Inclusive Communications Working Document
Annex 3: Good Practices
The following are examples of good practices in the field of electronic communications and users with disabilities which have been submitted by the Member States and other members of INCOM, mentioned in replies to the INCOM questionnaire or are available in the public domaincollected from the following sources:
1. MOBILE SERVICES
Country: Sweden, UK, Germany, Spain
Technology: Mobile broadband based accessible conversational services: Equipment following the preferred standards: SIP, with video, text and voice is tried within the IST project for deaf people with communication through 3G mobile networks or wireless LAN networks.
Research, application or regulation: Research
Results: Deaf people can communicate in sign language and text with some level of usability through small computers with built in camera when used through an Internet connection to the 3G network. When connected to Wireless LAN networks, the signing quality is good. This seems to give deaf users new opportunities to mobility in work and leisure communication. The trial broadband sign language relay service is available and popular also among these users. One opportunity is to have small interpreted meetings anywhere, anytime, and that is a new opportunity for the user group. The project also provided mobile playing of sign language information, stored in a server.
Country: Sweden
Technology: Mobile text, SMS
Research, application or regulation: Field trial/application of SMS 112 to emergency centres.
Results: A joint project between PTS and SOS Alarm (national emergency centre) to implement a system where deaf and people with speech impairment can send SMS to the emergency centre. A pre-study (test) was performed in the beginning of 2003. For more information see (in Swedish)
http://www.pts.se/Nyheter/pressmeddelande.asp?ItemId=1777
Country: UK
Results: Co-regulation: positive outcomes
Mobile communications: Good Practice Guide on products and services for disabled people, 2003. Produced by industry/consumer working party as a result of Oftel initiative.
2. PUBLIC PAY TELEPHONES
Country: UK (Oftel)
Technology: Public pay telephones
Research, application or regulation: Regulation
Result: UK payphone regulation requirements are now set out in the General Conditions of Entitlement entering into force on 25/7/2003 in the relevant part of General Condition 6 Public pay telephones.[1]
Country: UK (British Telecom)
Technology: Public pay telephones
Research, application or regulation: Application
Result: BT has recently upgraded its base of public payphones with best practices to ensure a satisfactory outcome for both customers and the company in light of the legislative and regulatory provisions mentioned above; for standards see www.stakes.fi/cost219/payphones.htm.
Because payphone usage has declined due to the availability of mobile communication, the number of payphones is not expected to increase but they have been upgraded. The most important part of upgrading was to call upon the experience of the Payphone Disability Forum. Within the forum, expertise was available from Regulatory Affairs, Disability, Payphone Technology and Payphone Design and Procurement allowing several interests to be balanced within the process of upgrades. This forum was also in regular contact with bodies who represented the interests of people with disabilities within which representatives were invited to view and comment on proposals before they were formally accepted.
Some of the features that benefited from this approach were:
- The location of Text Payphones. These were located across the UK with particular attention to the local demographics of disabled persons.
- An improved keyboard design and layout was agreed RNIB (Tiresias font).
- Varying amplification levels allowed change to visual feedback received.
- Email, Text and payphone were incorporated into one unit.
- Screens could be back-lit for better visualisation.
- Door handles were lowered to allow greater leverage without jeopardising safety.
- Side window bar adaptation allowed support and rest.
- Lighting of kiosks increased.
- Wheel chair access improved by removing some doors altogether, allowing increased physical access, but increasing background noise for the hard of hearing.
- Advertising of the Text Payphone in specialist magazines.
While the above are positive steps there are still barriers to accessibility such as the "common red telephone box". Although very popular with English Heritage (who have campaigned successfully to have a number of these retained or listed) they have been unpopular with disabled and older people. The step into the kiosk is a major obstacle; the doors are heavy and the interior is dark and difficult to keep clean.
Payphones location and footprint
Positioning is done by local planning authorities. Design implications/restrictions apply within the allowed footprint. Local communities to may have differing needs, which may lead to positioning that a not the first choice of the supplier.
Door opening, this is a function of the width of the pavement, the pedestrian flow and local environmental considerations. If requested, doors can be left off but, in a wet climate, this is not done as a matter of course. Other considerations are the generic noise and privacy issues encountered when the door is removed.
Country: Slovenia
Technology: Public pay telephones
Research, application or regulation: Application
Result: The fixed operator Telekom Slovenije offers disabled-adapted phone booths (12.5% accessible on wheelchair) and new multimedia booths that are just now being introduced. Slovenia is sponsoring also some freephone numbers for “social contact services” to provide general information to users including operational instructions for blind persons (for details see http://www.telekom.si (keywords “teletoèka” for the former and “druzbena odgovornost” for the later).
Best Practices Design
The present overview done by COST Telecom 219ter project Members (see www.stakes.fi/cost219/payphones.htm.) indicates design best practices to improve payphone accessibility to universal services.
3. BROADBAND ACCESS AND SERVICES
Country: Sweden
Technology: Broadband based accessible conversational services: Equipment following the preferred standards: SIP, with video, text and voice is available with society support for deaf and deaf-blind people, and sign language relay service compatible with these standards in all these three modes is running as a trial within the Wisdom IST project.
Research, application or regulation: Research and Application
Results: Deaf-blind people experience a hereto never experienced opportunity to communicate, and deaf people are very satisfied with the increased quality for signing and availability of text as a fallback. The relay service is experienced to be a very smooth communication link between deaf and hearing people.
Country: Sweden
Technology: Broadband based application, fixed and mobile broadband solutions. Video conferencing, Total Communication etc.
Research, application or regulation: Research (field trials) and Application
Results: PTS runs, on a mission from the government, seven different projects in order to find new possible services for the disabled using broadband applications and evaluate them in respect to user benefits and cost. The projects that will be reported to the Government in Oct 2004 are Broadband for Deaf blind persons – Service central, Broadband for Intellectually disabled, Distribution of Talking books to University students, Mobile Broadband for the disabled, Distance education for people with aphasia, Distance education in sign language, Distance Consulting with expert personnel when disabled persons apply for job.
http://www.pts.se/Sidor/sida.asp?SectionId=1320 (In Swedish)
Country: Sweden
Technology: Evaluation of broadband tests
Research, application or regulation: Research
Results: In cooperation with the university of Linköping, Center of Medical Technology Assessment, the seven broadband tests will be evaluated using the internationally recognised WHO-model ICF. The model is adjusted to each project and the disabled persons involved.
http://www.pts.se/Sidor/sida.asp?SectionId=1474 (In Swedish)
Country: Sweden, UK, Germany, Spain
Technology: Mobile broadband based accessible conversational services: Equipment following the preferred standards: SIP, with video, text and voice is tried within the IST project for deaf people with communication through 3G mobile networks or wireless LAN networks.
Research, application or regulation: Research
Results:Deaf people can communicate in sign language and text with some level of usability through small computers with built in camera when used through an Internet connection to the 3G network. When connected to Wireless LAN networks, the signing quality is good. This seems to give deaf users new opportunities to mobility in work and leisure communication. The trial broadband sign language relay service is available and popular also among these users. One opportunity is to have small meetings anywhere, anytime, and that is a new opportunity for the user group.
Country: Norway
Technology: The “eye-phone”, offering visually impaired people access to a sighted eye
Research, application or regulation: Research
Results: Interviews with blind and partially sighted people to assess their daily need for a sighted eye, revealed that some of their needs, even among different age groups, are surprisingly similar. Typical examples are to determine if clothes are clean, mobility e.g. where is the shop front, and reading post and mobile phone displays. Initial tests showed that although the participants would prefer a mobile device, a stationary videophone was useful for solving some typical problems.
The needs analysis was used as a basis for further testing. Several videophones were evaluated with regard to user interface, the important criterion being that the distant operator must be able to control the camera on the user site. The operator was at a relay centre for text telephone (a service for people with a hearing impairment) and with a personal reading assistant. The testing focused on the type of task which could be solved. As many as 85% of the tasks were solved using the eye phone.
The promising results of the pilot project led to the main project, which was begun in January 2002, and will run for a period of two years. This project is a co-operation between MediaLT, Telenor, Eterra, Tandberg, The Norwegian Blind Federation and the National Insurance Administration. The users represent different categories with respect to age, sight, additional handicaps and gender etc.
Country: Finland
At the moment, the Finnish Association of the Deaf has three training-related projects that focus on new technology and utilisation of broadband access: Virtuopo, Sign Language Virtual School and Deafvoc.
ESR-funded www.virtuopo.net (2000-2005) is a national study and career counselling network portal for people using sign language or Finnish. In the future, the project will also include a plain language interface for the use of such groups as immigrants and disabled people. The portal contains information on studying and employment. Presently, sign language material in video clips amounts to some 5 hours. A possibility of using sound will later be included in the plain language interface. The best way to view the net material is by means of a broadband access.
Another information network project is the Sign Language Virtual School (1999 - ). In that project, the use of an open learning environment in information networks has been tested nationally. The network has also been used for generating and disseminating digital learning material. Distance teaching in sign language among educational institutions with the help of graphic telephone and web camera has also been tried. Dissemination and use of sign language material in information networks as well as sign language distance teaching call for high-speed telecommunications access (broadband). Results of the conducted experiments are very promising. http://www.kl-deaf.fi/virtuaali/index.html
A third project that requires broadband access is Deafvoc (2003-2006) of the EU’s Leonardo programme. In addition to Finland, it involves Austria, Greece and the Czech Republic. For the purposes of vocational training the project produces teaching curricula and demo learning material for network use concerning the teaching of sign language and the written language of each country. The learning material can also be used for comparison of sign languages, because it is available to everyone on the net. Home pages of the project will be opened in the beginning of December at www.deafvoc.fi .
It is the aim of the Finnish Association of the Deaf to gather all sign language projects related to information networks or net teaching under one portal of sign language teaching, which is currently being tested. A sign language chat has also been designed; the user can leave a sign language message, question or comment by means of for example a graphic phone, web camera or graphic mobile phone.
For further information on all of the above mentioned projects, please contact the Finnish Association of the Deaf: Ms Pirkko Rytkönen, pirkko.rytkonen@kl-deaf.fi or Mr Mikko Palo, mikko.palo@kl-deaf.fi or tel.+358 9 5803 423 or SMS +358 50 594 9560.
4. NEW RELAY SERVICES
Country: Sweden
Technology: Internet access to text relay service
Research, application or regulation: Application
Results: A development project will be finished in April 2004 that will give text telephone users a new additional way to contact the text relay service through an Internet portal. This will increase the users’ mobility and independence since they now can contact the text relay service from any computer with an Internet connection.
Country: Luxembourg
Technology: Accessibility for hearing-impaired persons to telephones
Research, application or regulation: Application
Results: for hearing impaired persons with hearing aids the good practice has a temporary character: the availability of the earphone with included induction loop. This earphone is a part of the telephone apparatus. With the time telephone apparatuses are changed against new telephone apparatuses where there is no guarantee that inductive loops are included in the earphone or not.
5. REGULATION OR OTHER MEANS TO SECURE SERVICES FOR CITIZENS WITH DISABILITIES
Country: Norway
Telenor’s authorisation includes requirements to offer the following services for people with disabilities:
- Access to text-telephony for speech impaired people and people with hearing damage.
- Discount or refund for blind and weak sighted people as regards directory enquiry services.
- There is a general requirement to maintain the level of research and development on issues concerning disabled, elderly, and other users with special needs.
- To issue an updated catalogue on telecom equipment.
- To offer an emergency number for text-telephony.
Country: United Kingdom
The general authorisations applying to all providers of publicly available telephone services from 25 July 2003, include general conditions regarding special measures for end users with disabilities.
The obligations placed on service providers are:
- free directory enquiry service and through connection for customers not able to use a printed phone directory
- access to a text relay service with compensatory tariffs
- a priority fault repair service
- a nominated third-party scheme (equivalent to power of attorney) for bills
- bills and contract information in alternative formats
- a proportion of wheel-chair accessible call boxes
- some call boxes to have text relay facilities and receiving amplification.
