# E-Access Bulletin – Issue 205, November 2018
E-Access Bulletin is produced with the support of [Thomas Pocklington
Trust](http://www.pocklington-trust.org.uk).
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## Issue 205 contents
### Section One: News
01: Inaccessible retail sites continue to miss out on millions, as new
survey launches.
- Second Click-Away Pound report aims to raise awareness in online
businesses.
02: Gaming industry told that “tiny tweaks” equal huge accessibility
boosts.
- Experts outline how game developers can build-in accessibility from the
start.
03: Involve disabled people in policy-making, new global accessibility index
urges.
- Report covering 121 countries reveals “significant shortcomings”.
### Section Two: News in brief
04: Instant Comprehension – Instagram introduces alt text.
05: Visually Impaired Voting – Assistance app goes free to help voters.
06: Smart Specs – Captioning glasses rolled-out at National Theatre.
### Section Three: Event report
07: Making machines smart by keeping things fair: EDF conference on
artificial intelligence.
Speakers from major technology companies, disability organisations and
high-level AI experts gathered in Vienna recently to explore the
many opportunities and associated risks offered by artificial intelligence
for persons with disabilities. E-Access Bulletin attended the conference to
find out more about the situation posed by this unique technology and how it
can be harnessed for societal good.
[Contents ends]
## Section One: News
### 01: Inaccessible retail sites continue to miss out on millions, as new
survey launches
A new version of a survey to assess the online shopping experience of people
with disabilities has launched, to find out whether businesses have improved
their websites.
The first Click-Away Pound (CAP) survey launched in 2016 and uncovered a
range of issues. A key finding was that 70% of people with impairments
simply ‘click away’ from unusable websites when shopping online.
Additionally, 80% preferred to spend their money through accessible websites
rather than the cheapest.
The report also estimated the ‘displaced’ spending of these customers
(money not being spent on inaccessible sites) to be almost £12 billion.
Using the calculations behind this figure and predicted spending data,
figures accompanying the launch of the new survey estimate that £446
million of potential spending will have been lost by businesses with
inaccessible websites over the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping
period.
The new Click-Away Pound survey aims to find out if the picture has changed
for online shoppers with impairments in the two years following the first
edition. Rick Williams, the report’s lead author and Managing Director of
disability consultancy Freeney Williams Ltd, told e-Access Bulletin that the
new survey has been launched because “we thought that was enough time for
businesses to address the issues [the first survey] raised.”
Speaking about his predictions for the results, Williams said: “If I am
honest, I don’t expect major changes. However, pressure is certainly
building and in the United States this is now a major legal issue. In the UK
the subject is being discussed more, but we don’t know how things have
changed.”
Williams said the continued use of inaccessible websites by many businesses
is ‘puzzling’. He said: “No director of a major company would
knowingly turn away business and annoy potential customers, but they
continue to do so with inaccessible websites and apps.”
The latest Click-Away Pound Survey is open now and anyone with an impairment
who shops online is encouraged to take part at the following
website: [www.clickawaypound.com](http://www.clickawaypound.com">.
The survey will be kept open until at least the end of January and results
will be published in summer. Williams said he expects that the results
“will play a key role in improving businesses’ approach to this
issue.”
Read e-Access Bulletin’s coverage of the 2016 Click-Away Pound
survey.
[Comment on the ‘Click-Away Pound 2018’ story now at e-Access Bulletin
Live](http://www.headstar.com/eablive/?p=1788).
### 02: Gaming industry told that “tiny tweaks” equal huge
accessibility boosts
Video game developers have been asked to make their products more inclusive
for players with disabilities by sector experts at an event in London.
In a session on ‘Accessible games’ at TechShare Pro 2018 (a wide-ranging
digital accessibility conference), three speakers explained to delegates why
accessibility is so important in this area and explained what changes need
to be made.
Games journalist Mark Brown – whose ‘Game Maker’s Toolkit’ YouTube
channel has over half a million subscribers – started his presentation by
stating that “video games are a particularly difficult topic for
accessibility, because they touch on basically every category of
disability.”
