The AODA has requirements for the procurement of self-service kiosks. However, the third review of the AODA recommends that future AODA standards should align with existing standards in other parts of the country.
For instance, Accessibility Standards Canada (ASC) and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group) have developed federal standards for the accessibility of self-service interactive devices. Future AODA standards may include some or all of these guidelines and requirements to make self-service interactive devices more accessible. In this article, we explore guidelines in the federal standards for accessible hardware in self-service interactive devices.
Accessible Hardware in Self-service Interactive Devices
Input controls on self-service devices should have labels that people can recognize by sight and touch. Moreover, these controls should be intuitive, so that people easily understand how to use them. The standards list height ranges for these controls.
For example, some types of controls that promote ease of use are biometric controls, such as retinal or palm readers. However, not everyone can use these biometric controls. Therefore, devices with biometric controls must have other, non-biometric controls that perform the same functions.
In addition, the standards also list requirements for devices enclosed on the floor. These enclosures must be stable so that people can use them as supports as they operate a device.
Furthermore, screens should be visible to people in front of them, in either seated or standing positions. Nothing should block people’s views above or around a screen. Screens should be bright enough to make their content visible even when lighting is compromised, such as by too much sunlight. Likewise, screens should reduce reflections.
People should be able to operate touch screens with their prosthetic limbs, or with other items, such as a stylus. Moreover, touch screens should provide feedback whenever they are touched, both visually and audibly. In addition, devices should have outlets for audio jacks that people can insert to hear audio instructions. Similarly, each device should have a tactile identifier near the bottom right of the screen. When someone touches the part of the screen near this tactile identifier, or inserts an audio jack, the device’s audio instructions should begin. The standards list requirements for audio jacks, volume controls, and handsets.
When a device includes a privacy filter, this filter should not make the screen less legible.
Insertion Slots and Card Readers
Card readers and insertion slots for coins or tokens should be tapered. Moreover, card readers and slots for coins, notes, or other media should have good colour contrast around them, or lead-through indicator lights to point out where they are. In addition, these slots should have tactile labels.
Furthermore, media readers should be able to perceive documents in all four (4) orientations. For example, some media that devices should read in all four (4) orientations are:
- Cash
- Cheques
- Tickets
Slots and card readers should have tactile graphic symbols nearby to indicate the types of cards or documents the devices can read. These symbols should also indicate the orientation in which someone should insert their card. Devices should provide visual and audio feedback to indicate whether they can or cannot interact with the media someone has inserted.
The standards list measurements for how far a card should stick out of its slot, and the force needed for someone to remove their card. Moreover, the standards list requirements for specific types of card or document readers, including:
- Motorized readers
- Flatbed document scanners
- Barcode scanners
- Dip readers
- Swipe readers
However, the standards do not recommend use of swipe readers.
Dispensers
Dispensers for cash, receipts, notes, and other media should have tactile graphic symbols with good colour contrast nearby. The standards list measurements for how far cash or other media should stick out of a dispenser, and the force needed for someone to remove them. Dispensers should provide cash in the same denomination, or arrange cash from highest to lowest with the lowest denomination on top. Furthermore, people should be able to choose the denominations they would like dispensed.
Dispensers in the form of trays, pockets, or bins should have lids that do not prevent people from easily accessing the dispensers. The standards list measurements for the depth of these dispensers. In addition, people should not need to use fine motor control when they remove content from the dispensers.
Data Entry Devices
The standards list requirements for data entry devices, including:
- Telephone-style keypads
- Key surface
- Characters or symbols on keys
- Privacy shields
- Tactile symbols and colour-coding on function keys
Contactless Readers
When devices include contactless readers, they should have tactile symbols near them to show their locations. In addition, people ten centimeters (10 cm) away from a contactless reader, without physical barriers between them, should be able to operate the reader.