Copyright 2004 National Journal Group, Inc.
National Journal's Technology Daily

PM Edition

Thursday, October 28, 2004

LENGTH: 486 words

HEADLINE: CULTURE: Council For Disabled Urges Universal Design For; Technologies

BYLINE: Chloe Albanesius

BODY: Today's market lacks universally designed technologies that both able-bodied and disabled consumers can use, according to a study released Thursday by the National Council on Disability. Companies have tried to keep their disabled customers in mind when designing products, the report concluded, but in most cases they tend to design technologies for the disabled that will be used separately from the rest of the population.

The report said attention to the subject is critical because "we are in the window of opportunity for implementing Section 508 (http://www.section508.gov/)," a mandate requiring federal agencies to eliminate barriers to using information technology. "If industry does not see (that) federal agencies are serious about implementing Section 508 in a consistent manner, companies will shift the monetary and human resources needed for improving accessibility to product development opportunities that offer a higher return on investment," the report said.

To that end, the council tested six products lines from the telecommunications, software, electronics and digital services industries for accessibility and usability.

Researchers urged government to institute procedures to ensure that agency officials pay enough attention to Section 508 rules on procuring technology. They also recommended an internal analysis on the impact that the rules have on procurement and publication of the results "as a way of convincing industry that the federal government is committed to Section 508." The government also needs a checklist for product lines likely to be purchased that officials can use when doing market research, the council's report said.

Coordination between state and local governments is key, the report added, and researchers should push for "documents and training programs designed to ensure unification of technical requirements."

In the user segment of the research, the council found that disabled users often pay too much for telephones with added features that are essentially useless. The council also found that rapid advances in technology often lead to decreased accessibility to that technology.

Few sales associates are familiar with the accessibility features of certain products, the report said, while users are reluctant to adopt technologies that have been bothersome or that have not yet established records on accessibility. To promote universal design, the council recommended support for university-level training materials to better educate future designers on technology needs. The industry also needs a standard for testing accessibility and coordination, the report said.

"While it is impossible to satisfy the needs of all users, products and services that come closer to accommodating a variety of physical and cognitive differences will benefit both users and companies," researchers concluded.

LOAD-DATE: October 28, 2004