How Web Accessibility Guidelines
Apply to Design for the Ageing Population

Shadi Abou-Zahra & Andrew Arch

W3C as letters on 3 plastic buttons from a keyboard

CSUN Conference, Los Angeles, March 2008

Presentation Overview

WAI-AGE Project

We want to:

WAI-AGE Project

Main project activities include:

WAI-AGE Project

WAI-AGE Web site published

WAI-AGE Task Force established under the Education and Outreach Working Group

Mailing list established Standards harmonisation work underway

Literature collection and analysis underway

WAI Guidelines

WAI-AGE is looking at the issues for the elderly from the perspective of the existing WAI guidelines:

Essential Components of Web Accessibility explains the relationships between the Guidelines and Web developers and users:

illustration showing how components relate, detailed description at http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/components-desc.html#relate

Established field

W3C has been promoting Web accessibility since 1997:

Works well for people with disabilities
… but what about the elderly?

Who is old?

USA:

UN:

Many countries accept:

Other aspects:

Studies of the elderly also need to account for:

WAI-AGE is primarily considering the needs of the elderly who have limitations

Ageing in Europe

The European population is aging:

For decade by decade detail, the following chart comes from EuroStat:

Bar chart showing actual and forecast population age groups between 1960 and 2050

Population structure by major age groups: EU-25 for 1960 through 2050 by decade
Age
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2020
2030
2040
2050
0-14 years
25.3%
24.8%
22.1%
19.2%
17.2%
15.5%
14.8%
14.0%
13.5%
13.4%
15-64 years
64.7%
63.5%
64.4%
66.9%
67.1%
66.9%
64.5%
61.3%
58.3%
56.7%
65-79 years
8.5%
9.9%
11.2%
10.7%
12.3%
12.9%
14.9%
17.5%
19.0%
18.5%
80+ years
1.5%
1.8%
2.3%
3.2%
3.4%
4.7%
5.8%
7.2%
9.2%
11.4%

Source: European Commission (2007), The social situation in the European Union 2005-2006, 60p (PDF, 1.5Mb)

Elderly not online!?

More older persons than younger soon:

‘Silver surfers’ are an increasingly important market segment

Ageing in place

Web is ubiquitous:

Web provides support for participation - at work and at home

Ageing and disability

Common ageing processes often result in:

Many older people experience multiple sensory losses and functional impairments

These changes are often incremental and many older people's self image does not necessarily reflect that they may have a disability

E.g. RNID (UK)

Level of Hearing Loss
50+ yrs
70+ yrs
Some kind of hearing loss:
41.7%
71.1%
•   mild hearing loss
21.6%
26.7%
•   moderate hearing loss
16.8%
36.8%
•   severe hearing loss
2.7%
6.3%
•   profound hearing loss
0.6%
1.3%

Source: RNID statistics

Literature Review

Searching Web and Bibliographic databases

Still analysing this literature, but some themes emerging …

Findings

Many studies with findings and recommendations, however:

Findings … cont.

WAI has internationally accepted standards for Web accessibility with lots of support developed outside WAI

Findings … cont.

Many studies found cognitive issues the overwhelming barrier:

Usability and technical vs usable accessibility discussed by some authors

Example

Andrew’s aunt (in her 80s) recently wrote:

"I wish you were around here to show this geriatric how to really use the computer.  Last night I was trying to get something I need via googla and it nearly drove me crazy and I didn't get it in the end. So many things happen on it when i am doing ordinary things and I never know why it does them and I can't always sort it out."

Findings … cont.

Use of assistive technology often rejected or not considered:

Many Guidelines

Ageing guidelines recommendations include:

Do many of these sound familiar?

Guidelines … cont.

They also contain recommendations on:

Some of these factors may be relevant to WCAG’s advisory techniques or other educational materials

Involvement

Please participate through:

Thank you and Questions

Project Web site:

Contact us: