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Web Posted on: August 24, 1998


Accessibility of Information / Transaction Machines (ITMs):
results of a research project by the Trace R&D Center
for the US Access Board

Chris M. Law, MS. Ergonomist, Trace R&D Center
Gregg C. Vanderheiden, Ph.D. Director, Trace R&D Center

Trace R&D Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, S-151 Waisman Center, 1500 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705-2280, USA
tel: +1 608 262 6966
fax: +1 608 262 8848
email: law@tracecenter.org / gv@tracecenter.org

1. Summary

This paper gives general results of the first year of a research project on disability access to Information / Transaction Machines (ITMs). Results are presented in terms of vision, hearing, physical and cognitive access issues. Remote and alternative console access issues are briefly addressed. The production of ITM prototypes which follow guidelines derived from this project are described. Objectives for the next years of this project are given, and international input / collaboration is solicited by the authors.



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 2. Introduction

Information / Transaction Machines (ITMs) are a class of devices which includes Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), ticket vending machines, computerized information kiosks, electronic building directories, fare machines, etc. The United Stated Access Board, which developed the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) (ATBCB, 1991), and other organizations involved in the disability access area, were receiving numerous requests for information on how to make this class of devices accessible. It was determined that it would be of great advantage to the Access Board, to companies trying to create more accessible products, and to the disability population as a whole, if there was more practical background and design information on creating accessible ITMs. Therefore, the Access Board commissioned the Trace Research and Development Center to undertake a project to study and report on access strategies for ITMs.



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3. Overview of the project

The project was organized into four main stages:

(1) Gathering all of the known information which would be helpful to people interested in learning about or carrying out accessible designs for ITMs;

(2) Synthesizing this information and combining it with input from industry, consumers and researchers to create useful guidelines, reference and design materials;

(3) Creating actual design concepts / prototypes which show how the strategies can be incorporated into practical, effective ITM designs;

(4) Ensuring designs are effective and practical through user testing and feedback from companies involved in the development of ITMs.



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4. Results

4.1 Existing standards and guidelines

Standards and guidelines exist which relate to ITMs, but there are not yet guidelines which have been produced specifically with ITMs in mind. Three categories of sources are considered:

  • National standards and guidelines
  • The Telecommunications Act Final Rule
  • Other sources

 

  • There are currently four major sources for national standards and guidelines: in the USA, a section of the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) (ATBCB, 1991) deals with access to ATMs; in Australia, there is a standard on Access to ATMs (AS3769, 1990); and in Canada and the UK there are draft guidelines (which may become standards) which are in production.
  • The US Access Board published in early 1998 their final rule on accessibility for the implementation of the Telecommunications Act (ATBCB, 1998). The rules are discussed in the next section.
  • There are numerous other sources which are used to contribute to a set of guidelines on access to ITMs. Sources include national standards on access to the built environment, guidelines on making computers accessible, academic papers and industry information.

4.2 Overcoming the constraints of industry in designing accessible ITMs

The recent set of rules from the Access Board on Telecommunications Accessibility have a different focus from the guidelines which have come before (see Figure 1). The rules are given as goals for manufacturers to work towards, rather than a specific list of requirements for components. The rules were created this way to allow innovation by manufacturers, rather than constrain them to any particular solutions. In addition, the term 'where readily achievable' is used throughout the rules to allow for cross-industry implementation of accessibility at such time when it is practical to provide the level of cross-disability access desired. For this reason the summary set of guidelines produced by this project use the telecommunications rule structure as an outline (see Figure 1), with text from the relevant sources as references within the guidelines.

4.3 Summary of major disability access issues and user requirements

4.3.1 Vision access issues

A major problem for access to any ITM has traditionally been access to persons who are blind or who have visual impairments. Although the ADAAG mandates that "Instructions and all information for use shall be made accessible to and independently usable by persons with vision impairments" (ATBCB, 1991), there has been little in the way of practical, widely accepted solutions on the market. Following the guidelines, the means to provide access to persons with visual impairment is to:

  • enhance or provide alternate means of perception; and make it possible to operate controls without relying on vision.
  • Information can be presented in auditory form, at the user's discretion, using voice output (synthesized speech etc, 'canned' speech etc.). In the past, voice output has been difficult, even 'clumsy' because of the comparative infancy of the technology. Recent advancements and cost reductions have made voice a more plausible universal solution.
  • In addition, using dynamic visual displays, users should be able to switch to modes which enhance text and visual image display.
  • Auditory and visual feedback can also be used to assist users in finding and activating controls on devices.

 4.3.2 Hearing access issues

While many current ITMs do not use sound as a primary interface element, sound is becoming more popular with the proliferation of multimedia interfaces. Access to persons who have difficulty hearing a device requires that:

  • when information is presented in auditory form, it is presented in visual form also; and that audio enhancements are available to make it easier for people who are hard-of-hearing to use the device.
  • Captions (subtitles) for multimedia movies or narrated text need not be displayed for all users (thus avoiding some visual clutter). If users can switch the mode of the device then captions would be displayed.
  • Audio enhancements include volume control within a sufficient range, and T-Coil (hearing aid) compatibility.
  • TTY (text telephone) compatibility gives access to telephony capabilities of transaction machines.

