Harnessing the Digital Economy for Canadians that are Blind or Partially Sighted

Summary

CNIB passionately provides community–based support, knowledge and a national voice to ensure Canadians who are blind or partially sighted have the confidence, skills and opportunities to fully participate in life.

CNIB believes a thriving digital economy is essential to full participation of blind and partially sighted persons in Canadian society. Successful school completion, securing competitive employment, voting, volunteering, raising a family, buying a house, reading a menu, borrowing a library book… all the usual expectations of our society can be made easier for a blind or partially sighted person with the right technology.

To contemplate any initiatives or investments in Canada's digital economy without considering the 14.3% or 4, 414,870¹ Canadians with disabilities and their unique needs and market potential would be a lost opportunity. Innovation and creativity are characteristic of how persons with disabilities use technology now and including R&D requirements for universal design will result in products and services that will benefit Canadians in general and the IT industry in particular. One need only consider the success of the i–phone² with its build in accessibility features and attention to the end user experience to understand the potential of including end user needs and preferences in designing the digital economy.

For the purposes of this submission CNIB will describe the perspective of persons who are blind or partially sighted. We encourage the readers of this submission to consider the perspective of all persons with disabilities while crafting policy and instituting programs.

The potential for access to mainstream information has never been greater for people who are blind or partially sighted. However, three factors must be in place to realize this potential. Canada's digital landscape must be accessible to people who are blind and partially sighted, be affordable, that is the same price as it is to their sighted peers, and available regardless of where the person who is blind or partially sighted lives.

Within the body of this submission CNIB will discuss how people who are blind or partially sighted used adaptive technologies to access mainstream technologies; for example using a screen reading program to read a web page. Our submission will describe various aspects of affordability and community based solutions such as public library access to content. The submission will touch on the work and rulings already in place from the CRTC that address accessibility.

CNIB will describe the opportunity for Canada to participate in a global copyright treaty that would allow for the international exchange of digital content rather that each country producing its own. Finally CNIB will echo the comments of many others in describing how essential access to digital content is, for persons living in rural or remote areas of Canada.

Submission

Theme: Building Digital Skills

Mainstream digital technology is predominately a visual medium. Persons who are blind or partially sighted access this visual medium using "adaptive" technology. Adaptive technology literally translates the visual medium into a format the person who is blind can use, either in an auditory or tactile (braille) format. It cannot be over emphasized that adaptive technology skills for the blind are comparable to areas of technical skill development for the public. Therefore blind and partially sighted persons actually have a double learning curve in acquiring digital skills.

Adaptive technology by its nature changes as mainstream technology changes. Thus upgrading and maintaining current skills in adaptive technology is as essential to a person who is blind as is upgrading skills and technology is to the mainstream public. For example, an intimate knowledge of the DOS operating system is of no more use to a person who is blind than it is to a sighted user.

As much as possible digital skills training should be available to people who are blind or partially sighted through the same venues as mainstream digital skill training would be accessed. However, practically speaking, particularly when considering adult education, community based organizations like CNIB with a national network of service centres are best suited to provide training and upgrading. With infrastructure and expertise in place, little additional investment would be required to provide adult upgrading in digital skills.

Distance education through colleges and/or community access points would also be an effective way to provide digital skills upgrading. Community access points would be places in the community such as schools, and public libraries. The training of staff to use the accessible workstation and adaptive technology as needed at community access points. Staff must be trained themselves in order to train clients on the use the adaptive equipment and workstations in order for clients to make use of the community access point and participate in the digital economy.

Theme: Innovation Using Digital Technologies

Innovative uses of digital technology need to be supported by a successful digital strategy. A successful digital strategy would consist of an available, accessible, and affordable digital infrastructure. The availability of the infrastructure means it is available to all Canadians in all locations across Canada including rural and remote areas. If the infrastructure is available it also has to be accessible to the blind or partially sighted community. The affordability of the digital strategy is linked to the issues of accessibility. In order for blind individuals to make digital technology accessible they must purchase adaptive equipment in most cases to access the mainstream technology. For example a popular screen reading program called JAWS which can cost up to $1,200 is needed by a blind person in order for them to use a regular computer.

