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Inclusive Technology

Published Date
Author Center for Intercultural Leadership and Programs (CILP)

Why is it important?

Have you ever used a website or mobile app that was difficult to navigate? Maybe the text is too small, the button is hard to click on, the color is hard to see, or other confusing designs. Imagine how frustrating it can be for people with visual impairments or motor disabilities.

Inclusive Technology is about creating products accessible to everyone and improving people’s day to day experience. By making technology more inclusive and usable, we can ensure that everyone is able to succeed in their workspace, school, and everyday life. 

How does it help?

Inclusive Technology can be a tool that helps people. It can be text-to-speech software that makes people read books and websites easily, a home automation system that allows users to control their home using voice or touch, or wearable devices that empower people’s everyday life.

Inclusive Technology includes making everyday tools usable by everyone without attaching assistive technology to the product. The ICT accessibility standard ensures the accessibility and usability of information and communication technology. For example, technological products, like printers and calculators, are more accessible to everyone if they:

  1. Alert the user and give the user sufficient time to indicate more time is required, when a timed response is required.
  2. Provides an alternative input method, when a product utilizes touch screens or contact-sensitive controls.
  3. Provides an alternative form of identification or activation, which does not require the user to possess particular biological characteristics, when biometric forms of user identification or control are used.
  4. When providing auditory output, the audio signal shall be provided at a standard signal level through an industry standard connector that will allow for private listening. The product must provide the ability to interrupt, pause, and restart the audio at any time.
  5. When delivering voice output in a public area, incremental volume control shall be provided with output amplification up to a level of at least 65 dB.
  6. Color coding shall not be used as the only means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element.
  7. When permitting a user to adjust color and contrast settings, a range of color selections capable of producing a variety of contrast levels shall be provided.
  8. Avoids causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.
  9. For products which are non-portable, their operable controls shall comply with position standards to make it accessible to people in wheelchairs.

Inclusive Technology also means designing inclusive and accessible user interfaces. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) were created for web content accessibility. That includes alternative text for images and buttons, sufficient color contrast, consistent organization of the website, and providing information in the easiest manner possible. This means it is:

Perceivable

  • Provide text alternatives for non-text content.
  • Provide captions and other alternatives for multimedia.
  • Create content that can be presented in different ways, including by assistive technologies, without losing meaning.
  • Make it easier for users to see and hear content.

Operable

  • Make all functionality available from a keyboard. 
  • Give users enough time to read and use content. 
  • Do not use content that causes seizures or physical reactions. Help users navigate and find content. 
  • Make it easier to use inputs other than the keyboard.

Understandable

  • Make text readable and understandable. 
  • Make content appear and operate in predictable ways. 
  • Help users avoid and correct mistakes.

Robust

  • Maximize compatibility with current and future user tools.

What can we do?

Even though we’ve had a lot of accessible standards, there are still inaccessible types of equipment around us. And there is no one universal design that fits all scenarios and there are no absolutes. For example, many microwaves are often positioned too high for people with motor limitations to use. If we can develop a tool to help people use microwaves and other kitchen facilities, they can cook easily and greatly improve their quality of life. When designing a website, some people prefer black text on a white background, while others can see better if text is white on a black background. It’s important for us to keep improving and make our product usable by the widest range of people.

It is even more important for us to keep inclusion and accessibility in mind when designing new products. And it’s always a good idea to verify the accessibility of our products by using test software or user tests before formal release. We can not only empower others by making products more accessible, but also benefit the whole society by including more people and diversifying our voices. 

Inclusive technology has the power to remove the barriers and make everyday activities accessible to everyone, regardless of their physical abilities. By innovating and developing assistive tools, we can help to create a more inclusive society.

The “Did You Know?” section is brought to you by the CILP Program Assistants team covering various topics on social justice issues. This week’s author is Zhongpu Diao.