CPACC Exam

Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons in 1975

Jurisdiction: International / UN

Scope / Entity: UN declaration covering people with disabilities.

Key Mandate: Asserts equal civil and political rights; declares the need to protect against exploitation, discrimination, and abusive treatment.

Technical Standard / Key Feature: Early UN declaration establishing civil rights parity.

UN CRPD (Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - 2006)

Jurisdiction: International / UN

Scope / Entity: UN States Parties (signatory countries).

Key Mandate: First legally binding international human rights instrument specifically addressing disability rights.

Technical Standard / Key Feature: Article 9 mandates equal access to physical environments, transport, info/tech (ICT), and public facilities; Article 8(1) requires awareness-raising.

UDHR (Universal Declaration of Human Rights - 1948) Global & International Frameworks

Jurisdiction: International / UN

Scope / Entity: Global human rights foundational document.

Key Mandate: Proclaims civil, cultural, economic, political, and social rights for all peoples; serves as the foundational text for the CRPD (Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities).

Technical Standard / Key Feature: Broad baseline for all international human rights conventions.

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

the first binding international human rights instrument that specifically addresses the rights of people with disabilities.

Article 9 Accessibility of the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Parent Instrument: UN CRPD (2006) — the primary international human rights convention for disability rights.

Scope / Jurisdiction: International / UN States Parties.

Key Mandate: Requires state parties to take appropriate measures to ensure access on an equal basis with others to physical environments, transportation, information/communications technologies (ICT), and other public facilities/services.

CPACC Relevance: Forms the primary international legal basis for digital and physical accessibility standards globally.

The Marrakesh Treaty (2013) (International and Global Frameworks)

Jurisdiction: International / WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)

Scope / Entity: Copyright holders and publishing entities across participating countries.

Key Mandate: Facilitates the creation and cross-border transfer of published books in accessible formats.

Technical Standard / Key Feature: Targeted specifically at visually impaired and print-disabled individuals.

EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (The Charter) (2000)

• Jurisdiction: European Union

• Scope / Entity: EU institutions and member states implementing EU law.

• Key Mandate: Consolidates fundamental rights across EU countries.

  • Technical Standard / Key Feature:

• Article 21: Prohibits direct/indirect disability discrimination.

• Article 26: Recognizes the right to integration and independence for people with disabilities.

European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) (1950)

Jurisdiction: Council of Europe (46+ European nations)

Scope / Entity: Public authorities across member states

Key Mandate: Grants civil and political rights; individuals can bring claims to the European Court of Human Rights.

Technical Standard / Key Feature: Disability is covered under the catch-all category "other status".

European Social Charter (ESC) (1961)

Jurisdiction: Council of Europe

Scope / Entity: Member states.

Key Mandate: Guarantees fundamental social and economic rights; grants people with disabilities rights to social integration, independence, and participation.

Technical Standard / Key Feature: Serves as the economic/social counterpart to the civil-focused ECHR.

The Charter's Article 26: Integration of persons with disabilities

Parent Instrument: EU Charter of Fundamental Rights — the primary document consolidating civil, political, economic, and social rights for EU citizens.

Scope / Jurisdiction: Regional / European Union institutions and member states when implementing EU law.

Key Mandate: Formally recognizes and respects the right of persons with disabilities to benefit from measures designed to ensure their independence, social and occupational integration, and participation in the life of the community.

CPACC Relevance: Works alongside Article 21 (Non-discrimination) to establish the overarching constitutional mandate for disability inclusion directives across the EU.

The Charter's Article 21: Non-discrimination

Parent Instrument: EU Charter of Fundamental Rights — the binding document consolidating civil, political, economic, and social rights within the EU.

Scope / Jurisdiction: Regional / European Union institutions and member states when implementing EU law.

Key Mandate: Prohibits any discrimination based on any ground such as sex, race, color, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion, political opinion, disability, age, or sexual orientation.

CPACC Relevance: Serves as the overarching constitutional non-discrimination foundation that fuels EU-wide legislation such as the EU Employment Equality Directive and European Accessibility Act.

- The fundamental rights and freedoms recognised by the European Convention on Human Rights

- The constitutional traditions of the EU Member States, including longstanding protections of rights which exist in national legislations of EU Member States

- The Council of Europe's Social Charter

- The Community Charter of Fundamental Social Rights of Workers, and

- Other international conventions to which the EU or its Member States are parties.