He then worked through a checklist of ten points for developers to consider
when creating new video games. These included: controller sensitivity, clear
subtitles, volume controls for separate elements, visual contrast,
difficulty customisation and simulation sickness (similar to motion
sickness, causing some players to feel nauseous – often in 3D or
first-person perspective games). He also gave examples of good practice,
highlighting games where visually impaired players can turn off background
visuals (‘Street Fighter IV’) and choose their own colour palette
(‘For Honor’) to assist with visual contrast and colour blindness
issues.
Following on was Mark Friend, a senior user researcher and accessibility
specialist for Sony Interactive Entertainment, the company behind the
PlayStation brand. Friend discussed his visits to numerous game studios to
explain to development teams what steps could be taken to improve the
accessibility of their games at the beginning of the process, flagging up
common “unintentional barriers” that are often created.
An accessibility consultant and blind gamer known as Sightless Kombat was
the final speaker in the session, discussing audio gaming and different
approaches used by players with sight loss for various game genres.
“It’s important for sighted gamers to engage with audio gaming
experiences, because they are so integral to culture and social
interaction,” he said.
He then highlighted the importance of the 21st Century Communications and
Video Accessibility Act (CVAA), a piece of legislation from the United
States which will require game developers to make communication interfaces
and navigation elements in their games accessible for users with
disabilities. The Act comes into force in the US on January 1, 2019, and is
expected to have a significant impact on game development in the country.
Sightless Kombat pointed out the increasing popularity of accessibility
functions with a wider audience, noting that “although these features were
initially targeted at those with disabilities, they’ve expanded [to a
larger audience] due to convenience.” He ended with a final request to
game developers: “Tiny tweaks can make such a big difference, even small
things – like audio cues – which may not be noticed by most people.”
Read more about visually impaired gaming at the [Sightless Kombat
website](http://www.sightlesskombat.com/).
Find out more about Mark Brown’s work at the [Game Maker’s Toolkit
YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/user/McBacon1337).
Read more about TechShare Pro at the [AbilityNet
website](https://www.abilitynet.org.uk/techsharepro). Presentations on
digital accessibility topics discussed on the day are available for some
sessions.
[Comment on the ‘Accessible game development’ story now at e-Access
Bulletin Live](http://www.headstar.com/eablive/?p=1786).
### 03: Involve disabled people in policy-making, new global accessibility
index urges
Less than one quarter of countries in a large-scale global assessment
involve persons with disabilities in digital accessibility policy-making and
monitoring, acting against the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (CRPD), a new report claims.
Developed by G3ict – the Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs – the
Digital Accessibility Rights Evaluation (DARE) Index measured the progress
and implementation of digital accessibility for persons with disabilities in
121 countries, based on criteria set out in the CRPD. G3ict notes that the
DARE Index “builds on eight years of data collection and analysis
experience” from previous accessibility progress reports.
Despite “positive advances” in legislation supporting ICT accessibility,
the results showed “significant gaps” when it came to actually
implementing such policies, resulting in what DARE describes as
“significant shortcomings in making digital products and services
accessible to persons with disabilities.”
The index also features a table of the top ten countries in terms of overall
performance. Oman scored highest, followed by Brazil, France, South Africa,
Qatar, United States, Italy, Russian Federation, UK, Kenya and Spain.
Grouped into wider regions, North America and Europe scored significantly
higher than other areas.
A report based on the data cites lack of involvement of persons with
disabilities in policy-making as the most pressing issue holding back
digital accessibility, but other issues are also highlighted.
These include lack of involvement with international standards (such as
WCAG, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and lack of ICT
accessibility courses offered at “major universities”, which were
available in only 37% of countries. The report claims that students in the
remaining countries “continue to graduate in computer sciences or any
other related discipline without having ever heard of ICT accessibility.”
Good practice and positive outcomes are also highlighted in the DARE Index.
This includes a substantial increase in legislation protecting the rights
of persons with disabilities, recorded in 84% of the countries, compared to
a minority before 2006. The report claims that this “remarkable
progress” shows the impact of the CRPD.
However, the big picture outlined in the DARE Index is that many countries
are still lacking when it comes to implementing digital accessibility
measures. An overview statement on the DARE website notes the following:
“Success stories from most advanced
countries suggest that closing gaps requires more than governments’
advocacy and resources. It requires a long-term partnership between the
public sector, industry, DPOs and NGOs. The participation and continuous
involvement of persons with disabilities in policy-making, development and
monitoring processes is vital to build a fully accessible information
society that ensures the right to communicate and the use of knowledge for
all.”
