eNews July/04 | IBM assigns team of 140 to assist customers with accessibility technology and services

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IBM assigns team of 140 to assist customers with accessibility technology and services

Aging "Baby Boomers" to Benefit From IBM's New Accessibility Services and Technology.

IBM logo. ARMONK, NY -- Jun 10, 2003 -- IBM Global Services today announced eight new services and a team of 140 services professionals who will work on such every day tasks as making it easier to read a Web page or listen to a webcast. The 76 million aging "baby boomers" born between 1946 and 1964 will benefit from the so-called "accessibility" technology and services, originally designed for persons with disabilities.

A team of 140 IBM Global Services consultants, and as many 100 IT specialists, are now available to help businesses, organizations and government agencies deal with the growing market for technology services that address persons with temporary and permanent disabilities. According to the World Health Organization, worldwide there are more than 750 million persons with disabilities, of which 54 million people reside in the U.S. Their disabilities range from sight and hearing problems as American "baby boomers" get older, as well as permanent mobility and cognitive disabilities.

"At any time, any of us can be temporarily or permanently disabled," said Ralph Martino, vice president of strategy and marketing for IBM Global Services. "And, as computer technology matures, computer users are demanding easier-to-use, more mobile technology. The braille keyboards available to visually impaired users a generation ago have evolved into hands-free technology, something that anyone who uses a cell phone while driving a car can appreciate. Closed-captioning for television developed for the deaf or hard of hearing is used by restaurant owners on TV sets in public areas. All of us benefit as computers and technology become easier to use."

Pervasive computing, wireless communications, speech and voice-activated applications, better tracking devices, closed captioning, on-screen keyboards, and alternative input/output devices are among the areas that have evolved from work with persons with disabilities. Such products and services are helping meet the demand of aging "baby boomers" who now need reading glasses to see or whose hearing is diminished.

Government Compliance

In the U.S., another factor driving demand for accessible products and services is federal legislation that requires accommodations for persons with disabilities. The U.S. federal government has expanded a 30-year law to include a new section that requires technology in federal work areas -- ranging from the printers, faxes and computers to software applications on the computers -- to be more accessible to persons with disabilities. This legislation, an amendment to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, also recognizes the increased role that e-government plays in distributing information. The amendment requires workplace information and on-line information -- as well as the office workplace -- to be accessible to both federal workers and citizens who use Web sites.

IBM is assisting the United States Postal Service as it works to comply with the federal law. "Our employees are our greatest asset and our customers are our greatest partners," said Robert Otto, vice president and chief technology officer of the United States Postal Service. "We must ensure that there are no obstacles for our employees prohibiting them from working to the best of their ability and we must ensure there are no barriers for our customers when conducting business with the Postal Service. This is what our commitment to Section 508 is all about -- opening doors, removing obstacles and providing access to all postal services. The Postal Service is committed to complying with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act -- it makes good business sense and it's the right thing to do."

At the state level, Arizona adopted the federal guidelines for its state Web site, known as arizona@yourservice. "Although states are not required to comply with the federal standards, Arizona chose to adopt the federal measures in order to make our state's Web content more accessible to all of our citizens," said Gene Martel, digital government services manager for the Government Information Technology Agency of Arizona.

New Services

To meet the growing demand, IBM Global Services is marketing services that support innovations developed by IBM Research, IBM Software Group and IBM Business Consulting Services.

IBM Accessibility Services and Tools, which includes three services that can be used separately or in combination to help customers analyze, fix and maintain Web sites so that the sites are accessible to persons with disabilities and comply with federal regulations. These services include support for IBM's Home Page Reader, a product which uses text-to-speech technology to "read" web pages aloud for the blind, and the IBM Easy Web tool, which makes Web sites accessible by making changes such as transforming colors on a Web site to colors easily seen by people with cataracts.
Web Adaptation Services that support award-winning Web Adaptation Technology developed by IBM Research, and which allow a user to customize what he or she sees when looking at a Web page. IBM has piloted the technology with SeniorNet Centers, a non-profit organization that teaches computer skills to senior citizens. According to the United Nations Population Bureau, seven percent of the world's population is currently over 65 years of age. IBM's Web Adaptation Technology was named "Product of the Year" for 2003 in February by the National Business and Disability Council of the National Center for Disability Services, a non-profit organization.
Employee Retention and Management Services for employees, which includes two sets of e-learning services: one set of services help organizations make audio, text and slide presentations accessible for persons with disabilities. A second set of services, called IBM Learning Solutions, makes it easier to quickly develop accessible, e-learning content for distance learning and on-line learning.
Desktop support services for persons with disabilities takes advantage of IBM's experience since 1999, when the company adopted an internal, corporate-wide requirement to make the company's computer hardware, software and Web sites accessible for hundreds of thousands of IBM employees worldwide. These services are now available from IBM Global Services as an engagement or as part of an outsourcing services agreement.
"Netscribe" Services based upon Netscribe, a technology from IBM Research, which allows creation of accessible multimedia presentations by providing "captioning" services. IBM currently has joint study agreements with 10 universities worldwide, which are using Netscribe to automatically create captioning for lectures.

"A generation ago, the goal was to remove physical barriers, to provide wheelchair accessible sidewalks and ramps," Martino continued. "Today, we want to remove the barriers that prevent access to everyday business applications, or access to e-business on demand services on the Web. IBM Global Services has the resources, skills, technology and experience to meet customer needs to sell to the growing market of persons with disabilities and to recruit and retain employees with disabilities."

IBM Global Services offers accessibility services and engagements using solutions and professionals from the IBM Accessibility Center in Austin, Texas, and through the e-Business Innovation Centers operated by IBM Business Consulting Services around the world. Teams of professionals at the centers help customers create Web sites and software applications that meet usability and accessibility requirements, as well as look at ways for customers to transform their businesses and to drive business and revenue through highly accessible sites.

Interest in such services is growing worldwide. Several regions, including Japan and the European Union, have legislation pending that requires Web sites, hardware or software applications to be accessible to persons with disabilities.

The services are available immediately. For additional information about IBM's accessibility products and services, visit www.ibm.com/able.

IBM Global Services

IBM Global Services is the world's largest information technology services and consulting provider, generating over $36 billion in 2002. Approximately 180,000 professionals serve customers in over 160 countries, providing the entire spectrum of customers' e-business needs -- from the business transformation and industry expertise of IBM Business Consulting Services to hosting, infrastructure, technology design and training services. IBM Global Services delivers integrated, flexible and resilient processes -- across companies and through business partners -- that enable customers to maximize the opportunities of an on-demand business environment.