The Charter sets out the full range of civil, political, economic, and social rights based on:

The African Charter on Human and People's Rights (1981)

Jurisdiction: African Union / Africa

Scope / Entity: Member states across Africa.

Key Mandate: Human rights treaty guaranteeing rights to all people.

Technical Standard / Key Feature: Does not explicitly name disability in its non-discrimination clause, but courts use its provisions to protect disability rights.

The African Disability Rights Protocol (ADRP) (2018)

Jurisdiction: African Union

Scope / Entity: African Union member states.

Key Mandate: Adds region-specific provisions to the UN CRPD.

Technical Standard / Key Feature: Specifically addresses protections during armed conflict/displacement and explicitly bans harmful practices (e.g., witchcraft allegations, abandonment).

Article 8(1) of the CRPD (Awareness-raising)

Parent Instrument: UN CRPD (2006) — the first binding international human rights treaty specifically for people with disabilities.

Scope / Jurisdiction: International / UN States Parties.

Key Mandate: Requires state parties to raise awareness across society, foster respect for the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities, combat stereotypes, prejudices, and harmful practices, and promote awareness of their capabilities and contributions.(International and Global Frameworks)

Article 11(1) of the ADRP:

Parent Instrument: African Disability Rights Protocol (ADRP) — an African Union treaty adopted in 2018 to complement and add region-specific provisions to the UN CRPD.

Scope / Jurisdiction: Regional / African Union member states.

Key Mandate: Requires state parties to take all necessary measures to ensure the protection and safety of persons with disabilities in situations of risk, including humanitarian emergencies, natural disasters, and armed conflicts.

CPACC Relevance: Highlights the treaty's region-specific focus on crisis management, displacement, and vulnerable contexts beyond standard civil/digital access.

The Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (1999)

Jurisdiction: Organization of American States (OAS / Americas)

Scope / Entity: Participating OAS member states.

Key Mandate: Aims to prevent and eliminate discrimination against persons with disabilities and facilitate full societal integration.

Technical Standard / Key Feature: Article III requires removing architectural, transportation, and communication obstacles.

Article III of The Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities

Parent Instrument: Organization of American States (OAS) Inter-American Convention — a regional human rights treaty for the Americas.

Scope / Jurisdiction: Regional / OAS Member States (Americas).

Key Mandate: Requires state parties to adopt legislative, judicial, administrative, and spatial measures to eliminate discrimination, including removing architectural, transportation, and communication obstacles to facilitate full societal integration.

CPACC Relevance: Represents a fundamental regional legal precedent in the Americas for mandating built environment and communication accessibility.

Shift from medical to social model of disability

The main driver of the legal shift from a welfare or social security law model towards anti-discrimination or equality law

Challenge segregation and exclusion as forms of discrimination against people with disabilities, usually requiring social institutions (governments, corporations, educational institutions, individuals, etc.) to reduce or eliminate discrimination

The intention of anti-discrimination or equality law for people with disabilities

Reasonable accommodation (individual accommodation) and accessibility

These two approaches are what disability laws have to granting rights to or accommodating the needs of people with disabilities in practice

Reasonable accommodation

Aims to ensure equal treatment on a case-by-case basis

Accessibility

The conditions or requirements should be met regardless of a person's disability status.

Section 508 of the US Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (U.S. legislation)

Jurisdiction: United States (Federal)

Scope / Entity: US Federal departments, agencies, and their ICT procurement vendors.

Key Mandate: Requires federal agencies to procure, develop, maintain, and use Electronic and Information Technology (ICT) so it is accessible to federal employees and the public.

Technical Standard / Key Feature: Implemented in federal procurement via the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR); references WCAG 2.0 AA.

The Equality Act 2010

Jurisdiction: United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales)

Scope / Entity: Employers, service providers, public bodies, and education providers.

Key Mandate: Consolidates previous anti-discrimination laws into one act; protects 9 characteristics, including disability.

Technical Standard / Key Feature: Covers direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, and discrimination arising from disability.

age • disability • gender reassignment • marriage and civil partnership • pregnancy and maternity • race • religion or belief • sex • sexual orientation

Section 4 of the The Equality Act 2010 protects the following characteristics (9)

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

Jurisdiction: United States (Federal/State)

Scope / Entity: Private employers, state/local governments, and commercial entities.

