Tiresias http://www.tiresias.org Information resource for professionals working in the field of visual disabilities Katherine Carter (mailto:katherine.carter@rnib.org.uk) Copyright reserved Report on International ICT Accessibility Standards Proposed, Being Developed and Recently Published http://www.tiresias.org/standards/report_5.htm Written by Richard Hodgkinson, this report covers current international activities in the development of standards, technical reports and guidelines that include accessibility requirements and recommendations for ICT products. Accessibility standards are developed globally by committees of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), Joint Technical Committee (JTC) 1 of the ISO & IEC, national standards bodies (e.g. the BSi, ANSI, AFNOR, DIN) and many other organisations. Guidelines for the Design of Accessible Information and Communication Technology Systems - Television http://www.tiresias.org/guidelines/television/index.htm This Guideline, written by Jim Slater, is intended for designers of television systems, and provides general information plus recommendations on accessibility issues for all types of disabilities. Guidelines for the Design of Accessible Information and Communication Technology Systems - Hardware http://www.tiresias.org/guidelines/hardware.htm Computer hardware is the physical part of a computer, including the digital circuitry, as distinguished from the computer software that executes within the hardware. Although there are many adaptations that can be made to computer hardware so that those with disabilities can access computers more readily, designers of computer hardware should be aware of accessibility features that can be incorporated in the initital design and development stages. This Guideline offers advice and recommendations for making computer hardware more accessible. About RSS and the Tiresias Web Feed http://www.tiresias.org/aboutrss.htm We have recently added RSS (Really Simple Syndication) to our website to provide an easy way for you to keep updated automatically on the latest content added to our website. Instead of you having to go to the What's New pages within the website to see what new content is available, you can use the RSS feed to tell you everytime there is something new. This page details brief information about RSS feeds and how to access them, plus how to subscribe to the Tiresias feed. Standardisation and Legislation with Regard to Ambient Intelligence and Accessibility http://www.tiresias.org/cost219ter/amileg.htm Ambient Intelligence systems are often complicated systems. All of their constituent parts may be provided from different manufacturers and thus must be made compatible with each other. This is supported by standardisation. But standardisation also serves other purposes. It supports accessibility and usability requirements, product safety, etc. Standardisation can be also used to reduce the cost of Ambient Intelligence system by reducing the number of similar systems. The challenges are increased by the fact that many home appliances are used at different stages of life. Guidelines for the Design of Accessible Information and Communication Technology Systems - Touchscreens http://www.tiresias.org/guidelines/touch.htm A touchscreen is a computer display screen that is sensitive to human touch, allowing a user to interact with the computer by touching an active area, target or control such as pictures or words on the screen. As touchscreens become more common it is essential that they are designed for ease of use by everyone, including disabled and elderly people. This Guideline offers advice and recommendations for making touchscreens accessible.