SWG 1 Accessibility

Revision 2013

JTC 1/SWG 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility

Establishment of the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility – October 2004

The JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility was established at the October 2004 JTC 1 Plenary in Berlin, Germany:

Resolution 24 – Establishment of a Special Working Group on Accessibility

 

JTC 1 believes that the work in the area of information communication and technology

standardization for accessibility is a major undertaking, encompassing many international, regional and local interests. Additionally, there are significant standards efforts taking place in ISO, IEC, ITU and the national and regional standards bodies as well as various consortia/fora and user groups.

 

As identified in its long term business plan and to be responsive to international, regional, national, and end user requirements in the area of accessibility, JTC 1 establishes a Special Working Group on Accessibility with the following Terms of Reference:

 

The SWG will:

 

1)      determine an approach, and implement, the gathering of user requirements, being mindful of the varied and unique opportunities (direct participation of user organizations, workshops, liaisons)

2)      identify a mechanism to work proactively between meetings to make forward progress

3)      gather and publish an inventory of all known accessibility standards efforts

4)      identify areas/technologies where voluntary standards are not being addressed and suggest an appropriate body to consider the new work

5)      track public laws, policies/measures and guidelines to ensure the necessary standards are available

6)      through wide dissemination of the SWG materials, encourage the use of globally relevant voluntary standards

7)      assist consortia/fora, if desired, in submitting their specifications to the formal standards process

 

Membership in the SWG will be open to:

 

  • ISO/IEC JTC 1 National Bodies and Category A Liaisons
  • ISO/IEC JTC 1 SCs with accessibility efforts or concerns (such as SC 35, SC 36, SC 37)
  • ISO or IEC TCs with accessibility efforts or concerns (such as ISO TC 159)
  • ITU-T SGs with interests/efforts in accessibility
  • Regional standard development and support organizations with accessibility efforts/concerns (such as ICT SB DATSCG, ETSI HF, ITI, ANEC, CEN TC 224)
  • Representatives of consortia/fora (for example, but not limited to) W3C’s WAI, FSG Accessibility Workgroup, the International Ergonomics Association
  • Consumer Organizations and User Representatives (the SWG will be responsible for determining the most appropriate method to identify and engage such recognized activities)

 

The SWG on Accessibility will meet twice a year. To demonstrate the achievements of the group,

a status report will be submitted to JTC 1 after each SWG meeting as well as at each JTC 1

Plenary. The US will serve as Secretariat and Karen Higginbottom is appointed as Convener.

 

JTC 1 invites the SWG to review, modify and confirm these Terms of Reference during its initial

meeting.

JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility Leadership

Ms. Karen Higginbottom (USA) served as Convenor of the JTC 1 Special Working on Accessibility from the group’s establishment in October 2004 through the June 2008 meeting held in Tokyo, Japan.

Mr. Alex Li (USA) has served as the Convenor of the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility following the June 2008 SWG on Accessibility meeting.

Ms. Jennifer Garner (USA) has served as the Secretary of the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility since its formation.

 

JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility Participants

Representatives from the following entities have participated in at least one SWG-A meeting:

  • National Bodies: Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, Norway, Republic of Korea, United Kingdom, United States
  • JTC 1 Subcommittees: SC 7, SC 28 (inactive), SC 29, SC 35, SC 36, SC 37 (inactive as of August 2010)
  • ISO and IEC TCs: ISO/TC 159
  • ITU-T SGs: ITU-T SG 16
  • Regional standard development and support organizations: CEN/ISSS, CEN TC 224 WG 6, DATSCG, ETSI/HF, EUAIN, ITI
  • Consortia/fora: The Linux Foundation, W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
  • Consumer Organizations, User Representatives and other interested parties: ANEC, Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities (via the Japanese National Body), JIS Committee on Web Accessibility, Royal National Institute of the Blind (via the UK National Body), US Access Board, US Department of Education, Visual Impairment Knowledge Center, WGBH National Centre for Accessible Media

 

Formation Meeting – April 2005 – Sheffield, United Kingdom

The first meeting of the JTC 1 SWG on Accessibility was held 11-12 April 2005 in Sheffield, UK.  The following entities sent delegations:

