Cloud-based services have the opportunity to provide incredible benefits to people with disabilities, allowing users to store personal preferences as well as assistive technology in the cloud so they can be accessed anywhere at any time. They also provide incredible risks if they haven’t been developed with accessibility in mind.

1. Accessibility and the cloud
Sarah Pulis (@sarahtp)
Web Accessibility Evangelist
Access iQ

2. Getting to know you
Who are you?
What do you do?
Why are you interested in
accessibility and the cloud?
2 Twitter: #accessiq @sarahtp

3. Today we will…
Introduction to cloud applications
Cloud apps and accessibility: how your
choices affect accessibility
Using the cloud to support people with
disabilities

4. What is the cloud?

5. Share
Write down the cloud-based
applications that you or your
organisation regularly use
5 Twitter: #accessiq @sarahtp

6. Software as a Service (SaaS)

7. Cloud Accessibility Project
90%
80% 77%
72%
70%
60%
50% 47%
40% Non-sighted
40%
32% Sighted
29%
30%
19%
20%
10%
10% 5% 4%
0%
Dropbox Google Drive Google Documents Social Overall

8. Could Accessibility Project
Cloud makes work easier by 37% blind and
51% sighted users
Security and accessibility more of a
concern from vision impaired than sighted

9. Cloud apps and accessibility: how
your choices affect accessibility

10.  It is unlawful for a person
who, whether for payment or
not, provides goods or services, or
makes facilities available, to
discriminate against another person

on the ground of the other person’s
disability…
Quote from Section 24 (Goods, services and facilities),
Disability Discrimination Act

12.  Government 2.0 involves
consulting and engaging

with stakeholders online
The AGIMO Government 2.0 Primer

13. Social Media

15. Share
Does your Gov 2.0 strategy or
social media policy take into
consideration the accessibility of
SaaS?
15 Twitter: #accessiq @sarahtp

16. Procurement
Who misses out if you procure a
cloud application that has
accessibility barriers?

17. ATHEN Report on the Accessibility of
Google Documents (Oct 2011)
 Because of these and many other
problems, which prevent entire
populations of people from fully or
sometimes even partially using the
software, Documents and the
Document List cannot be considered

accessible.

18. Legal cases
NFP files complaints against New York University
and Northwestern University (March 2010)
Google Apps Accessibility: A Light at the End of
the Tunnel (Oct 2011)
NFB: Google Apps Accessibility Not There Yet
(Jan 2012)
Enhanced accessibility in Docs, Sites and
Calendar (Sept 2012)

19. Using the cloud to support people
with disabilities

20. Global Public
Inclusive Infrastructure

21. Needs and preferences
Assistive technology software
Screen readers, screen magnifiers, onscreen
keyboards
High contrast and large font
Captions
“Situational disability”

22. Needs and preferences
in the cloud
Access For All
User Preferences

23. Assistive technologies
in the cloud

24. Smarter SaaS and PaaS
Assessing device-specific capabilities
Auto-config user interface based on
personal preferences
Delivery of alternative resources

25. Benefits of the cloud
One initial input of preferences by wizard
Instant setup on any device
Meets specific needs and preferences
Interface consistency
Device independent
Global rollout of updates
Low cost

26. Current issues for the cloud
Broadband access
Cost of broadband
Initial setup
Security and privacy
Training

27. Government involvement
Proposed cloud accessibility trial projects:
Service delivery: NDIS reporting delivered by
cloud with interface preferences
Employment in regional areas: retail equipment
modified using cloud profiles in NBN site
TAFE online course materials delivered by the
cloud using accessibility profiles

28. Think-tank
Which government services would
be considered a high priority for a
cloud accessibility trial project?

29. Think-tank
Who would be the key stakeholders
in the implementation of a cloud
accessibility trial?

30. Think-tank
What practical steps can be taken
by government to make a cloud
accessibility trial a reality?

31. Level 3, 616-620 Harris St
Ultimo NSW 2007
t: +61 2 8218 9320
e: knowhow@accessiq.org
@accessiq
accessiq.org
Web accessibility know how