SAP DESIGN GUILD

Leading Article

By Dena Schumila, ACC, SAP Labs, Palo Alto – 02/18/2002

Disclaimer: Please note that this article was written in 2002. Therefore, statements in the articles, particularly those regarding SAP's products, product strategy, and organizational structure, may no longer be valid.
For up-to-date information on SAP's accessibility strategy, please refer to "Accessibility" on the SAP Service Marketplace or the current edition on accessibility.

Introduction

"But is it accessible?" This is the question that is being heard more and more frequently by those who provide and develop E&IT (electronic and information technology)-related products and services.

"But what is accessibility?" This is the question being asked by those in the E&IT realm in return.

The trend in software design to simulate real-world activities as closely as possible has spawned a multitude of user interfaces that are highly visual, highly auditory, and highly interactive. For computer users with disabilities, however, the audio/visual bells and whistles, combined with the interactive aspects of such "direct manipulation interfaces" can result in software applications that are difficult to grasp and even more difficult to use.

This is because people with disabilities typically access computer-based materials with the help of adapted software and hardware that do things like translate visual components of an interface (such as graphics and icons), and auditory information (such as error messages and spoken content) into text-based descriptions. In addition, many computer users with disabilities are unable to track the movement of a mouse on the screen, or cannot physically hold or manipulate the actual mouse, itself. These individuals must also rely on special technologies to simulate the functionality of a conventional pointing device. In short, without a mouse, many of the objects in a "direct manipulation interface" cannot be accessed or manipulated at all.

 

Accessibility 101

Access to mainstream products, services, and information is a luxury that most people take for granted. For persons with disabilities, however, this access is often impeded by a lack of awareness about how to implement and develop necessary accommodations, and a lack of understanding about how badly they are needed.

In software design, accessibility means taking into account the needs of people with functional differences who are unable to operate conventional mice or keyboards, or process information in traditional sensory modalities. Enhancing the usability of computer?based programs and electronic documents means that opportunities for employment, independence, productivity, and a sense of community become more readily available to the population of computer users with disabilities.

 

Disability 101

Although medical definitions of disability focus on deficits in a person's ability to function at an "average" physical, mental, or psychological level, for developers of software solutions, it is most constructive to view disability is a flaw in the environment or design that prevents or inhibits a person from performing an essential task. This definition suggests that product designers have considerable power to influence the daily lives and independence of customers who are unable to use computers in conventional ways. A few design considerations can make it possible for people with visual disabilities to obtain auditory feedback, and enable people with mobility impairments to use a keyboard instead of a mouse. In short, your design choices can make all the difference in the world!

An additional benefit of considering accessibility in your designs is that they will be easier to use for your customers without disabilities. For instance, if the essential functions of an application can only be accessed with a mouse, that application will not be usable for people who are blind, or those individuals with mobility impairments, but it will also be inaccessible to people using hands free devices such as cell phones, or users of mouseless products like alpha-numeric pagers.

According to the World Health Organization, there are between 500 and 750 million people with disabilities worldwide. It is easiest to group disabilities into three main categories.

1. Sensory disabilities, which encompass varying degrees of hearing and vision loss.
2. Mobility impairments, which can range from total paralysis, to diseases like arthritis, to injuries like Repetitive Strain.
3. Cognitive disabilities, which can include learning disabilities like dyslexia, psychiatric conditions like bi-polar disorder, and neurological problems like autism.

People with disabilities use computers with the help of Assistive Technologies. An Assistive Technology is a software application or piece of hardware that acts as a bridge or translator between the person with the disability and the Mainstream Technology that needs to be accessed. Examples of Mainstream Technologies include: operating systems (such as Microsoft Windows), software applications (such as word processors, web browsers, and email packages), and pieces of hardware (such as fax machines and printers).

There are two basic classifications of Assistive Technologies. These are alternative forms of input and alternative forms of output.