  • National Bodies: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom, United States
  • JTC 1 Subcommittees: SC 7, SC 28, SC 35, SC 36, SC 37
  • ISO and IEC TCs: ISO/TC 159
  • ITU-T SGs: ITU-T SG 16
  • Regional standard development and support organizations: ANEC, CEN/ISSS, DATSCG, ETSI/HF, EUAIN, ITI
  • Consortia/fora: Free Standards Group, W3C/WAI

The SWG on Accessibility terms of reference approved at the October 2004 JTC 1 Plenary were confirmed and two Task Groups were established:

  • Task Group 1 on User Requirements
  • Task Group 2 on Accessibility Standards Inventory and Gap Analysis

 

 

JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility Highlights and Milestones

2004

  • October 2004:  Establishment of the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility approved at the October 2004 JTC 1 Plenary in Berlin, German by Berlin Resolution 24

2005

  • April 2005:  First meeting of the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility held in Sheffield, United Kingdom
    • Terms of Reference confirmed
    • Two task groups were established
      • Task Group 1 on User Requirements
      • Task Group 2 on Accessibility Standards Inventory and Gap Analysis
  • July 2005:  Task Groups meet in Toronto, Canada
  • September 2005:  Second meeting of the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility held in Tokyo, Japan – Resolutions submitted for consideration at the November 2005 JTC 1 Plenary in Banff, Canada included the following:
    • Accessible and Publicly Available Documents:  The JTC 1 SWG on Accessibility resolves that its documents will be accessible and publicly available.  It is the author’s responsibility to provide contributions and documents in accessible formats. 
    • Web Site to Increase Visibility of the JTC 1 SWG on Accessibility:  The JTC 1 SWG on Accessibility requests the establishment of a more visible and accessible SWG-A web site that provides a summary of SWG-A activities and incorporates the following elements:
      • A link to the SWG-A web site from the JTC 1 web site
      • A brief overview of the SWG-A’s activities
      • The SWG-A’s goals and terms of reference
      • Description of the SWG-A’s key work (description of the Task Groups)
      • The most current base/core documents for the Task Groups
      • A list of current organizational participants
      • A timeline of the SWG-A’s work
      • A link to the SWG-A’s document register
      • Meeting information
      • Information on how organizations can bring their work into JTC 1

The SWG-A Secretariat, SWG-A Convener and Task Group Conveners are to have the web site available by 31 October 2005.

  • JTC 1 NP Ballot Form:  The JTC 1 SWG on Accessibility reviewed the suggestion that the JTC 1 NP ballot form be modified by inserting a section on accessibility after the question about known requirements for cultural and linguistic adaptability and before the question on known patented items, such as:

 

Are there any known accessibility requirements and/or dependencies? ……
– If yes, please specify on a separate page

 

The JTC 1 SWG on Accessibility requests contributions in time for review at the March 2006 meeting as to whether to add such a question, and if so, what guidance to include.

2006

  • March 2006:  Third meeting of the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility held in Los Angeles, California (USA)
  • September 2006:  Fourth meeting of the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility held in Brussels, Belgium – Mature versions of two base documents were released:
    • Version 2.0 of the Accessibility Standards Inventory for Computer Hardware, Software, Communications, Public Access Terminals and Consumer Electronics Domains
    • Version 1.0 of the User Needs Summary
  • November 2006:  Resolutions submitted for consideration at the November 2006 JTC 1 Plenary in South Africa included the following:
    • Copyright Issues:  The Convener of the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility will contact the ISO Central Secretariat and other relevant organizations on copyright issues related to the referencing and quoting of standards.  The results of the inquiry will be conveyed to the SWG-A participants.
    • Establishment of Ad Hoc 12 on JTC 1 Web Site Accessibility:  The JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility establishes Ad Hoc 12 on JTC 1 Web Site Accessibility. The SWG-A encourages JTC 1 and its Subcommittees to have accessible web sites and will provide guidance on this process and its rationale. The ad hoc is to work with the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility Convener in her dealings with the JTC 1 Secretariat to improve visibility of the SWG-A through the establishment of a link from the JTC 1 home page to the SWG-A web site.  The SWG-A also requests that its meeting announcements be posted on the JTC 1 web site.  Ad Hoc Leader: Ms. Mary Frances Laughton (Canada).  Participants:  Mr. Shadi Abou-Zahra (W3C/WAI), Ms. Josée Auber (France), Mr. Richard Clark (JTC 1/SC 29), Mr. Shigetoyo Nomura (Japan), Ms. Janina Sajka (FSG) and Ms. Andi Snow-Weaver (US).  A call for additional ad hoc participants will be issued.