Adaptive technology needs to be affordable in order for a person who is blind or partially sighted to use any digital infrastructure. When the needs of those that are blind or partially sighted are met it will allow these individuals to manipulate digital technology in ways that allow for participation for example in competitive employment. A very early example of persons who were blind working as programmers and systems analysts resulted from a University of Manitoba adapted Information Technology degree program that combined braille and screen reading technology into their mainstream curriculum.

A typical day using digital technology for someone who is blind goes something like this. In the morning it is easy to make a new breakfast recipe because the recipe is available online and can be read by using a screen reader. A digital talking timer with tactile Braille features can then be used to ensure the food is cooked for the appropriate amount of time. For the rest of the day, digital technology is used to help plan a daily schedule. For example, using internet websites such as Google Maps and the street view option allow blind or partially sighted individuals to see their destination and the external characteristics of the buildings. This provides independence when traveling to unknown areas, since buildings and locations can be known in advance.

If a blind or partially sighted person plans on having lunch at a new restaurant it is possible to review the menu online in case a braille or large print version is not available at the restaurant. At the end of the day, blind or partially sighted individuals can use the CNIB Library digital download portal to access a selection of daily newspapers. A student may finish their homework by listening to an audio version of their engineering textbook.

New digital technology such as the Apple i–phone has built in accessibility features. Partially sighted individuals can use the camera on an i–phone to magnify labels such as drug labels because the camera zoom functions as a magnifier. An ideal digital strategy would allow for a continuation of the innovative uses of digital technology in the blind community by ensuring digital technology is available, affordable, and accessible. All the usual expectations of our society can be made easier for a blind or partially sighted person with the right technology.

Other emerging issues that will affect blind or partially sighted Canadians are the lack of literature available to blind or partially sighted Canadians in comparison to those that are sighted. The availability and amount of resources dedicated to distributing digital literature to blind communities varies from country to country. Currently, each country produces its own digital content and it is not available to other countries. CNIB recommends that Canada should enter into a global treaty similar to the treaty recommend by the World Blind Union³ to allow the digital borrowing of content internationally. The World Blind Union has recommended the establishment of a WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) Treaty for Print Disabled People. This would allow greater resources of digital content to be shared to Canada's blind community and be a cost effective solution to provide greater equitable access to materials. This in turn will provide more learning opportunities for the blind community, and continue to promote innovation.

Theme: Digital Infrastructure

In the digital economy, there are two areas of infrastructure that impact directly on people who are blind and partially sighted. One area is the actual availability of digital end user technology and the means of delivery of the content for that technology: for example, a hand held GPS that gives audible directions, and ubiquitous wireless availability that allows the audible GPS to work where ever the person who is blind is located.

The second type of infrastructure is a regulatory climate that incorporates accessibility and universal design requirements that are predictable and doable for the private sector. The CRTC has made progress in the past few years in ensuring that ICT companies make provisions for accessibility, for example: Broadcasting and Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2009–430 which states: "that wireless service providers, in consultation with persons with disabilities, offer and maintain in their inventories at least one type of wireless mobile handset that will provide access to wireless service by persons who are blind and/or have moderate–to–severe mobility or cognitive disabilities." The CNIB strongly recommends that accessibility to mainstream digital technology be regulated by the CRTC. Procurement policies, design policy, delivery policy and practice of digital technology providers need to take into account the accessibility requirements of blind and partially sighted persons and other disabilities. Australia for example has incorporated an excellent national plan with industry in this regard.⁴

In a 2006 report to the CRTC on the use of an ILEC deferral fund to increase access for persons with disabilities, 8 national disability organizations, including CNIB, recommended: the establishment of a national Accessibility Fund which would be used to fund the development of new technologies for improving the accessibility of telecommunications services.

In the area of end user technology and digital information delivery there are several requirements that ensure accessibility is maintained for blind and partially sighted persons. In end user products such as cell phones, there must be an option to customize the product to suit the specific needs of the individual who is blind. Again, Apple i–phone are an excellent example of this characteristic, text can be enlarged, the phone can be operated by voice, and a number of accessibility features are built into each phone at no additional cost to the end user who is blind or partially sighted.

