IDC draft

Accessibility

August 3, 2005

1. State parties to this Convention shall take measures to

  1. provide persons with disabilities, through legislation and regulation, the same range and standard of accessibility as is provided to all other persons, to ensure their full participation in all aspects of life.

b. recognise accessibility as an all encompassing process embracing but not limited to all existing and new information, communications, broadcasting and telecommunication, electronic commerce, assistive technology, transportation, outdoor and indoor built environments, housing and residential accommodation, and all other goods, services and facilities for both public and private usage, and including

(i)access to and comprehensibility of any information in whatever format and language is required by an individual;

(ii)effective communication to ensure the dignity of the individual, and in a manner that is the choice of the individual.

(iii)full access to alltransport, including road, rail, sea, water and air;

(iv)accessibility of all emergency procedures and facilities.

c. ensure that organizations of persons with disabilities are consulted and participate in the research, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of accessibility guidelines, regulations and standards;

d. ensure that persons who design and deliver services are appropriately trained to implement accessibility needs and standards.

2. State parties to this Convention shall through legislation

  1. formulate, adopt, implement and monitor national accessibility plans, regulations,

standards and time frames for compulsory compliance and equal access for everyone to new, renovated and existing environments, all types ofinformation, transport, goods, facilities and services,consistent with ISO international standards

  1. require governments, public entities, publishersand mass media, to

produce and provide all types of public materials, information and documents in understandable, accessible and usable formats and languages, in a timely manner, for both public and private usage, and without additional cost to persons with disabilities

  1. assist persons with a reading-related disability by

i)ensuring that the conversion of published information, on a not-for-profit basis, into accessible formats such as Braille, large print, easy to read, and audio format, does not constitute infringement of copyright

ii)allowing the free flow between jurisdictions of accessible material, whatever its format, created under such provisions in another state, including intellectual property and copyright

iii)establishing legitimate means to enable persons with a reading related disability to gain access to material that technological protection measures might otherwise exclude

3. State parties to this Convention shall take measures to

  1. provide, maintain and publicise the range of services and appropriate assistive technology used by and available to meet the access requirements of persons with disabilities – including sign language interpreters and speech-to-text interpreters, Braille and tactile signage, alternative augmentative communication assistants, personal support services, live assistance, intermediaries, guides, readers, and effective methods of making oral communication available to people hard of hearing;
  1. consult people with disabilities and organizations of persons with disabilities to implement appropriate access awareness training and education;
  1. liaise with national and international organisations, including ISO, to continually improve and harmonise accessibility standards;
  1. promote the research, development and production of new accessibility designs, products and technology for the virtual, indoor and outdoor built environments, including web accessibility, assistive information and communication technologies, and transportation.

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