Scientific and technological reports
Bridging the Gap?
Access to telecommunciations for all people
Executive Summary
The telecommunications environment has undergone massive change since
the original launch of the initial COST 219 action in 1986, moving from
the cosy world of state run telecommunication monopolies to the harsh
reality of market forces.
This book aims to look at the effect these changes have had on the provision of equipment and services for disabled and older people in terms of availability, cost and how the services are run. One example of such a service, relay service centres, will be analysed in detail in order to identify the various trends in relation to the different levels of service provision across Europe, the effect of legislation and regulation and the impact of research and development.
Our target audience of decision makers, users and user groups and marketing managers in telecommunications industry will get an insight into how these services have been evolving and how they are likely to change in the future. It will also provide the reader with an overall assessment of whether the gap between what is technologically possible and what can actually be found on the market is being bridged.
1.1 The Market
It is not our intention to here to give an in-depth analysis of the various groups of disabled users as this can already been found, for example in (COST 219, 1995). It is however worth restating one or two of the main demographic trends. There are currently over 80 Million people in the EU over the age of 60 and this figure is set to rise to 100 million in the year 2020 with the ageing of the population (EUROSTAT. Europa]). Many of these people can be expected to be increasingly heavy users of telecommunications services.
Figure 1-1. Percentage of older people in EU - forecast [EUROSTAT]
The percentage of disabled people is currently about 11% within the
EU and set to rise, with this ageing of the population, to 17% by 2030
[EUROSTAT, Europa]. It should be pointed that these figures are the
numbers of registered disabled people, according to clinically based
diagnostic studies. If you take the numbers of people who actually encounter
difficulties using a particular service or piece of equipment i.e. functional
criteria, the numbers would be much higher. An example of such an extrapolation
is given in Figure 1-2.
It is of course a heterogeneous market where the various groups of users
will have different and in some cases conflicting needs. The approach
advocated by COST 219bis is that all services and equipment should be
designed taking the needs of disabled and older users
Figure 1-2. Estimated number of disabled people in EU. Source [EUROSTAT, Behindertenstatistik])
right from the design phase in what is often referred to as "Design
for all", "Universal design" or "Inclusive design".
If this has not been done they should be adapted, where possible, to
meet the required needs. In the cases where neither of these scenarios
can be achieved, appropriate supplementary equipment and services should
be proposed.
For equipment manufacturers and telecommunication service providers,
the perception can be that the problems of reaching this heterogeneous
market are insurmountable. An excellent review of what features are
needed, their cost, and to whom they would be of benefit is given in
the publication "Telephones - What features do disabled people
need?" [GILL, 1999]. It should also be pointed out everyone can
potentially be put in a disabling situation and good design for disabled
and older people will benefit everyone.
Some service providers have been aware of the potential market for some time [COST 219, 1995, pp 41-46] but this market "Carrot" does not yet seem to have lead to the introduction of large numbers of new services and equipment with the "Design for All" concept. It may also be that this "Carrot" is not as attractive enough on its own and the introduction of legislative "stick" (chapter 3-5) may be required for the gaps in service provision to be truly bridged
1.2 Snapshot of Current Situation
An overview of the current situation in the provision of products and services for disabled and older people is given in sub-chapter 2.1. Whilst it is not within the scope of this book to give an exhaustive review of all available products and services for this group of the population, it should nevertheless give the reader a good idea of the current situation. This snapshot will serve as a basis for the evaluation carried out in sub-chapter 3.1 of the influence and impact of R&D in this field.
The example of relay service centres will be discussed in detail in sub-chapter 2.2. COST 219bis carried out a recent survey of relay service centres across Europe and Australia and the results of this questionnaire are compared to the COST 219 survey of 1989. This will give an insight in to the changes and trends taking place in this particular service.
1.3 Is the "Gap" being bridged?
Another way of phrasing this question could be "Are more products and services for disabled and older people reaching the market today than 15 years ago?" and the ensuing questions "If not why not and where are barriers?" These are the central questions making up the main theme running through the entire book and more particularly throughout chapter 3.
Before addressing this question it is important to point out that for users to be able to benefit from a product or service it needs to pass the five "A" Test, that is so say: Accessibility, Availability, Affordability, Awareness and Appropriateness [PROMISE]. If a product or service fails any one of these five tests it risks not being taken up in the market. For example, it is not enough to have the technological solution to an identified problem if it is unaffordable to the majority of potential users. This has been one of the reasons for advocating the "Design for all" or "Inclusive design" concept. If accessibility features can be incorporated into mass-market products rather than "special" devices, the cost can be reduced.
The five "A" test highlights the fact it is not just technological barriers that need to be breached. This is reflected in the subdivision of chapter 3 into five parts which each look into a different dimension of the main theme. Sub-chapter 3.1 looks into research and development aspects and sub-chapter 3.2 discusses the phase from R &D to market products. Issues related to industry awareness and transfer are reviewed in sub-chapter 3.3, whilst sub-chapter 3.4 look into the role that education can play in bridging the gap by educating or "empowering" the users whilst also informing all the various professionals involved in the process of service provision. Sub-chapter 3.5 presents the latest situation concerning legislation, regulation and standardisation.
All these five areas therefore have an impact on whether more products and services reach the market. Apart from the market forces themselves, research, education and legislation can be seen as complementary drivers or facilitators in pushing the market. Gaps in any of these areas will therefore have an effect on the level of service provision. The more accurate question would therefore be "Are the multitude of gaps being bridged?"
1.4. Future Strategies
The review of the current situation compared to the situation of fifteen years ago at the beginning of the original COST 219 action would not fully serve its purpose unless it is to also attempts to look towards the future. Some of the challenges that need to be met in the context of the information society are discussed in chapter 4. Rather than just trying to foresee the likely outcome of recent technological developments, it looks at the emerging situation from the perspective of the citizen.
1.5 The Last Word
So, are the multitude of gaps being bridged? The various responses emerging from the different chapters and sub-chapters are summarised in chapter 6. Without giving away the answer at this stage, it is clear that the response will not be a simple "yes" or "no" but will reflect the complexity of interrelated issues that influence the outcome. It will be shown that much has indeed been achieved but that there is still much to be achieved if telecommunications products and services are truly to become accessible to all people.
1.6 References
COST 219, Patrick R.W.Roe (ed.), Telecommunications for All, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Brussels: Luxembourg, 1995.
EUROSTAT, Europa in Zahlen, 4, Ausgabe, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Brussels: Luxembourg, 1995, ISBN: 92-827-0073-9.
EUROSTAT, Behindertenstatistik, zweite Ausgabe 1993, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Brussels: Luxembourg, 1995, ISBN: 92-826-9651-0
GILL, J.M. & SHIPLEY, A.D.C., Telephones: What Features do Disabled
People Need? August 1999. RNIB, London. ISBN 1 96048 020 9. www.tiresias.org/
phoneAbility/telephones.
PROMISE (1999). Preparing a European Deaf Network for Information and Communication, European Commission, DG "Information Society". www.stakes.fi/promise.
Last updated: 19.02.2008 © Copyright reserved