Read more about the DARE Index at
the [G3ict website](http://g3ict.org/">People called in from all over the country to get assistance with
locating and navigating their polling station, reading voter guides and
more.”
Find out more at the [Aira website](https://aira.io/">.
### 06: Smart Specs
London’s National Theatre has announced that its ‘smart caption’
glasses – which provide live captions during a show for people with
hearing loss – will be available for all performances in each of its three
theatres from February 2019. Speaking at the TechShare Pro 2018 event in
London, Jonathan Suffolk, Technical Director at the National Theatre,
explained that the theatre is also working on a version of the system for
use in cinemas, as well as audio description and BSL versions. Another aim
is for the glasses to be used in London’s West End theatre district and
internationally.
Read more about the smart caption glasses at the [National Theatre
website](https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/your-visit/access/caption-glasses">.
[Section Two ends]
## Notice: Thomas Pocklington Trust
E-Access Bulletin is brought to you with the kind support of Thomas
Pocklington Trust, a national charity delivering positive change for people
with sight loss. Find out more about their work at the [Thomas Pocklington
Trust website](http://www.pocklington-trust.org.uk).
[Notice ends]
## Notice: RNIB Connect Radio and e-Access Bulletin
E-Access Bulletin will be appearing on RNIB Connect Radio each month on The
Early Edition programme. Hear more about the Bulletin and upcoming content
appearing in each issue, as we discuss the latest accessible technology news
and readers’ questions with Allan Russell.
Episodes will be available after broadcast as podcasts from the RNIB Connect
Radio site. Listen to RNIB Connect Radio online or via television,
smartphone or radio. Find more information about the Early Edition at the
[RNIB Connect Radio
website](http://www.insightradio.co.uk/early-edition.html#.Wm3FxJOFiRs).
[Notice ends]
## Section Three: Event report
### 07: Making machines smart by keeping things fair: EDF conference on
artificial intelligence
For better or worse, the term ‘artificial intelligence’, or simply AI,
still conjures up science-fiction-like images of dangerously powerful
computers or malevolent robots overthrowing the human race. It seems like
something that belongs in the future, even though it’s been around for a
long time and is being used by countless numbers of people on a daily basis,
many without even realising.
Online retail websites, social media platforms, film and music streaming
services, email filtering systems and ‘virtual assistants’ like Siri and
Alexa all use AI, to name just a few. And as many e-Access Bulletin readers
will know, those virtual assistants also have a wide range of benefits for
people with disabilities. So, how can artificial intelligence be harnessed
to provide as much assistance as possible for people with impairments? And
how can the technology be developed in the future to be of even more use in
this area?
These were two of the topics discussed at an event in Vienna organised by
the European Disability Forum (EDF), titled ‘Using artificial intelligence
to enhance accessibility – opportunities and risks of emerging
technologies for persons with disabilities’.
Specialists from major technology companies were present to talk about
products and services that use AI, alongside various field experts from
disability and AI-focused organisations.
Moderated by Michael Fembek from the Zero Project (an organisation which
shares and supports innovative disability-focused projects), the first
session, titled ‘Setting the scene’, featured representatives from three
tech giants. However, as Fembek noted in his introduction, “the
relationship of disability, accessibility and inclusion to AI is not
straightforward. There are incredible opportunities … but there are also
dangers – the danger of widening the digital gap instead of closing it.”
The first speaker was Adina Braha-Honciuc, Government Affairs Manager for
Accessibility and Sustainability at Microsoft, who began by addressing a
question that would be returned to throughout the event: what is AI? “It
is about computers understanding the world,” was her core definition.
“It’s not about ‘human versus machine’,” she added later, perhaps
trying to banish any remaining sci-fi images.
Braha-Honciuc claimed that “AI makes diversity even more important than it
already is,” citing the need for diverse teams to work with the technology
in order for it to reflect diverse thinking.
“People with disabilities need to have a seat at the table in the
development of AI, to make sure that AI systems are not biased and are
reflective of our entire society,” she said, highlighting what would
become a key message of the conference.
Anna-Verena Naether, Public Policy Senior Analyst at Google, defined AI
slightly differently: “It’s the science of making machines smart, or
making them appear smart.”