The complete conditions can be found at:
www.oftel.gov.uk/publications/licensing/2002/enti0502.htm
Country: Sweden
The Swedish solution is and has been to procure services for the disabled to cost based pricing rather than putting obligations on the service providers. This is possible since the Government each year grants an allowance to the national regulator PTS. The Government gives a regulatory letter to PTS to secure this. The procurement policy has been very successful and is a good way to secure good attention and good quality of the services for the disabled.
6. COLLABORATION MODELS
The Nordic Forum for Telecommunication and Disability (NFTH)
Country: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden
Technology: Telecommunications
Research, application or regulation: Application and regulation collaboration
Results: The purpose of NFTH is to deal with relevant areas of telecommunication that concern disabled people and to support efforts in the Nordic countries to integrate disabled people into society. All the Nordic countries are represented by a representative appointed by the predominant national operator, a representative appointed by the Ministry of Social Affairs and a representative appointed by the Ministry of Telecommunication. NFTH produces recommendations and guidelines on existing problems as well as problems expected to arise in the future information society.
Web site: http://www.nsh.se/nfth.htm
OFCOM Advisory Committee on Elderly and Disabled Persons
Country: United Kingdom
Technology: Telecommunications
Research, application or regulation: Application and regulation collaboration
Results: An advisory committee will be established to advise the Board of the national regulator OFCOM and, as appropriate, the Content Board and Consumer Panel on issues concerning elderly and disabled persons.
The committee will be set up under statute, specifically Section 21(1) of the Communications Act 2003. It will also advise OFCOM in its requirement to promote equality of opportunity for disabled persons under Section 27 (3) of the Communications Act.
It will advise OFCOM on the views and concerns of citizen-consumers with disabilities and/or those who are elderly. It will provide guidance on the implications for industry of accessibility issues and provide updates and early warnings on relevant developments. The committee will also guide OFCOM on its internal policies with respect to disability.
OFCOM is currently discussing the committee’s structure with those who have special knowledge and interests in these areas.
TeleFunkForum
Country: Norway
Technology: Telecommunications
Research, application or regulation: Application and regulation collaboration
Results: A forum for exchange of information that can contribute to that people with disabilities and elderly can achieve access to telecommunication equipment and services like other people in the society. Universal Design of the equipment and the services is an important perspective of the work of the forum. Participants are user organizations, ministries, the Norwegian Post and Telecommunication Authority, state councils, R&D, operators in the telecommunication sector, standardization bodies, and others.
7. BROADCASTING
Country: UK
Technology: Broadcasting
Research, application or regulation: Application and regulation
Results
The 2003 UK Communications Act contains a number of provisions which could provide good practice examples for the INCOM report. Specifically, the Act contains provisions for accessible equipment, high levels of access services across all television platforms (primarily subtitling, but also audio description and signing), accessible Electronic Programme Guides and the establishment of an OFCOM Advisory Committee on elderly and disabled people. The Act brings together all the regulators for television, radio and telecommunications under one regulator - the Office of Communications (OFCOM).
The Act confers on OFCOM functions to make provisions for the regulation of electronic communications networks and services, use of electromagnetic spectrum, broadcasting, television and radio services.
Set out below are details of the various sections of the Act relating to disabled people.
Duty to encourage availability of easily usable apparatus
Section 10 sets out a duty on OFCOM to ensure the provision of accessible and usable electronic equipment.
Code relating to provision for the deaf and partially sighted
The code for deaf and partially sighted people contains high targets and interim targets for access services across all television platforms and OFCOM has the option to revise these targets upwards only in the future.
For subtitling, the terrestrial TV Channels 3 and 4 and S4C (Wales) are to carry on much as before the Act reaching a target of 90% of programmes in 2010. Channel 5 is to reach 80% in 2008 and, under Independent Television Commission rules which will still apply, reach 60% in 2004.