 4.3.3 Physical access issues

Issues involving access to ITMs for people with physical disabilities include:

  • accessible route to, approach to, and space for wheelchair (and scooter) access;
  • a means for people who cannot operate the controls in the standard fashion to use an alternative form of activation.
  • Current guidelines which address wheelchair access specify access requirements for 'front' and 'side' (or 'parallel') approach and use. There is little information available for the more commonly used 'angled' approach. Current guidelines also assume that users have good upper-body reach capabilities. Reach capabilities of wheelchair users are in fact diverse, and therefore reach capabilities for people who use wheelchairs and other personal mobility aids are being researched in the UK by the Department of the Environment and the Centre for Accessible Environments.
  • For people who have a general difficulty reaching and touching interfaces, changing the mode of operation of controls can enable users to confirm their selections, or at least always go back and reverse undesired selections.

4.3.4 Cognitive access issues

If the user does not have the capability to understand the purpose of a device it is unlikely that access techniques can be provided. However, for some people with mild or moderate cognitive impairments, some assistance might help, in the form of:

  • simplification in sequencing of instructions and operations
  • using simple language and controls
  • using adjustable spoken output for people who would otherwise not be able to read or who cannot read fast enough.

4.3.4 Remote and alternative console access

With infrared connectibility, it is possible to provide remote control (or other alternative console) access to ITMs. There is an initiative to produce a protocol to allow any user with a compatible device to access any ITM or other electronic product using a text-only interface. This would allow access to people who are, for example, deaf-blind using braille personal devices, and people who are quadriplegic using sip-and-puff systems. The proposed remote control access protocol is currently being addressed by the Infrared Data Association (IrDA) (Vanderheiden, 1998).

 4.4. Prototype designs for several types of ITM

We are creating prototypes on 3 levels, as a means to explore the practicality of following the guidelines:

Level 1: Computer models of ITMs

Level 2: Interactive computer simulations (using the Level 1 models as a starting point).

Level 3: Fully functional working devices.

  • The Level 1 prototypes are preliminary designs on paper (on screen) which meet the requirements set forth in the guidelines. These prototypes cover a broad spectrum of device types: a fare vending machine, an internet kiosk, existing and future ATMs, and a point-of-sale customer credit card reader.
  • The Level 2 simulations show how the interface works in different modes of operation. Touchscreen kiosks and ATMs are used in the simulations.
  • One fully functional portable information kiosk (Level 3) is used to demonstrate accessible hardware and software elements, for user testing, and further proofing of design concepts. The kiosk satisfies accessibility requirements for people who are blind or visually impaired, deaf or hard-of-hearing, and people who are physically or cognitively impaired. In addition, this kiosk does not look overtly like a 'special' kiosk for the disabled; instead it appears to be a regular everyday kiosk for all users (Law and Vanderheiden, 1998).



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 5. Continuation of the Project

The initial project started June 1997, and is set to run until August 1998. Because of space limitations, only general preliminary results have been presented here. For access to the full set of information which was gathered for this project, please see our website at: http://tracecenter.org/world/

The first year has been focused on establishing issues, and identifying the gaps in the knowledge, and identifying current or future solutions to accessibility problems. The aim in Year 2 is to fill the gaps in knowledge, utilizing research from multiple organizations, and therefore provide more information in each area of concern. The scope of the work will be broader than before, encompassing access to personal as well as public electronic products. The collaborative efforts with industry and other sectors will continue, and we are seeking further collaboration on this project, especially at the international level. Please contact the authors directly for further information.



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6. Acknowledgements

This is a publication of the Trace R&D Center, which is funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research of the Department of Education under Grant #H133E30012 and by the U.S. Access Board. The opinions contained in this publication are those of the grantee and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Education or of the Access Board.



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References

AS3769, (1990) Automatic Teller Machines - User Access. Standards Australia AS3769-1990.

ATBCB (Architectural & Transportation Barriers Compliance Board) (1991) Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). Published in the Federal Register, July 26, 1991.

ATBCB (Architectural And Transportation Barriers Compliance Board), (1998) Telecommunications Act Accessibility Guidelines. Published in the Federal Register February 3, 1998.

Law, C.M. and Vanderheiden, G.C., (1998) EZ Access strategies for cross-disability access to kiosks, telephones and VCRs. Presented at the CSUN (California State University, Northridge) Conference on Technology and Persons with Disabilities, March 17-21, 1998. Available website: http://www.dinf.org/csun_98/csun98_074.htm

Vanderheiden, G. C., Law, C.M. and Kelso, D. (1998) Universal Remote Console Communication protocol (URCC). Presented at the CSUN (California State University, Northridge) Conference on Technology and Persons with Disabilities, March 17-21, 1998. Available website: http://www.dinf.org/csun_98/csun98_096.htm



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