Key Mandate: Broad civil rights law guaranteeing equal opportunities in employment, public services, commercial facilities, and telecommunications.

• Technical Standard / Key Feature:

Title I: Employment

Title II: State and local government entities (public services and digital access)

Title III: Places of public accommodation / commercial businesses

- disabilities in no way diminish a person's right to fully participate in society

- forms of discrimination against individuals with disabilities continue to be a social problem

- discrimination against individuals with disabilities persists employment, housing, public accommodations, education, transportation, communication, recreation, institutionalization, health services, voting, and access to public services

- individuals who have experienced discrimination on the basis of disability often had no legal recourse

- census data, national polls, and other studies have documented that people with disabilities occupy an inferior status

- the Nation's goals regarding individuals with disabilities are to assure equality of opportunity

- the continuing existence of unfair and unnecessary discrimination costs the United States billions of dollars in unnecessary expenses resulting from dependency and non-productivity

The Findings of Chapter 126, Equal Opportunity for Individuals with Disabilities, state

Ontarians with Disabilities Act of 2001 (AODA) (Canada)

Jurisdiction: Province of Ontario, Canada

Scope / Entity: Public, private, and non-profit organizations operating in Ontario.

Key Mandate: Establishes mandatory standards in customer service, information/communications, employment, transportation, and public spaces to achieve a barrier-free province.

Technical Standard / Key Feature: Uses mandatory standards with specific compliance deadlines based on organization size.

Employment Equality Directive (2000)

Jurisdiction: European Union

Scope / Entity: Employers across all EU member states.

Key Mandate: Prohibits disability discrimination in employment and occupational training.

Technical Standard / Key Feature: Requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation for disabled workers.

Anti-discrimination Directive (2008)

Proposed to implement the principle of equal treatment outside the labour market, but it has not been adopted. Shows how the general antidiscrimination or disability equality legislation differs in content and approach from country to country.

both • prohibits discrimination • requires reasonable accommodation • neither

Four categories in EU health care member state legislation depending on whether they prohibit disability discrimination and/or require reasonable accommodation

Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) of 2010

Jurisdiction: United States (Federal - FCC governed)

Scope / Entity: Advanced communications (VoIP, video chat, messaging) and web video content.

Key Mandate: Updates 1980s/90s telecom laws to cover 21st-century digital, broadband, mobile, and online video technologies.

Technical Standard / Key Feature: Enforces internet video captioning, audio description, and accessible user interfaces for communications tools.

Air Carrier Access Amendments Act of 2017 (ACAA)

Jurisdiction: United States (Department of Transportation)

Scope / Entity: All US airlines and foreign air carriers operating flights to or from the United States.

Key Mandate: Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in commercial air travel.

Technical Standard / Key Feature: Mandates accessible aircraft design, boarding assistance, and airline digital interface accessibility.

Passengers with Disabilities: About the Air Carrier Access Act

US Department of Transportation: "The Air Carrier Access Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in air travel. The rule defines the rights of passengers and the obligations of airlines under this law. It applies to all flights of U.S. airlines, and to flights to or from the United States by foreign airlines."

EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD)

"The AVMSD (Directive 2010/13/EU) governs EU-wide coordination of national legislation on all audiovisual media — traditional TV broadcasts and on-demand services." It requires that services provided by media service providers are made continuously and progressively more accessible to people with disabilities through proportionate measures; and that emergency information via audiovisual media services are provided in a manner which is accessible to people with disabilities. It also encourages media service providers to develop accessibility action plans in respect of continuously and progressively making their services more accessible.

European Electronic Communications Code

The _________ lays out rules that facilitate the provision of high quality, secure, and affordable telecommunication services throughout Europe. It promotes addressing the needs of end-users with disabilities, supporting equivalent access and choice:

- It requires that service information (like the main characteristics, total price and cost) and an easily readable contract summary are provided in an accessible format to people with disabilities.

- It also requires accessible missing children and child helpline hotlines and equal access to emergency services and emergency communication.

- To ensure an affordable universal service, it ensures support to consumers with disabilities and that specific equipment and services that enhance equivalent access are available and affordable.

EU eIDAS regulation

The Regulation on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market requires that trust services such as electronic signatures and end-user products providing trust services are accessible for people with disabilities.