 

Alternative Methods Of Input

Most people interact with software applications with a mouse and the traditional Qwerty keyboard. However, some computer users are unable to use these devices. Instead, they rely on such things as:

• Voice input or voice recognition systems.
• Onscreen keyboards, which are controlled by such things as one large button (known as a scan and switch system) or a straw-like instrument (known as a sip-and-puff device).
• A mouth stick, which is used to press keys or front panel buttons by someone who cannot use their hands to type.
• Keyboards that have modified layouts, modified key press sensitivity, or different key shapes and sizes.
• The Sticky Keys option which can be found in the Accessibility section of the Microsoft Windows Control Panel. This feature allows an individual who is unable to press more than one key at a time to type commands such as CTRL+ALT+DELETE.
• A large trackball with super-sized mouse buttons.
• Head mice or eye gaze systems that map the movement of the onscreen mouse pointer to the movement of the user's head or eyes.
• Keyboard shortcuts or hot keys that mimic mouse movements and mouse clicks.

 

Alternative Methods Of Output

Most people obtain information from their computers by looking at the monitor and listening to system sounds. However, many users cannot hear auditory messages, or see conventional fonts and colors. These people access system output with:

• Voice output or screen reading systems.
• Screen magnification systems.
• Settings in the Accessibility section of the Microsoft Windows Control Panel that allow the user to alter the size of system fontss, as well as the foreground and background colors to increase color contrast.
• Refreshable braille displays, which allow a blind user to feel the contents of the screen.
• Settings in the Accessibility section of the Microsoft Windows Control Panel that tell the computer to show visual alerts such as flashes in place of auditory cues.
• Verbal or text-based descriptions of pictures and graphics.
• Closed captioning, which shows a text-based representation of any spoken words.

 

Disability In The Mainstream

There are those people who feel very detached from the concept of disability. They wonder what having one might be like, or how someone who has one accomplishes certain tasks. What they do not often realize is that they are probably already quite familiar with certain aspects of living with a functional limitation.

If you have ever tried to use your computer when its mouse was broken, or a power outage has ever caught you off guard without a flashlight… If you have ever travelled in a foreign country where you were unable to read the signs or speak the language, or desperately sought out an elevator while pushing a shopping cart or baby stroller… Without being aware of it, you have experienced the limitations of various disabilities in your day-to-day life. These scenarios are examples of situational or temporary disabilities, which compromise your ability to use a piece of technology or function within a particular environment. Notice that in all of the cases listed above you have remained physically the same -- it is your environment that has changed.

 

Use Of Assistive Technologies

You may not know it, but you've probably already used products that employ the types of assistive technologies that benefit people with disabilities every day. Do you have a voice-activated or hands-free cell phone? Does your car have a talking GPS unit mounted on the dashboard? Do you ever scan photos into your computer and email them to friends? For you, these gadgets are a source of convenience or amusement, but for disabled computer users these devices and the technologies they employ are essential tools for independence, employment, and education.

 

Supporting Statistics

If you don't have a disability today, you have about a 20% chance of acquiring one sometime during your working life.

Figures show that by the time you reach the age of 65, you have more than a 1 in 3 chance of becoming disabled.

Approximately 1 in every 5 people has a close friend or family member with a disability.

 

The Legal Climate In The United States:
Section 508 Of The Rehabilitation Act
And
The Americans With Disabilities Act

Many people mistakenly confuse or equate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. It is important to note that the two are entirely distinct pieces of American Federal legislation, which came into effect on completely different dates. Although both laws deal with accessibility issues for persons with disabilities, the requirements they outline, the groups they affect, and the exceptions they identify are very different.

 

Section 508

"The American Federal Government has issued regulations which require the agencies of the federal government, and organizations they supply funding to, to provide individuals with disabilities (including agency employees and members of the public) with accessibility to technology (including computer equipment and software) -- whether directly or through assistive technology. These regulations were issued subject to the 1998 amendment to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. As such they are often referred to as 'Section 508 requirements' or 'Section 508.' In order to implement these regulations, the government has begun to include in its bid requests or other product inquiries (which also may include current implementations) requirements for technology product vendors to make representations as to the ability or lack thereof of their products to comply with these regulations." In the Federal Procurement Process, the vendor that meets more of the Section 508 requirements than any of its competitors will "win" the sales contract. In other words, if there is no product available on the market which meets all of the Section 508 requirements, the government agency in question must procure the product that best meets the standards. Therefore, it is literally a race to see which company will be the first to reach the accessibility finishline.

Section 508 covers "any electronic and information technology (E&IT) that is developed, maintained, procured, or used by the U.S. Federal Government. It specifies that people with disabilities must "have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access of those without disabilities."

