportunities for better assistive technologies, 
>more accessible mainstream technologies, and 
>entirely new ways for users to control both. 
>Third, new advances will soon enable people to 
>be connected to communication and information 
>networks, at any time, wherever they are-making 
>real time assistance only a button press or 
>voice command away. Finally, the proliferation 
>of virtual places via the World Wide Web is 
>changing the way we approach communications, 
>education, work, and commerce - increasing 
>access to goods and services without the need to leave home.
>
>Many of the same technological advances that 
>show great promise of improved accessibility, 
>however, also have the potential to create new 
>barriers for people with disabilities. The 
>following are some emerging technology trends 
>that are causing accessibility problems.
>
>*        Devices will continue to get more 
>complex to operate before they get simpler. This 
>is already a problem for mainstream users, but 
>even more of a problem for people with cognitive 
>disabilities and people who have cognitive decline due to aging.
>
>*        Increased use of digital controls 
>(e.g., push buttons used in combination with 
>displays, touch screens, etc.) is creating 
>problems for people with blindness, cognitive, and other disabilities.
>
>*        The shrinking size of products is 
>creating problems for people with physical and visual disabilities.
>
>*        The trend toward closed systems, for 
>digital rights management or security reasons, 
>is preventing people from adapting devices to 
>make them accessible, or from attaching 
>assistive technology so they can access the devices.
>
>*        Increasing use of automated 
>self-service devices, especially in unattended 
>locations, is posing problems for some, and absolute barriers for others.
>
>*        The decrease of face-to-face 
>interaction, and increase in e-business, 
>e-government, e-learning, e-shopping, etc., is 
>resulting in a growing portion of our everyday 
>world and services becoming inaccessible to 
>those who are unable to access these 
>Internet-based places and services, particularly 
>when the Web sites are not created in accordance 
>with Web accessibility standards.
>
>In addition, the incorporation of new 
>technologies into products is causing products 
>to advance beyond current accessibility 
>techniques and strategies. The rapid churn of 
>mainstream technologies, that is, the rapid 
>replacement of one product by another, is so 
>fast that neither assistive technology nor 
>technology-specific accessibility standards are 
>keeping pace. Without action, the gap between 
>the mainstream technology products being 
>introduced and the assistive technologies 
>necessary to make them accessible will increase, 
>as will the numbers of technologies for which no 
>accessibility adaptations are available.
>
>The paper sets forth the following issues for action:
>
>
>*        Maximize the effectiveness of assistive 
>technologies and lower their cost. Key strategy: 
>Foster results oriented R & D all the way to commercial availability.
>
>
>*        Maximize the accessibility of 
>mainstream information and communication 
>technology products, so that people with 
>disabilities and seniors can use standard 
>products as they encounter them. Key strategies: 
>Increase funding for research, proof of concept, 
>and commercial hardening of approaches to 
>accessible design of mainstream products to advance understanding in this area.
>
>
>*        Ensure that access to the Internet and 
>other virtual environments is provided, as it 
>has been to physical places of public accommodation.
>
>
>*        Address new barriers to the 
>accessibility of digital media caused by digital 
>rights management, including when visual and audio rights are sold separately.
>
>
>*        Base all policy regarding information 
>and communication technology accessibility on a 
>realization of the importance of the business 
>case. Where a solid business case cannot be 
>built based on market forces alone, create 
>accessibility regulations and effective 
>enforcement mechanisms that provide a clear 
>profit advantage to those who comply and a disadvantage to those who do not.
>
>
>*        Create accessibility laws and 
>regulations that are not technology specific, 
>but are based on the functions of a device.
>
>
>*        Ensure that up-to-date information 
>about accessible mainstream technology and 
>assistive technology is available to and being used by the public.
>
>
>"The policies we adopt today will determine 
>whether the technology of the future empowers 
>people with disabilities, enabling them to work, 
>learn, communicate, shop, and live independent, 
>productive lives as full and equal members of society," Vaughn concluded.
>
>
>
>For more information, please contact Julie 
>Carroll or Mark S. Quigley at 202-272-2004 or 202-272-2074 TTY.
>
># # #
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>Mark S. Quigley
>
>Director of Communications
>
>National Council on Disability
>
>1331 F Street, NW Suite 850
>
>Washington, DC 20004