- ICT Accessibility
- Digital inclusion
- French
- Russian
- Arabic
- Spanish
- English
- Roxana WIDMER-ILIESCU
Introductory
Description
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have become a part of everyone life as the primary means for communications, information sharing, transactions, education, and entertainment, regardless of one's age, gender, or ability. Therefore, it is essential to know how to communicate with each other in a digitally inclusive way mainstreaming ICT accessibility as the key to achieving a digitally inclusive world. To achieve inclusive communication, ICT accessibility requirements, principles and standards should be fully considered and implemented. ICTs should not only be available and affordable but also accessible, so designed to meet the needs and abilities of as many people as possible âincluding those with disabilities. Accessibility of ICTs is compulsory if we wish to ensure that everyone's right to communicate in the digital world is respected. This training course encompasses a holistic introduction to ICT accessibility from the perspective of digital inclusion. The course includes an overview of relevant ICT accessibility requirements, policies, regulations, standards, as well as the tools and resources such as practical advice on the public procurement of accessible ICTs.
This training course is designed for all stakeholders (including ITU members, ICT service providers, policymakers, and ICT stakeholders) or individuals who wish to enhance their knowledge on the topic of ICT Accessibility.
To ensure inclusive learning, this online self-paced training course has been designed and developed in digitally accessible formats and is, therefore, accessible to all people, including persons with disabilities, such as blind persons or persons with visual disabilities, deaf persons and/or persons with hearing impairments.
No prior knowledge or qualification on the subject matter is required to complete this training course.
Upon completion of this course, learners will:
- Be aware of accessibility features in mainstream ICTs, e.g., mobile phones, computers, television, websites, and self-service terminals such as ticket machines. • Understand the benefits of accessible features in ICTs for persons with disabilities.
- Know the global frameworks and digital inclusion agenda encompassing ICT accessibility.
- Gain knowledge of international and regional laws that required ICT accessibility and the public procurement of accessible ICTs.
- Know the main ICT accessibility standards and standard-making bodies.
- Understand how to use available tools and guidance documents to identify and incorporate ICT accessibility standards in public procurement processes.
This course is delivered through a player which supports several accessibility features. All text is read out by a state-of-the-art text to speech engine. Volume can be adjusted and closed captions are available. The course player works with JAWS 16 and later, NVDA, as well as Voiceover and Talkback screen readers in a range of browsers.
Each module contains its own quiz, presented at the end of each topic. The learner must answer all questions correctly to complete each module. The learner may attempt each question as many times as you wish.
After completing each module, the learner must take the final quiz to receive your badge of course completion from the ITU Academy. It is necessary to receive a score of 70% or higher in each module to receive an ITU Academy badge for the course. Please note that quizzes within the course do not contain their own audio or captions.
The course provides holistic knowledge on the topic of ICT accessibility enabling us to achieve the fundamentals of inclusive digital communication through 3 Modules as follows:
Module 1: Enabling communication for all through ICT Accessibility
This module aims to provide learners with an introduction to ICT accessibility. It is an overview of the global Digital Inclusion policy agenda that strives for inclusive access to ICTs, allowing all people including those with disabilities to use ICTs on an equal and equitable basis and fully participate in the digital society and economy. This module describes the political, economic, and social imperative for making daily ICTs more accessible. It highlights many of the main accessibility features available in technology today that benefit persons with disabilities, older persons, and others.
Module 2: ICT Accessibility policy regulations and standards
This module aims to presents learners with a knowledge and understanding of policies and laws from around the world that support ICT accessibility implementation. In addition, this module discusses the role and development of international ICT standards that specify in detail accessibility features and functions for everyday ICTs. Lastly, it covers how public procurement is being leveraged to encourage innovation and improve the quality, availability, and affordability of accessible ICTs.
Module 3. Challenges and opportunities for inclusive and digitally accessible environments and communities
This module aims to assist learners in identifying accessibility for persons with disabilities in everyday ICT products and services such as websites and computers. It demonstrates how accessibility requirements can be a win-win, if required from the public procurement process, to ensure that procured ICTs are conforming with the required accessibility standards. This module is mainly targeted at managers, ICT staff and employees from government organizations including central procurement agencies, ICT companies, civil society bodies representing persons with disabilities and academia.
Registration information
Unless specified otherwise, all ITU Academy training courses are open to all interested professionals, irrespective of their race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, economic status and other diverse backgrounds. We strongly encourage registrations from female participants, and participants from developing countries. This includes least developed countries, small island developing states and landlocked developing countries.