To ensure the availability of the digital infrastructure CNIB recommends that the CRTC use its regulatory power to continue to ensure net neutrality. The disability community including CNIB strongly supports net neutrality because it ensures a consistency across service providers. With the loss of net neutrality there is a risk that adaptive equipment which is limited and expensive would have to be designed to work with specific service providers offerings. This would be a huge obstacle to simple usage and affordability for persons who are blind.

In the area of copyright protections, the use of technical protection measures to prevent unlawful copying or distribution of content can inadvertently render adaptive equipment access to content inoperable. In other words, copy protection may render a screen reader unable to read a text. It is important that technical protection measures be designed with accessibility requirements as part of the design process.

Theme: Canada's Digital Content

With more and more information and services available over the Internet and other digital media, it is imperative that no culture or element of society be left out. Thus Canada's Digital Content should offer unprecedented opportunities to access information and services, including appropriate hardware policy, to people with disabilities. As new technologies are fairly integrated into the Internet, it is important to take the steps necessary to keep these features accessible. Libraries play a crucial role in the accessibility of digital information.

The advantages of digital libraries for people who a blind or partially sighted are they serve as a means of easily and rapidly accessing books, archives, newspapers and images of various types that are widely available. Investments in CNIB library services will be directed to achieve a more equitable access to information for Canadians. CNIB supports Library and Archives Canada's Initiative for Equitable Library Access. IELA is a plan whereby alternate format library services can be provided through the current public library sector. This service will be digital, cost effective with material produced and distributed from a central hub similar to the National Library Service operations in the United States.

CNIB recommends that Canada's marketplace for digital media and content ensure the full participation of blind or partially sighted Canadians. The marketplace should ensure the purchasing of assistive devices and technology is affordable for blind or partially sighted Canadians in order to participate in the digital economy. The cost of assistive devices should be equal to the cost of mainstream technology.

CNIB also recommends that the marketplace needs to follow the concepts of universal design to allow Canadians who are blind or partially sighted to access the digital media and technology. Universal design is defined as a broad–spectrum solution that makes environments, and products that are usable and effective for everyone, not just people with disabilities. An equitable marketplace for Canada's digital media and content will help ensure greater integration of the blind or partially sighted community.

Access to digital content gives those that are blind or partially sighted full citizenship. This means the blind or partially sighted can achieve their life goals as a member of society. For example, in school a sighted child is able to access course materials differently than one who is blind or partially sighted. Blind or partially sighted students can fall behind due to the inaccessibility of course materials, and drop out of school. Digital technology provides equitable access to course materials for blind or partially sighted students and in turn facilitates the learning process. This allows blind or partially sighted students to graduate at a greater rate. The higher graduation rate of blind or partially sighted Canadians will contribute to Canada's prosperity because they are able to apply these skills in Canada's economy.

The employment rate of blind or partially sighted Canadians is low, and it affect's Canada's economy. Only 35 per cent of working–age adults with blindness or partial sight are employed. Access to accessible digital content will provide more resources to the blind or partially sighted community to find employment. The greater the availability of digital content, the more opportunities to employment will be available to the blind or partially sighted community. Increasing the employment opportunities of blind or partially sighted Canadians will help achieve full citizenship for members of the blind community.

Cathy Moore
National Director, Consumer & Government Relations
CNIB
1101 Prince of Wales Drive, Ottawa, Ontario
Telephone: (613) 563–0000, extension 5004
Email: Cathy Moore

¹ Government of Canada, 2008 Federal Disability Report: Advancing the Inclusion of People with Disabilities. 2008. page 2.

² For example persons with low vision are able to enlarge the text on i–phone to any size required without purchasing additional adaptive equipment.

³ World Blind Union. Annual Report 2009, page 2.

⁴ Jolley, William. June 2003. When the Tide Comes In: Towards Accessible Telecommunications for People with Disabilities in Australia

Sources

Government of Canada, 2008 Federal Disability Report: Advancing the Inclusion of People with Disabilities. 2008.

Jolley, William. June 2003. When the Tide Comes In: Towards Accessible Telecommunications for People with Disabilities in Australia.

World Blind Union. Annual Report 2009