2007

  • April 2007:  Fifth meeting of the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility held in Hamar, Norway – it was agreed that the following deliverables would be submitted to the 2007 JTC 1 Plenary for processing as a multi-part Type 3 Technical Report:
    • User Needs Summary
    • Accessibility Standards Inventory
    • Guidance for User Needs Mapping
  • July 2007:  Sixth meeting of the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility held by teleconference to review and dispose of comments received in response to the proposed multi-part Type 3 TR documents

 

  • August 2007:  Seventh meeting of the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility held by teleconference to review and dispose of additional comments received in response to the proposed multi-part Type 3 TR documents

 

  • October 2007:  Resolutions submitted for consideration at the October 2007 JTC 1 Plenary in Australia included the following:
    • ISO/IEC PDTR nnnnnn-1, Information Technology – Accessibility Considerations for People with Disabilities – Part 1:  User Needs Summary
    • ISO/IEC PDTR nnnnnn-2, Information Technology – Accessibility Considerations for People with Disabilities – Part 2:  Standards inventory
    • ISO/IEC PDTR nnnnnn-3, Information Technology – Accessibility Considerations for People with Disabilities – Part 3:  Guidance on User Needs Mapping
    • Submission of Multi-Part Type 3 Technical Report,  ISO/IEC PDTR nnnnnn, Information Technology – Accessibility Considerations for People with Disabilities:  The JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility (SWG-A) resolves to request that JTC 1, at its October 2007 Plenary, accept the following SWG-A deliverables as consensus documents from the SWG-A and initiate the ballot process for approval of the following documents as a multi-part Technical Report Type 3:

The SWG-A requests that four-month TR ballots be conducted.  Further, the JTC 1 SWG-A offers its services to JTC 1 for the ballot resolution meeting and proposes that the BRM be scheduled for 16-20 June 2008.  The Japanese National Body has tentatively offered to host this meeting.

The SWG-A requests that the TR be made publicly available as the three parts catalog or reference standards that are either freely available from other sites or are available for sale, greatly enhance the awareness and influence of JTC 1, and describe basic visions and concepts related to Accessibility Considerations for People with Disabilities in the technical domain of Information Technology.  The SWG-A also requests the publication of the TR in accessible HTML as the primary format as well as in accessible PDF.

 

  • October 2007:  JTC 1 ballots issued for ISO/IEC PDTR 29138, Information Technology – Accessibility Considerations for People with Disabilities – Part 1 (User Needs Summary), Part 2 (Standards Inventory) and Part 3 (Guidance on User Needs Mapping)

2008

  • February 2008:  JTC 1 ballots closed for ISO/IEC PDTR 29138, Information Technology – Accessibility Considerations for People with Disabilities – Part 1 (User Needs Summary), Part 2 (Standards Inventory) and Part 3 (Guidance on User Needs Mapping)

 

  • June 2008:  Eighth meeting of the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility held in Tokyo, Japan to conduct resolution of comments submitted on the ballots for ISO/IEC PDTR 29138 Parts 1-3 and to approve the submission of updated versions for three month DTR ballots – Mr. Alex Li was endorsed as the next Convenor of the JTC 1 SWG on Accessibility

 

  • July 2008:  JTC 1 ballots issued for ISO/IEC DTR 29138, Information Technology – Accessibility Considerations for People with Disabilities – Part 1 (User Needs Summary), Part 2 (Standards Inventory) and Part 3 (Guidance on User Needs Mapping)
  • October 2008:  JTC 1 ballots closed for ISO/IEC DTR 29138, Information Technology – Accessibility Considerations for People with Disabilities – Part 1 (User Needs Summary), Part 2 (Standards Inventory) and Part 3 (Guidance on User Needs Mapping)

 

  • November 2008:  Resolutions submitted for consideration at the November 2008 JTC 1 Plenary in Nara, Japan included the following:
    • Endorsement of JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility Convener:  The JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility endorses Mr. Alex Li (USA) for a three-year term of office as Convener of the JTC 1 SWG on Accessibility.  The SWG-A instructs its Secretariat to forward this endorsement to JTC 1 for consideration and approval.

