Presented at a seminar at NUI Galway in November 2012. For more information: http://disabilityrightsresearch.com/2012/12/19/dream-fellow-presenting-to-nui-galway-students/

1. eAccessibility:
Legislation Review and
CBA
Robert Huffaker
Marie Curie Fellow at DREAM Programme
Technical Officer at Technosite
External PhD Student at NUIG CDLP

2. Can ICT expand markets?…
… and create value?

3. Introduction
• What is ICT, eAccessibility and Web Accessibility
3

4. Web accessibility vs.
eAccessibility
Web
Accessibility
eAccessibility

5. Introduction
• Disabled People / People with disabilities (PwD) are still
not fully enjoying benefits and opportunities provided by
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).
• Accessible ICTs are essential enablers for participating in
the economy and society, to exercise freedom of choice
and to have an independent living (UNCRPD)
• MeAC and other studies shows that eAccessibility level in
Europe is still low
• Not a niche market: Important business opportunity
5

6. Some examples…
• APSIS4all project: http://www.apsis4all.eu/
There is still a need of evidence on cost/benefits and
impacts of accessible ICT
6

7. How to identify costs and benefits …
Steps
Gather evidence from secondary sources to analyse the
current situation?
Gather evidence from field research? Surveys?
Elaborate Case Studies?
Identify Key Aspects: Costs and Benefits?
Develop Models?
Propose recommendations?

8. Web accessibility

9. Surveying organisations:
Motivations for web accessibility
• All companies considered web accessibility important.
• More than 50% of the Websites were designed to be
accessible from the start.
• Reasons for launching an accessible Website :
compliance with the legal requirements,
 support of the company CSR policy
 widening the number and characteristics of users
usability
• Most Websites were developed either by an external
consultancy (44%) or in a partnership (34%)

10. Surveying organisations:
Perceived benefits
• Web accessibility is linked with the operational performance
of the Website, i.e. usability enhancement, faster loading
time, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), etc.
• The improvement in social image is considered critical,
especially as a part of a wider Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) strategy.
• The “two ticks accreditation” (in the UK, indicating that an
employer is committed to supporting or employing PwD).
• Better profile in media publications and public reports.
• Avoiding legal costs and fines arising from litigation
• Decrease in user complaints.

11. Estimations and Extrapolations
Key Aspects Quantified (Macroeconomic Level)
USERS LEVEL ORGANISATIONAL LEVEL
BENEFITS BENEFITS
• Public sector efficiency
• Potential increase in
gains from more users of
employment for PwD
eGovernment services
• Potential increase in wages • Private sector increased
for PwD sales from eCommerce
• Increased consumer
ORGANISATIONAL LEVEL
welfare from access to COSTS
eCommerce and eBanking
• Organisational extra costs
• Increased convenience and
attributable to
savings from access to
implementing and
eGovernment services
maintaining web
accessibility
11

12. Estimations and Extrapolations
Results overview: net present value of aggregate net
benefits
(30-year horizon; discount rate 2,5%)
YEAR WHEN RESULTS ARE POSITIVE
scenario 1
Under no scenario the policy impact give
Target 5% scenario 2
positive net benefits
scenario 3
scenario 1 No positive net benefits
Target 25% scenario 2 Net benefits positive after 10 years
scenario 3 Net benefits positive after 4 years
scenario 1 Net benefits positive after 23 years
Target 50% scenario 2 Net benefits positive after 3 years
scenario 3 Net benefits positive after 1 year
scenario 1 Net benefits positive after 4 years
Target 100% scenario 2 Net benefits positive after 1 year
scenario 3 Net benefits positive from the start
12

13. Part 2: Legislation
Review

14. UNCRPD
Accessibility is identified in Article 3(f) as one of its eight
principles, and accessibility rights, including ICT, are established as a
condition for persons with disabilities to exercise their fundamental
freedoms and human rights.
The importance of accessibility is underscored by the fact that
the word „access‟ has been used nine times, and accessibility
seventeen times throughout the text of the treaty (Narasimhan and
Lebois 2012).
Article 9 of the CRPD deals with the right of access to
education, employment, information, transportation, social and cultural
life and entertainment. ICTs are affected in almost all of these aspects,
proving to be a wide-reaching goal on behalf of the UN.

15. IRELAND
According to the National Disability Authority (NDA), Irish public policy
includes requirements for government department websites to conform
to Priority Levels 1 and 2 of the W3C WCAG 1.0.
Mary McAleese, officially launched the Excellence through
Accessibility Award program.
In addition, the Disability Act of 2005 requires access to information
and provides for a complaint-filing process effective December 31,
2005. Section 28 of the legislation states in part
Department of the Taoiseach‟s “New Connections—A Strategy to
realize the potential of the Information Society” stated that “all public
websites are required to be WAI (level 2) compliant by end 2001”.
NDA: Irish National Disability Authority IT Accessibility Guidelines for
web, telecommunications, public access terminals, and application
software.

16. SPAIN
Law 34, June 11, 2002—Information Society and Electronic
Commerce Services Act
Law 51/2003, December 2, 2003—regarding equality of
opportunities, nondiscrimination, and universal accessibility for
people with disabilities Called LIONDAU: de igualdad de
oportunidades, no discriminación y accesibilidad universal de
las personas con discapacidad
Royal Decree 209, February 21, 2003—regarding registries
and the telematic notifications
Law 59, December 19, 2003—regarding electronic signature

17. Diversity of ICT capabilities…
… diversity of user profiles and situations…

18. Thank you!
Robert Huffaker
rhuffaker@technosite.es
es.linkedin.com/in/robhuffaker
Skype: robhuffaker
www.roberthuffaker.com