Section 508 became U.S. law on June 21, 2001, and its requirements took effect 4 days later on June 25. Two main groups are affected by this legislation.

1. U.S. Federal Government Departments and the organizations they fund. (E.g., The Department of Justice, The Departmentof Labor, and the U.S. Postal Service)
2. Consultants and contractors hired by government agencies to provide or develop a product or service. (such as web designers and training staff)

Section 508 covers a broad range of products and services, including websites, software, hardware used in office settings (such as fax machines, photo copiers, and printers), product support (such as documentation, technical support, and training), and any information that must be accessible to the general public (such as income tax forms, social security applications, and census information).

Section 508 includes a set of detailed guidelines that explain the features of compliant products. A compliant product is one that comes out of the box being immediately accessible to people with disabilities, or one that can be easily modified to meet their needs. The guidelines (known as the Standard Rules) can serve as a reference point for companies who are not sure which features must be incorporated into their products, or how to implement accessibility enhancements.

The Standard Rules are divided into Functional Performance Criteria, Technical Standards, and Information, Documentation and Support. Performance Criteria are more general in nature, and outline overall accessibility requirements (such as keyboard-only access and the need for redundant forms of output). Technical Requirements are more specific, and quantify things like how much force should be used to activate a mechanical control, or the appropriate pitch frequency to use when indicating error messages. Information, Documentation, and Support requirements deal with things like the provision of accessible product documentation and more than one means of obtaining technical support.

 

Section 508 Exceptions

The following are some of the technical exceptions where Section 508 does not apply.

In the case of contractors and consultants, the software and tools used to produce a product for a government agency do not have to be accessible. However, the final deliverable must be accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. For instance, a consulting firm may choose to use an inaccessible piece of web authoring software to design a government website. This is acceptable, and does not violate Section 508 requirements. However, the website the firm provides to its public sector client must be accessible.

Products that are used in intelligence activities, cryptologic activities related to national security, command and control of military forces, equipment that is an integral part of a weapon or weapons system, or systems which are critical to the direct fulfillment of military or intelligence missions are not covered under Section 508. For instance, although organizations like the Department of Defense and the Federal Bureau of Intelligence (FBI) are required to procure compliant office software (such as administrative tools for payroll and accounting) any software that directly affects national security or public safety does not need to be accessible.

If making a product or service accessible would require "a change in its fundamental characteristics or purpose, and not merely a cosmetic or aesthetic change," Section 508 does not demand that a company comply with the accessibility requirements outlined in this legislation. For instance, if a law enforcement agency intends to procure pocket-sized pagers for all of its field agents, it is not necessary for the pagers to be Section 508 compliant. This is because adding a large display to a small pager would fundamentally alter its size and thus its portability. In this case, the device would no longer meet the purpose for which it was intended.

 

Supporting Statistics

The U.S. Federal Government spends approximately $34 billion per year on electronic and information technology.

7% of the 2.7 million employees of the American Federal Government have disabilities. These employees are covered under Section 508.

29 U.S. States have accessibility laws similar to Section 508. In some cases, these laws are even more stringent than Section 508.

 

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became U.S. Federal Law on July 26, 1990. The law "prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in the following 5 areas."

1. Employment (including the provision of adapted equipment, equal access to information, and physical access to workplaces).
2. State and local government services (including services, programs, and activities provided to the public -- such as access to programs and facilities at State Colleges and Universities, and access to public records and buildings)
3. Public accommodations (including businesses and non-profit agencies that serve the public -- such as law firms and public libraries)
4. Commercial facilities (including other businesses, such as corporations and for-profit organizations -- such as restaurants and hotels)
5. Transportation (including air travel, and accessible forms of public transportation).

It is important to note that a "Covered Entity" can fall under more than one of the categories listed above. For instance, a hospital might be considered to be both an employer and a public accommodation.

The ADA also "mandates the establishment of TDD/telephone relay services" for people with hearing impairments, and "includes Standards for Accessible Design which establish minimum requirements for ensuring architectural accessibility" for individuals with visual and mobility impairments. These design guidelines deal with enhancing the accessibility of both new and pre-existing facilities, and include such things as the presence of braille and large print signage, and the availability of ramps and elevators.