There are now new requirements for cable and satellite channels to provide access services under the Act. For these channels the requirement states that the amount of subtitling is to be weighted towards the early years - instead of a single “end point” at the 10th anniversary for the quotas we now have two dates: the 5th and 10th anniversaries. In the main these will apply to the cable and satellite services and any new digital terrestrial channels (excluding the Public Service Broadcast channels of Channels 3, 4, and 5 with the BBC). The first end point requires the relevant services to be supplying 60% of non-excluded programmes from the 5th anniversary. From the 10th anniversary the requirement is 80%. As with the current regime though there are further interim targets on the way to reaching these two anniversaries.
As mentioned the PSB channels are to follow a different regime. Channels 3 and 4 and S4C Digital are to carry on much as before with subtitling to reach 90% of programmes in 2010. Channel 5 is to reach 80% in 2008 and, under ITC rules which will still apply, reach 60% in 2004.
The state broadcaster, BBC, is in this respect outside OFCOMs remit but they will provide 100% subtitling on their channels by 2008.
The Communications Act also sets a 5% target for sign language and 10% for audio description, but these will apply to digital services only.
Broadcasters are required to make available the information required for consumers to be able to find out what access services are available to them and how to access them.
Industry Initiatives
- Extension by BT (British Telecom, UK universal service provider) of mandatory free directory enquiry service for those unable to use paper directories to the additional provision of classified information, i.e. directory information grouped by trade or profession. Classified directories in print are just as inaccessible to some disabled people as other directories, but are not covered by regulation.
- Development by BT of TextDirect platform for text phone users to permit them to benefit from call discount packages and special offers. This also speeds up access to the relay service and streamlines rebates.
- Special handset and text message packages for deaf mobile phone customers.
- The Communications Support Directory lists lip speakers, BSL interpreters and other communications support services. Vodafone have worked with the UK Council on Deafness to make the CSD available for Vodafone’s WAP users. The project aims to make information relevant for customers in a range of disability groups available on mobile. Examples: Pubs, clubs, cinemas and theatre with signing or subtitling. This was launched in October 2003.
Country: Italy
Technology: Broadcasting
Research, application or regulation: Research
Results: The VOICE Project is investigating the use of voice recognition systems in conversation, conferences, television broadcasts and telephone calls. It started in 1996 in the European Commission Joint Research Centre in Ispra and was then sponsored and funded by the European Commission Information Society Directorate-General.
The project has developed prototypes of user friendly interfaces allowing easier use of commercial products in translating the spoken voice into PC screen messages and subtitles. This is a powerful help for people with hearing impairment, reducing the gap between them and the hearing world. More than one hundred workshops have been organised presenting the project to more than 6000 users. Its prototype demonstrator has been used for subtitling part of the workshops, as demonstration of feasibility and validation in the field. The subtitling system has been used in several schools in order to transmit to all the students of a class the same information, by the same words, at the same moment.
Another aim of the project is that of uniting, by means of an Internet VOICE Forum, associations, companies, universities, schools, public administrations and anyone else interested in voice recognition. In 2002 the activities addressed the harmonisation of television subtitling, in collaboration with the European Broadcasting Union and CENELEC. For more information, see: http://voice.jrc.it/home.htm
[1] "6.3 Where the Communications Provider provides Public Call Boxes, the Communications Provider shall also:
(a) ensure that:
(i) where it provides Public Call Boxes anywhere in the United Kingdom except the Hull Area, at least 75% of those Public Call Boxes are accessible by reasonable means to End-Users in wheelchairs;
(ii) where it provides Public Call Boxes in the Hull Area, at least 50% of those Public Call Boxes are accessible by reasonable means to End-Users in wheelchairs; and
(iii) at least 70% of its Public Call Boxes incorporate additional receiving amplification;
(b) consult the Director from time to time on all future material changes to the design of its Public Call Boxes where the interests of disabled persons are likely to be affected to ensure that the needs and interests of disabled persons are fully taken into account in the development and provision of such telephones; consult the Director from time to time and in any event as the Director may request to ensure adequate provision, in terms of numbers and locations, of its Public Call Boxes incorporating textphone facilities. Where the Director is satisfied, following due investigation and discussions with the Communications Provider, that such provision is inadequate, he may direct a Communications Provider to provide Public Call Box textphone facilities as he deems appropriate in terms of numbers and location ... "