Monitoring eAccessibility in Europe: 2011 Annual Report
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- Computers (desktop and laptop)
- Software applications
- Computer peripherals
ComputersComputer hardware manufacturers and developers of software and operating systems, together with user organisations, research centres and standardisation bodies have made great efforts over the past few decades to enhance the level of built-in accessibility of computer products and services. Examples of such built-in features include keyboard-only navigation and controls operable with one hand. The main issue here concerns the extent to which people with disabilities have access to these. The study indicators in this domain concern desktops and laptops, software and peripherals (printers, copiers and scanners) as outlined below:
Figure . Status of computers accessibility in EU and non-EU countries Source: Own elaboration, 2011. Unit: Percentages Figure . Status of computers accessibility, by country Source: Own elaboration, 2011. Unit: Percentages The level of accessibility of computers in the total number of countries studied in the European Union is medium, at 40%. Highest implementation level of practices identified with computers is in Ireland (88%) and UK (76%) (high accessibility), with five other countries (Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Itraly, the Netherlands) presenting medium levels of accessibility (values between 33% and 66%). The lowest levels of accessibility are in Portugal, which has implemented 8% of the indicators tested, and in Hungary (15% compliance). Computers in the EU are less accessible than in the non EU reference countries referred to in this study. The average in those countries stands at 48%, eight points higher than in the EU. The non EU reference country in which computers reach the highest degree of accessibility is Canada, with 96% compliance, followed by United States (67%), while the lowest level corresponds to Australia, with 26% compliance of the indicators tested. For the 17 countries surveyed, the 13 European Union members and four non EU countries considered jointly, the average is 42% (medium accessibility). Four countries stand out for a high level of accessibility. Regarding the computers related technologies analysed in this study (computers, software applications and computers peripherals), software applications have the highest level of compliance in the EU countries (56%). Table . Status of computers accessibility
Source: Own elaboration, 2011. Unit: Percentages Computers (desktop and laptop)The indicator used in this area was the provision by the leading computer manufacturers of information (on their websites or specifying other channels) on built-in accessibility features of own products/services and on accessibility specific needs and/or accessible products/services addressed to groups of customers with specific disabilities. Figure . Status of computers accessibility (desktop and laptop) in EU and non-EU countries Source: Own elaboration, 2011. Unit: Percentages Figure . Status of computers accessibility (desktop and laptop), by country Source: Own elaboration, 2011. Unit: Percentages Provision of accessibility information by the main computer manufacturers on their websites in the European Union is low. The average among the countries surveyed is 33%. The highest values are in UK (96%) and Ireland (81%) (high accessibility); four other countries (Denmark, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands) have medium level of compliance. In seven of the 13 European Union countries studied (Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Portugal, Sweden, Spain), the leading computer manufacturers provide hardly any information on built in accessibility features of own products/services nor on accessible products/services addressed to groups of customers with specific disabilities. Accessibility information by the main computer manufacturers in the EU is lower than in the non EU reference countries considered in this study. The average in these countries stands at 58%, 25 points higher than in the EU. The non EU reference country in which accessibility information by the main computer manufacturers reaches the highest level is Canada (96%) followed by the US (81%), while the lowest value is found in Norway (4%). For the 17 countries surveyed, the 13 European Union members and four from outside the EU considered jointly, the average is 38%, with four countries (UK, Ireland, Canada and US) reaching a high level of accessibility. Table . Status of computers accessibility (desktop and laptop)
Source: Own elaboration, 2011. Unit: Percentages Software applicationsThe indicators used in this area are related with the provision of accessibility information by the main developers of operating systems and software on their websites in the national language, including information about compatibility of products with assistive technologies. Figure . Status of computers accessibility (software applications) in EU and non-EU countries Source: Own elaboration, 2011. Unit: Percentages Figure . Status of computers accessibility (software applications), by country Source: Own elaboration, 2011. Unit: Percentages Regarding software applications in the EU, the average achieved among the countries surveyed is 56%. Highest implementation level of practices identified with software applications is in Ireland and UK (both 96%, high accessibility). The lowest values are in Portugal (12%) and Greece (32%), with the remaining countries having a medium level of accessibility (values between 33% and 66%). The provision of accessibility information by the main operating systems developers on their websites in the national language is medium-high, with the only exception of Portugal, where there is hardly any such information. In Ireland, Italy and UK there is full accessibility (96%) information on the main operating system developers’ websites in the respective languages, and in Hungary, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands, the percentage of information is quite high (all over 67%). In Denmark, the percentage is 65%, and in Czech Republic, France the percentage is 50%. The provision of accessibility information by the main software developers on their websites in national languages is significant, although the levels of Portugal and Hungary are very low (4% and 19%, respectively). Conversely, in Ireland and UK there is full accessibility information (96%) by the main software developers on their websites, and quite significant in Sweden (88%) and Italy (73%). The remaining countries have medium levels of accessibility (between 33% and 66%). The provision of information about compatibility of products with assistive technologies by the main software developers on their websites in the national language is relatively low with the exception of Ireland and UK, where there is full accessibility information (96%), probably due to them being English speakers. Conversely, in Greece, Hungary, Portugal, Spain and Sweden there is hardly any such information (below 20%). Accessibility information about software applications in the EU is higher than in the non EU reference countries. The average in these countries stands at 41%, 15 points lower than in the EU. The non EU reference country with the highest amount of information about software applications is United States (71%). The national experts of Canada and Norway did not provide information about some of the indicators. The average for the 17 countries surveyed, the 13 European Union members and four from outside the EU considered jointly, is 54%, with three countries having a high level of accessibility (Ireland, UK and United States). Regarding the level of accessibility of software applications, the greatest amount of information is about operating systems (70%), while the lowest amount is about the compatibility of products with assistive technologies (43%). Table . Status of computers accessibility (software applications)
Source: Own elaboration, 2011. Unit: Percentages Computer peripheralsThe indicator used in this area was the provision by the leading peripherals manufacturers of information (on their websites or specifying other channels) on accessible peripheral products to customers with specific needs, including information on built-in accessibility features of own products/services and information on special accessibility needs and/or accessible products/services for groups of customers with specific disabilities. Figure . Status of computer peripherals accessibility in EU and non-EU countries Source: Own elaboration, 2011. Unit: Percentages Figure . Status of computer peripherals accessibility, by country Source: Own elaboration, 2011. Unit: Percentages Provision of accessibility information by the main peripherals manufacturers on their websites is low in the European Union. The average among the countries surveyed is 31%. The highest value was recorded by Ireland (88%). In six of the 13 European Union countries studied (Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Hungary, Italy, Sweden), the level is very low (less than 20%), with a level of only 4% compliance in Czech Republic, France, Hungary and Sweden. No data are available for Portugal. Accessibility information by the main peripherals manufacturers in the EU is lower than in the non EU reference countries. The average in these countries stands at 50%, 19 points higher than in the EU. The non EU reference country in which accessibility information by the main peripherals manufacturers is highest is Norway (96%) and the lowest value is in Australia (4%). There is no information available for Canada. Table . Status of computer peripherals accessibility
Source: Own elaboration, 2011. Unit: Percentages
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