Under the terms of the law, "Covered Entities" (such as employers, employment agencies, labor organizations, or joint labor-management committees) who are responsible for providing the types of services and activities listed above, must provide "Reasonable Accommodations" to individuals with disabilities. The law states that a Covered Entity "violates its obligations under the ADA when it only responds on an ad- hoc basis to individual requests for accommodation." And that "There is an affirmative duty to develop a comprehensive policy in advance of any request for auxiliary aids or services. It goes on to say that "The community of persons with disabilities must be consulted in the development of any accommodation policy."

The ADA text provides a sample list of "Reasonable Accommodations" which includes: making existing facilities used by employees readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, restructuring jobs, modifying work schedules, reassigning persons with disabilities to vacant positions, acquiring or adapting equipment or devices, adjusting or altering examinations, training materials or policies, and providing qualified readers or interpreters.

 

ADA Exceptions

The most notable exceptions in the ADA legislation are that "the United States, a corporation wholly owned by the government of the United States, or an Indian tribe; or a bona fide private membership club (other than a labor organization)…are not considered to be "Employers." Therefore, they are not legally obligated to provide "Reasonable Accommodations" to employees with disabilities. In other words, Section 508 goes a long way towards filling in the gap that was created by this ADA exemption.

Another exception outlined in the ADA is that "Covered Entities" are not required to provide "Reasonable Accommodations" to persons with disabilities if they can establish that providing these accommodations will result in an "Undue Hardship" for their business or agency. An "Undue Hardship" refers to "an action requiring significant difficulty or expense, when considered in light of factors such as:

• The nature and cost of the accommodation needed.
• The overall financial resources of the facility/facilities involved in the provision of the reasonable accommodation; number of employees, effect on expenses and resources, or impact on the operation of the facility.
• The overall financial resources of the covered entity; overall size of the business with respect to the number of its employees, and the number, type, and location of its facilities.
• The type of operation or operations of the covered entity,including the composition, structure, and functions of its workforce, and the geographic separateness, administrative, or fiscal relationship between it and the facility/facilities in question.

 

Supporting Statistics

According to census reports, there are approximately 54 million Americans with disabilities. Of these, 26 million have severe disabilities.

In the United States, 73% of the country's top industries are hiring people with disabilities. These companies are considered as employers under the ADA.

There are approximately 15.4 million working Americans with disabilities in the U.S. According to the ADA, these employees have the legal right to be accommodated.

 

Conclusions And Things To Consider

There is much more to accessibility than meeting the requirements that have been mandated by legal and international standards -- efficiency and ease-of-use must also be considered in order for an application to be truly "friendly" to people with disabilities. For instance, can the user employ more than one navigational method to access all of the areas of the application's screen? (E.g.,the ability to tab through all of the available elements on the screen, or the ability to scroll through the menu options with the arrow keys) Can the essential functions of the application be performed with more than one type of input technique? (E.g., the conventional point-and-click strategy as well as keyboard shortcuts for accessing menus, selecting text, and moving around the screen)

There is also something to be said for the quality of the information being received. For instance, is the information essential to the user's ability to operate and understand an application available in more than one sensory modality? (E.G., auditory as well as visual) Is the information being delivered useful? (E.g., which component has focus, and what kind of component is it? What sort of action is the user required to take? What is the status of the component?)

Finally, it is not enough to code labels and tab sequences according to regulations. The interfaces must be tested by users with disabilities to see how effective they are in real-world contexts, and how they interact with assistive technologies.

 

Content Note

The content for this article was compiled by the SAP Accessibility Competence Center (ACC). Not all of the material herein is original.

The SAP Accessibility Competence Center (ACC) was formed in April of 2001. Its mission is to support SAP in its global commitment to provide products and services that are accessible to all users – including those with disabilities. Through our efforts, the ACC Team hopes to make SAP a recognized leader in the area of universal access, and a proactive member of the community of persons with disabilities. The center, and its testing facilities, are located at Walldorf, Germany.

To learn more about Accessibility@SAP, visit our websites at www.saplabs.com/accessibility or intranet.sap.com/accessibility (SAP-internally only). You may also address your individual questions via e-mail to accessibility@sap.com.

 

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