Emerging technologies and digital access: building in or bolting on?

1. Emerging technologies and digital access: building in or bolting on? Dr Scott Hollier ITEE Engineers Australia 2019 Technology for everyone

2. Who am I? • Professional: • Digital access specialist • Invited Expert for W3C WAI APA Research Questions Task Force • Co-founder Center For Accessibility initiative • Academic: • Senior Lecturer, Professional Certificate in Web Accessibility, CfID and UniSA • Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Edith Cowan University • Personal: • Author of book ‘Outrunning the Night’ • Legally blind, first-hand knowledge of access issues

3. Topic for tonight: • Have we reached a point as a society where new consumer products are automatically engineered for people with disability?

4. Historical context • Pre-2000: electrical and software engineers tended to focus on innovation for the majority (4 in 5) of potential users • People with disability (1 in 5) put in the ‘we’ll get to them later’ basket or specialist products developed • This was understandable: it was a revolution after all • Some good disability-specific products developed

5. 1980s – Dawn of software Assistive Technology (AT) • Hardware-based text-to-speech showcased at 1981 International Year of Disabled persons • SAM (Software Automatic Mouth) released in 1982 on various 8-bit systems such as Commodore 64, Atari and Apple

6. 1980s – Dawn of software Assistive Technology (AT) • Hardware-based text-to-speech showcased at 1981 International Year of Disabled persons • SAM (Software Automatic Mouth) released in 1982 on various 8-bit systems such as Commodore 64, Atari and Apple

7. Issues with disability-specific development • Delayed release • Delayed compatibility • Expensive: ‘disability tax’ • Even more expensive: ‘Australia tax’

8. What changed? • 1998 US Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 508 • Companies had to incorporate accessibility into mainstream hardware and software products to sell to US Federal government

9. Response in early 2000s • Hewlett-Packard laptops open with one hand without base flicking up • Microsoft did bare minimum, deferring to ‘specialists’ initially • Apple includes fully-fledged AT products e.g. VoiceOver screen reader in 2005 • Microsoft started to compete with AT improvements in Windows 7 • Message: • OS should be engineered for everyone • I shouldn’t have to pay $2,000 for the privilege of using my own computer!

10. Desktop - Windows 10 • Change the icon and text size • Mouse pointer size & movement • High contrast colour themes • StickyKeys & ToggleKeys • Visual alerts • On-screen keyboard • Magnifier • Narrator screen reader • Cortana • Dual interface: keyboard & touch • Braille support • Eye control • NVDA: free alternative to Narrator

11. Desktop - Mac Improvements over Windows: • Better screen reader VoiceOver However… • VoiceOver doesn’t work well with Office for Mac • Lacks touchscreen support, restricting interface choice

12. Mobile & tablet - Apple iOS iOS (IPhone/iPad) • Great access: • VoiceOver, zoom, captioned video, colour changes, switch key • Helpful apps like Seeing AI and Eye-D

13. Mobile & tablet - Google Android • Talkback screen reader, magnifier, colour contrast adjustments, global caption support • Good third-party apps like BIG Launcher and Eye-D • More affordable than Apple equivalent

14. Demonstration - mobile • Android TalkBack screen reader • ABC News app • The Australian app

15. WCAG 2.1 • W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 became a W3C Recommendation in June 2018 • Previous 2008 WCAG 2.0 standard currently Australian policy

16. WCAG 2.1 overview Perceivable: • Provide text alternatives for non-text content. • Provide captions and alternatives for audio and video content. • Make content adaptable, and make it available to assistive technologies. • Use sufficient contrast to make things easy to see and hear.

17. WCAG 2.1 overview Operable: • Make all functionality keyboard accessible. • Give users enough time to read and use content. • Do not use content that causesseizures. • Help users navigate and find content. • Make it easier to use inputs other than keyboard. (new in 2.1)

18. WCAG 2.1 overview Understandable: • Make text readable and understandable. • Make content appear and operate in predictable ways. • Help users avoid and correct mistakes. Robust: • Maximize compatibility with current and future technologies.

19. Issue with ‘bolt-on’ approach to WCAG • Often guidelines only considered towards launch of app or website • Straightforward to incorporate during development process, but time-consuming, difficult and expensive to retrofit

20. Is mainstream access a given? Let’s look at IoT

21. Where we are today • Apple Watch a great example of expectations that accessibility is available on launch

22. It all comes down to the interface

23. …and the expectations

24. …while being mindful of missed opportunities.

25. IoT at CES 2019 – Matrix PowerWatch 2

26. Emerging • Self-powering devices • VR & AR eye-tracking • IoT potential: just at its infancy • Driverless cars • Five things we don’t know about yet!

27. Silver development • Silver (aka AG 3.0) Task Force set up to bring together WCAG, ATAG and UAAG into one Accessibility Guidelines (AG) standard along with accessibility guidance on new technologies such as IoT, VR and AR • Silver release date TBA

28. Conclusion • The era of ‘we’ll deal with disability later’ is over • Engineering inclusivity is not only essential, but expected • If we bolt-on instead of build-in, we’ll still get there but only after pain, delays and expense • Disability-specific innovation still has a place

29. Outrunning the Night available now! Outrunning the Night: a life journey of disability, determination and joy. Editions: • Paperback • Kindle e-book • Audio book Go to outrunningthenight.com for more information and sample chapter

30. Further information • E-mail: scott@hollier.info • Website: hollier.info • Mobile: 0430 351 909 • Twitter: @scotthollier • Newsletter: newsletter@hollier.info • Book: outrunningthenight.com