AI is crucial for many Google products, including search engine
technology, Google Translate, Gmail and Google Photos. She then discussed
Google Lookout, an upcoming mobile app that uses machine learning to help
people with sight loss understand their environment. The app captures images
of a scene and detects objects and people in the image, before
‘judging’ which are the most relevant items in the photo and speaking
these items aloud to the user.
There are still challenges to overcome with the app, said Naether, including
issues with image quality and the potential for misrecognition. She went on
to talk about Google’s work with voice-access systems. This technology
could be used to control wheelchairs or tilt beds for people with mobility
issues, she said.
Monica Desai, Facebook’s Director of Global Public Policy, went a step
further, stating “We strongly believe that artificial intelligence is the
future of improving accessible experiences at scale.”
She cited Facebook’s automatic alt text and facial recognition tools as
examples of how the company is leveraging AI in accessible technology. Both
features make Facebook easier to use for people with sight loss and were
developed through extensive user-testing with screen-reader users, Desai
said.
She ended by talking about adding captions to videos on Facebook, a
much-discussed accessibility issue. Users are not obliged to add
captions when uploading video content, but the company has added features
to make the process easier, in the hope of encouraging more captions, Desai
said, including “investing in real-time captioning capability” for
Facebook Live.
In a separate session on ‘Showcasing solutions’, Hector Minto, Technical
Evangelist for Accessibility at Microsoft, talked about new developments
from the company, including a potential Hearing AI app – a version of the
popular Seeing AI app, which recognises text, objects and faces to help
visually impaired users. Currently undergoing research, Hearing AI would
learn to recognise sounds to assist people with hearing impairments – such
as a doorbell, alarm and specific voices – and describe those sounds to
the user.
Minto also flagged up a new accessibility checker for the Office 365 package
which gives live accessibility feedback as a user works on a document.
Following on, Wilfried Kainz from the Zero Project highlighted the Inclov
app as an innovative example of AI being used for social good. Inclov is a
matchmaking app for people in India with disabilities, using machine
learning to create potential matches.
Kainz also highlighted an important point around practical access to the
kinds of technologies being discussed at the conference: “We believe that
AI is definitely a driving force for assistive technologies, but how can
customers and services come together?” One positive example, he said, is
Tech Able, an assistive technology showroom in Singapore that anyone can
visit to test equipment (in soundproof and lightproof rooms, if required),
to see what suits their individual needs before purchasing.
Over the course of the day, other AI projects were showcased and discussed
(including a demonstration of the Amazon Echo voice-operated virtual
assistant) and deeper issues were raised. Klaus Hockner, from the European
Commission’s High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence, stated
that one of the key issues around AI is a lack of early education on the
subject: “AI skills are not taught at schools or kindergartens. It needs
to be implemented from the beginning.”
Later on, Carine Marzin – a member of the European Disability Forum’s
ICT Expert Group – previewed findings from an upcoming EDF report on
emerging technologies. The report “aims to support the disability movement
in engaging with industry and policy-makers to ensure that emerging
technologies are inclusive,” Marzin said.
The report explores benefits of these technologies for persons with
disabilities, alongside risks and practical recommendations aimed at
ensuring inclusivity.
Marzin then discussed risks and concerns highlighted by respondents to a
survey in the report. The biggest concern (from 88% of people) was around
potential lack of accessibility of emerging technologies, followed by
concerns about lack of standardisation, interoperability with current
assistive technologies, discrimination and security, among other areas.
The findings demonstrated that despite the many applications – current and
potential – that artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies
offer to persons with disabilities, there are still substantial real-world
concerns around their implementation, from those that may benefit the most
from their use.
Education on the topic will help address some concerns, but it appears the
most crucial element by far relates to the message consistently repeated
throughout the event: persons with disabilities need to be involved with
this technology at every stage, from initial discussions to design and
development. Only then, it seems, does AI stand a fighting chance of being
truly inclusive and truly useful for persons with disabilities on a
widespread and sustainable scale.
Read more about the European Disability
Forum’s work at the EDF
website.
[Comment on the ‘Artificial intelligence event’ story at e-Access
Bulletin Live](http://www.headstar.com/eablive/?p=1782).
[Section Three ends]
## End Notes
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### Staff
Editor: Tristan Parker
Technical Director: Jake Jellinek
Accessibility Advisor: Dr. Nick Freear
ISSN 1476-6337.
ISSUE 205 ends.