EU Public procurement directives

- Subject of the procurement: "For all procurement intended for use by natural persons (whether general public or staff of the contracting authority), the technical specifications shall ... take into account accessibility criteria for people with disabilities or design for all users." If another EU law already defines mandatory accessibility requirements, those should be used in the technical specifications.

- Evaluation: The law grants the possibility to consider accessibility in the tender evaluation. It also grants the possibility to exclude economic operators which have proven unreliable because of violations of social obligations, including rules on accessibility for disabled persons.

- Electronic procurement documentation and electronic means of procurement communication should take accessibility in due account.

US Federal Acquisition Regulation

Parent Instrument: The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended in 1998).

Scope / Jurisdiction: United States (Federal) / Executive agencies and commercial vendors selling Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to the federal government.

Key Mandate: Requires federal agencies to procure, develop, maintain, and use ICT that is accessible to federal employees and members of the public with disabilities.

CPACC Relevance: Connects statutory civil rights law (Section 508) directly to practical business operations, vendor contracts, and Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs/ACRs).

Title III of the ADA

Parent Instrument: Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) — the primary US federal civil rights statute prohibiting discrimination based on disability.

Scope / Jurisdiction: United States (Federal/State) / Private businesses open to the public (places of public accommodation), commercial facilities, and private transport providers.

Key Mandate: Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations by any person who owns, leases, or operates a place of public accommodation.

CPACC Relevance: Forms the primary legal basis in US federal courts for web accessibility lawsuits targeting commercial, private-sector websites and digital services.

The European Web Accessibility Directive (Directive 2016/2102)

Jurisdiction: European Union

Scope / Entity: Public sector bodies (governments, public universities, public hospitals).

Key Mandate: Requires public sector websites and mobile apps to be accessible, display an Accessibility Statement, provide feedback mechanisms, and link to enforcement.

Technical Standard / Key Feature: Technical compliance verified through EN 301 549 / WCAG 2.1 AA.

The European Accessibility Act (2019)

Jurisdiction: European Union

Scope / Entity: Private businesses, manufacturers, importers, and distributors (excluding microenterprises) selling products/services in the EU.

Key Mandate: Standardizes accessibility requirements for consumer products/services (computers, ATMs, ticketing, smartphones, e-books, e-commerce, banking) starting in 2025.

Technical Standard / Key Feature: Harmonizes cross-border private sector accessibility across all EU member states.

initiate: learn the basics, explore the environment, set objectives, develop a business case, gather support

plan: create accessibility policy, assign responsibilities, determine budget, review environment and websites, establish monitoring, engage with stakeholders

sustain: monitor websites, engage with stakeholders, track standards and legislation, adapt to new tech, incorporate user feedback

The World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative recommendations for planning, implementing, and sustaining an organizational ICT accessibility program:

Policy: Develop a long-term strategy that recognizes disability, Publish an accessibility statement, develop procurement policy

Plan: Develop an information accessibility plan, ensure the person or team responsible for the plan has authority and resources.

Practice: Conduct a pilot of the Guidelines, Provide awareness training for all staff, Provide training for content specialists, Produce style guides and templates, Update work processes to embed information accessibility, Create information using the style guides and templates, Give external providers the Guidelines and requirements for compliance, Conduct accessibility testing

European Agency for Special Needs & Inclusive Education Guidelines

Maturity model

is a tool for organisations to measure progress and improvements in a given area.

Business Disability Forum's Accessibility Maturity Model

A self-assessment tool to help organizations benchmark their progress in all aspects of accessibility.

Accessibility is defined as ensuring that people living with a disability or who acquire a disability can apply for jobs with us, be employed by us, and do business with us. Organisations commit to implementing an inclusive technology strategy which includes 10 commitments to accessibility in areas such as inclusive design in the development lifecycle, internal know-how, and consultations with people with disabilities.

Accessibility Maturity Model

An organization assesses its progress on a scale of 1 - 5:

Level 1: Informal. No documentation or process in place.

Level 2: Defined. Documented but not actioned or completed once.

Level 3: Repeatable. Process established and actioned consistently.

Level 4: Managed. Process monitored and improved; business as usual.

Level 5: Best practice. Innovate, improve, and share.

The Capability Maturity Model for Software, Adapted

Is an IT process improvement model that was initially designed for software development, but it can be used to measure an organization's ICT accessibility maturity.