 

  • November 2008:  Mr. Alex Li appointed by JTC 1 as the second Convenor of the JTC 1 SWG on Accessibility

 

2009

  • January 2009:  Ninth meeting of the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility held by teleconference to address comments submitted in response to ISO/IEC DTR 29138, Information Technology – Accessibility Considerations for People with Disabilities – Part 1 (User Needs Summary) and Part 3 (Guidance on User Needs Mapping) – final versions were submitted for publication
  • June 2009:  Tenth meeting of the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility held by teleconference
    • Parts 1-3 of ISO/IEC TR 29138, Information technology – Accessibility considerations for people with disabilities, were published in June 2009 and publicly available (at no cost):

http://www.jtc1access.org/TR29138.htm

 

2010

  • January 2010:  Eleventh meeting of the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility held by teleconference – plans to update ISO/IEC TR 29138, Part 1 (User Needs Summary) and Part 2 (Standards Inventory) were initiated
  • June 2010:  Twelfth meeting of the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility held by teleconference – plans to update ISO/IEC TR 29138, Part 1 (User Needs Summary) and Part 2 (Standards Inventory) were continued – the JTC 1 SWG on Accessibility resolved to remain a Special Working Group
  • September 2010:  Thirteenth meeting of the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility held by teleconference to approve recommendations to the November 2010 JTC 1 Plenary in Belfast, United Kingdom
  • November 2010:  The following JTC 1 SWG on Accessibility contribution was submitted for consideration at the November 2010 JTC 1 Plenary in Belfast, United Kingdom:
    • JTC 1 SWG on Accessibility Recommendation to JTC 1 Concerning JTC 1 Web Site and Document Content Accessibility Issues:  The JTC 1 SWG on Accessibility submits the following recommendation for consideration at the November 2010 JTC 1 Plenary in Belfast, Northern Ireland:

 

“In order to follow up on the correspondence in JTC 1 N 9333 (JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility Response to Correspondence from the JTC 1 Chairman (SWG-A N 315) Concerning JTC 1 Web Site Accessibility Issues and Request for JTC 1 National Body and SC Secretariat Feedback), the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility recommends that JTC 1:

 

a)    Request ITSIG (via its ITSIG liaison), JTC 1 and SC Secretariats and JTC 1 National Body for progress reports or notification of issues regarding Accessibility;

 

b)    Remind all interested parties (including ISO and IEC central secretariats as well as the National Bodies) of the guidance available from JTC 1 SWG-A;

 

c)    Ask if there are ways to improve the guidance already provided in JTC 1 N 9333;

 

d)    Convey the additional guidance that upholding web accessibility is a continuous operational process and that it is very important for all interested parties to establish a standard workflow to make sure web content updates, such as posting of standards drafts or new documents (including their content), be accessible;

 

e)    Relay the recommendation that compliance with WCAG 2.0 level AA should be the goal for web sites and document content in the ISO and IEC system.”

 

2011

  • March 2011:  Fourteenth meeting of the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility held in London, United Kingdom – it was agreed to request comments on the proposed revised ToR for the SWG on Accessibility as well as additional updates to the Accessibility User Needs Summary – the following response to JTC 1 was approved:
    • Response to JTC 1 N 10424 – Proposed Resolution Concerning the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility:  In response to JTC 1 N 10424 – Proposed Resolution Concerning the JTC 1 Special Working Group on Accessibility, the JTC 1 SWG on Accessibility affirms the importance of remaining a Special Working Group with the expanded membership as defined in JTC 1 Resolution 24 from Berlin.

 

The JTC 1 SWG on Accessibility expresses its preference to publish updated information, based on the evolution of ISO/IEC TR 29138:2009 Parts 1-3, in documents that the SWG on Accessibility would have authority to maintain (such as Guides, databases or information items). The JTC 1 SWG on Accessibility is eager to receive guidance from the JTC 1 Chair and Secretariat on the full range of permissible publications.

 

Leave a comment