The G3ict – ITU Toolkit for Policy
Makers on e-Accessibility & Service
Needs for Persons with Disabilities
By Axel Leblois
Executive Director, G3ict
ITU Workshop on Accessibility
October 13-14-15, Bamako, Mali

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Objectives of the e-Accessibility
Toolkit
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How the Toolkit was developed
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Main features and example of resources available
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The Self-assessment Framework and Index
13 -15 October 2009
Incheon, Republic of Korea
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Provide resources to facilitate the implementation of the ICT accessibility agenda of the CRPD at national level:
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Global repository of good practices
 Technical and standardization references
 Policy making tools
 Knowledge base for capacity building programs serving Regulators, Government Agencies, Disabled
Persons Organizations and Civil Society
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Delivered on-line
Designed with requirements of policy makers at its centre
Global collaborative effort
Does not “re-invent the wheel” but relies on best available resources
Ability for users to suggest additions and modifications to the Toolkit Editors
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Dónal Rice NDA/CEUD, NUI-Galway (Editorial Coordinator)
Asenath Mpatwa, ITU-D
Ambassador Luis Gallegos, G3ict
Axel Leblois, G3ict
Clara Luz Alvarez
Tamas Babinszki, Even Grounds
Kevin Carey, RNIB/World Blind Union
Anne-Rivers Forcke, IBM Corporation
Rune Halvorsen, NOVA
Inmaculada Placienca Porrero, European Commission
Felicity Rawlins, IBM Corporation
Andrea Saks, ITU
Licia Sbattella, Politecnico di Milano
Susan Schorr, ITU
James Thurston, Microsoft
Bob English, TecAccess
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J. E. Baker, L. McArthur, J. Silva, Jutta Treviranus, Adaptive Technology Resource
Centre, University of Toronto
• David Baylor, WBU
• Hardik Bhatt and Karen Tamley, City of Chicago
• Fernando Botelho, Literacy Bridge & Mais Diferenças
• Gerald Craddock, NDA/CEUD, Ireland
• Bob English, TecAccess
• Jonathan Freeman, WGBH
• Angela Garabagiu, Council of Europe
• Larry Goldberg, WGBH
• Bill Joley, International Center for Disability Resources on the Internet (ICDRI)
• Mike Jones, Wireless RERC, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Hiroshi Kawamura, DAISY Consortium
• Ben Lippincott, Wireless RERC, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Mike Paciello, The Paciello Group
• Helen Petrie, University of York
• David Sloan, University of Dundee
• Mike Starling, WBU
• Karen Tamley, City of Chicago
• Gregg Vanderheiden, University of Winsconsin-Madison
• Carlos Velasco, Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technologies (FIT)
• Cynthia Waddell, International Center for Disability Resources on the Internet
(ICDRI)
• Chuck Wilsker, Telework Coalition
• Gottfried Zimmermann, Access Technologies
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Web site: www.e-accessibilitytoolkit.org
(UNDER CONSTRUCTION UNTIL DECEMBER 2009)

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Closed captioning, sub-titling and sign language
— Definitions / process
— Features most desired by persons with disabilities
— Applicable standards
— Sample of regulations
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Video Description Services
— Definitions / process
— Features most desired by persons with disabilities
— Applicable standards
— Sample of regulations
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Transition to Digital Television: IPTV and Convergent Media
— IPTV and Web video accessibility
— DTV / IPTV equipment, interface and controls
— IPTV and Web video accessibility standards
— Sample of regulations
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U.S. Federal Communications Commission: Video Description Orders, Public Notices, Notices, Press Releases and
Factsheet
Summary: Fact sheets, reports and regulations from a 2000 FCC rulemaking, reversed in 2002, requiring U.S. broadcasters to describe 4 hours of programming per week.
Reference: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/video-description.html
Key words: Video Description; Regulations; History
Target audiences: Policy makers; Broadcasters; Advocates
House of Representatives (USA): H.R.6320 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act 2008
Summary: Proposed U.S. legislation mandating accessible IPTV and internet content (captions, descriptions), and accessible menu guides and user interfaces. Reinstates overturned TV description requirements.