Initial: Capability is ad hoc and unpredictable. The organization typically does not provide a stable environment for developing and maintaining accessible products, service, and information.

2. Policies are in place for managing projects and procedures for ICT accessibility. Processes can be characterized as: a. Practiced b. Documented c. Enforced d. Trained e. Measured f. Able to improve

3. Defined a. Standard processes for developing and maintaining ICT accessibility across the organization are documented, and these processes are integrated into a coherent whole. Processes are used, and changed as appropriate, to help the staff perform more effectively.

4. Managed a. The organization sets quantitative quality goals for products and processes. Processes include well-defined and consistent measurements.

5. Optimizing a. The entire organization is focused on continuous process improvement. The organization identifies weaknesses and strengthens the process proactively, with the goal of preventing the occurrence of defects. Innovations that exploit best practices are identified and transferred throughout the organization.

1. Establish maturity models

2. Create accessibility champions

3. Recruit and hire people with disabilities

4. include inclusive marketing/comm strategies

5. understand legal and public relations implications

6. Purchase accessible products and services

Ways to integrate ICT accessibility across organizations (6)

- Details about different disabilities are usually not included in census surveys

- Disability terminology varies between countries, which makes it difficult to compare as conditions may be defined differently

- Many people with disabilities have more than one disability and end up between defined groups.

General limitations in the collection of statistical data on disabilities

1.3 billion people (1 in 6 of us)

Number of people who experience a disability

- How many people with disabilities live in each country, region or in the world?

- What are the percentages of people with different types of disabilities in different age groups?

- How many people with disabilities are employed?

- How much disposable income do people with disabilities have?

- How many people with disabilities are living in poverty?

Types of questions disability statistics can answer

Disability etiquette

a set of guidelines on how to interact with and communicate about people with disabilities in an inclusive and respectful way

- Speak to the person directly, not to the person accompanying them

- Do not make assumptions about what a person can or cannot do

- Since the impact of a specific disability can vary widely from person to person, you should provide assistance only if the person requests it or after you have asked their permission.

- Acknowledge the person's ability to make decisions and judgments on their own behalf.

- Respect the person's personal space and privacy. Do not touch the person's wheelchair or other equipment without permission.

Examples of disability etiquette in personal interactions:

Use people-first language and identity-first language

Types of inclusive language when discussing disability (2)

People first language

The most common recommendation is to use people first language. As an example, it is generally more accepted to use the phrase "a person with a disability", instead of "a disabled person".

Identity first language

The emphasis is on disability as a key part of the person's identity. This language is often used by self-advocates within disability communities.

universal design

A product or service is developed in a way that as many people as possible can use it without needing adaptations.

reasonable accommodations

specific modifications and adjustments made to an environment, product or service to ensure equal access and opportunity for people with disabilities in a specific case.

accessibility, usability, and universal design

3 concepts that have the ambition to develop products and services that are easier to use for everyone regardless of ability

Accessibility

designing so that that people with disabilities have an equivalent user experience without barriers or discrimination.

Usability

emphasises aspects like ease of use and the user experience, but it does not always consider the needs of people with disabilities.

Web accessibility

the ability for a wide range of people, including those who have disabilities, to easily navigate and understand a website or application.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)

contains recommendations for making web content more accessible to people with disabilities.

POUR acronym (Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust)

4 main principles of the WCAG guidelines

alt text, captions, transcripts, stop, hide, pause video content, make it easier for users to see and hear content

Guidelines under Perceivable in WCAG

keyboard accessibility, enough time for users to read and use content, no flashing content

Guidelines under Operable in WCAG

make text readable and understandable, consistent navigation, help users avoid and correct mistakes

Guidelines under Understandable in WCAG

Maximize compatibility with current and future user tools and ensure it is compatible with different screens

Guidelines under Robust in WCAG

- Access in and out of buildings. Regulations often connect to aspects of safety and evacuation.

- Moving around in buildings including furnishing, accessibility of facilities, perception of signs, accessibility of evacuation routes etc.

- Transport accessibility, including accessibility of routes and the outdoor environment and access to means of transport.

- Recommendations and guidelines on accessibility are often included in broader policies.

Areas of focus regarding accessibility in built environment include:

Equitable, Flexibility, Simple and Intuitive, Perceptible, Tolerance for Error, Low Physical Effort, Size and Space for Approach and Use

The Seven Principles of Universal Design

- Provide the same means of use for all users: identical whenever possible; equivalent when not

- Provisions for privacy, security, and safety should be equally available to all users

Principle of Universal Design: Equitable Use

- Provide choice in methods of use

- Accommodate right- or left-handed access and use

Principle of Universal Design: Flexibility in Use

- Eliminate unnecessary complexity

- Be consistent with user expectations and intuition

- Accommodate a wide range of literacy and language skills

- Arrange information consistent with its importance

- Provide effective prompting and feedback during and after task completion

Principle of Universal Design: Simple and Intuitive Use

- Use different modes (pictorial, verbal, tactile) for redundant presentation of essential information

- Provide adequate contrast between essential information and its surroundings

- Maximize legibility of essential information

- Differentiate elements in ways that can be described (i.e., make it easy to give instructions or directions)

- Provide compatibility with a variety of techniques or devices used by people with sensory limitations

Principle of Universal Design: Perceptible Information

- Arrange elements to minimize hazards and errors: most used elements, most accessible; hazardous elements eliminated, isolated, or shielded

- Provide warnings of hazards and errors

- Provide fail safe features

- Discourage unconscious action in tasks that require vigilance

Principle of Universal Design: Tolerance for Error

- Allow user to maintain a neutral body position

- Use reasonable operating forces

- Minimize repetitive actions

- Minimize sustained physical effort

Principle of Universal Design: Low Physical Effort

- Provide a clear line of sight to important elements for any seated or standing user

- Make reaching to all components comfortable for any seated or standing user

- Accommodate variations in hand and grip size

- Provide adequate space for the use of assistive devices

Principle of Universal Design: Size and Space for Approach and Use

Universal Design for Learning

A set of guidelines that account for various student needs and preferences when designing instruction

- Engagement (the Why of learning)

- Representation (the What of learning)

- Action & Expression (the How of learning)

Three guidelines of UDL

Multiple Means of Engagement

UDL guideline that means students have different options to participate in the material, which will recruit learners' interest, sustain efforts, allow learns to self-regulate

Multiple Means of Representation

UDL guideline that presents information and content in diverse formats

Multiple Means of Action and Expression

providing learners with alternative ways to act skillfully and demonstrate what they know

Usability, useful content, desirable/pleasureable content, accessibility, credibility

core areas of UX (5)

The website should include enough information in an easily digestible format so that users can make informed decisions

core area of UX: Useful content

The best user experiences come when the user can form an emotional bond with the product or website.

core area of UX: Desirable/Pleasurable Content

The trust (levels of security and privacy) that a website engenders in users also plays a part in the user experience."

core area of UX: Credibility

User-Centered Design

an approach that puts the user at the center of every stage in the design and development process

Assistive Technologies

Products, devices, systems, or items used by people with disabilities to perform tasks which they could not do otherwise.

User Agents

Graphical desktop browsers, text browsers, voice browsers, multimedia players, and plug-ins that produce outputs that assistive technology relies on

Adaptive Strategies

Tweaks and adjustments that people with disabilities use to perform daily living activities.

• some amount of vision loss

• loss of visual acuity (sharpness)

• increased or decreased sensitivity to specific or bright colors

• complete or uncorrectable loss of vision in either or both eyes.

Visual disabilities are sensory disabilities that include:

Blindness

Sensory disability involving some vision loss, nearly complete vision loss, and complete vision loss.

Color vision deficiency

Sensory disability where a person may not be able to distinguish certain color combinations.

Red and green

The most common form of color vision deficiency affects a person's ability to distinguish this color combination

Low vision

Uncorrectable vision loss that interferes with daily activities. It is better defined in terms of function, rather than numerical test results.

- Magnification to read or discern other details

- high contrast text and graphics

Assistive tech and adaptive strategies someone with low vision may use

- Provide text alternatives for non-text information.

- Make sure graphical design allows for magnification.

- Use color combinations with high contrast.

- Do not rely on color alone to convey meaning or information.

- Standard, consistent positioning and visual presentation of objects

Accessibility accommodations for people with vision impairments

Hard-of-hearing people (HOH)

Refers to people with hearing loss ranging from mild to severe who still have some useful hearing.