Reference: http://www.coataccess.org/node/32
Key words: IPTV; Accessibility; Legislation
Target audiences: Policy makers; Broadcasters; Advocates
Canadian-Radio Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC): Broadcasting Public Notice: CRTC 2007-
101
Summary: Canadian requirements for television program distributors (broadcast, cable, satellite) to carry video description in their signals and ensure pass through to the consumer.
Reference: http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2007/pb2007-54.htm
Key words: Video description; Regulations; Complaints
Target audiences: Policy makers; Broadcasters; Advocates
Canadian Radio and Television Commission (CRTC): Access to TV for persons visual impairments
Summary: Synospis of what description is, who uses it, Canadian description providers and links to regulations.
Reference: http://www.crtc.gc.ca/ENG/INFO_SHT/b322.htm
Key words: Video Description; Regulations
Target audiences: Policy makers; Broadcasters; Advocates
13 -15 October 2009
Incheon, Republic of Korea
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ICT accessibility dispositions are embedded and scattered in a large number of articles of the CRPD
Check list established to:
 Review compliance
 Consensus building
 Prioritize action steps
Organized to help shape policy
Digital Accessibility and Inclusion Index developed from this check list to measure progress and compare countries experiences
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Review of the CRPD to identify all provisions that included the terms: communications, technology, information or information services, accommodation, and access, accessible, and accessibility.
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3 “legs”:
An exhaustive listing which included the “self-assessment” items (50 items)
11 items reflecting the basic capacity of a country to implement those provisions identified in #1
A measurement framework (10 items) of the systemic and/or individual impact(s) of a country’s fulfillment of the
ICT provisions of the CRPD
Georgia: A Hub for Digital Accessibility Innovation
Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 1 October 2008
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Do the Country’s laws and/or policies affirmatively promote the provision of reasonable accommodations vis-a-vis ICT or AT in order to ensure equality for persons with disabilities?
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Does Country law or policy exist which requires signage in all public buildings and facilities be posted in Braille?
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Does the Country have laws, policies or programs that ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy access to television programs, films, theatre and other cultural activities, in accessible formats?
Georgia: A Hub for Digital Accessibility Innovation
Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 1 October 2008
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Is there a governmental body or department responsible for disability matters in the country?
Is there a yearly amount for the support of DPOs
(disabled persons organizations) from the Country working in the field of digital access for persons with disabilities?
Are there any special items, topics in the k-12 school curricula about digital access and persons with disabilities?
Are there any common indicators developed by the
Country to evaluate the status of digital access by persons with disabilities?
Georgia: A Hub for Digital Accessibility Innovation
Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 1 October 2008
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Are programs in place to facilitate the usage of telephony by persons with disabilities (relay services, accessible public phones, accessible handsets etc?
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Are government web sites accessible?
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Are assistive technologies available to students with disabilities at major universities?
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Are there accessible public electronic kiosks or
ATMs deployed in the country?
Georgia: A Hub for Digital Accessibility Innovation
Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 1 October 2008
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Opportunity to use the framework to establish a dialogue among multiple stakeholders
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Ensure that everyone views the Self-assessment results in an objective and holistic perspective
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Agree on strengths and areas for improvement and
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Prioritize areas for improvement that will be taken into further action planning
Georgia: A Hub for Digital Accessibility Innovation
Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 1 October 2008
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Analyze country commitments
Identify capacity and infrastructure for implementation
Assess country’s implementation and impact
 Draw links between commitment and implementation/impact
 Establish “gaps” and rank items based on feedback from disabled persons organizations and other stakeholders
 Generate recommendations and action plan via consensus
Compare results with other countries with Digital
Accessibility and Inclusion Index in future years
Georgia: A Hub for Digital Accessibility Innovation
Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 1 October 2008
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The G3ict Initiative is made possible thanks to the generous support of the following organizations:
For more information: axel_leblois@g3ict.org
INSTITUTIONAL CO-HOSTS
Georgia: A Hub for Digital Accessibility Innovation
Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 1 October 2008
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