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 software in self-service interactive devices.
Accessible Software in Self-service Devices
When a person starts to use a self-service interactive device, they should be able to choose how they receive information, including through options such as:
- Output mode, such as visual or audio instructions and feedback
- Captioning
- Font size
- Foreground and background colours
Visual and audio instructions should provide the same information, and should guide people through one task at a time. These instructions should tell people what they should do, rather than what they should avoid doing. Moreover, instructions should be in active voice, rather than passive voice.
Similarly, every time a person activates a device, the device should provide visual and audio feedback. For example, when someone presses a button, visual and audio feedback should state which button was pressed. In addition, for physical buttons or other controls, devices should also provide tactile feedback. For instance, someone should feel a physical button moving down and then up as they press it. If someone activates a device or a control by accident, the device must allow the person to cancel or undo the accidental action. Conversely, when someone completes a task, they should receive visual and audio feedback to confirm that they have completed the task. Alternatively, they should also receive feedback to warn them if they are making errors. Moreover, this feedback should continue until someone cancels the task or performs it successfully.
Furthermore, in a task with a time limit, devices should ask each person whether they need more time to complete that task.
Visual Output
Any visuals that include multimedia, such as audio or videos, must have captions that the user can control. In addition, devices must comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) for colour contrast under version 2.1. Moreover, some people find dark text on a light background easy to read because it reduces glare. On the other hand, some people find light text on a dark background easier to read. As a result, devices should allow people to choose between these two contrast options.
Furthermore, devices should avoid displaying certain visuals on the background of screens, such as:
- Watermarks
- Patterns
- Pictures
Colour can be an important method to help people distinguish information. However, some people cannot see certain colours, or any colours. Therefore, software in self-service devices should never use colour as the only method to distinguish information. However, software can use colour along with other ways to distinguish information, such as:
- Shapes
- Icons
- Detailed instructions on-screen
Likewise, screens should not display any advertisements.
Similarly, screens should not display the instructions for all tasks at once. As a result, some task instructions will display on multiple screens. However, this information should not scroll automatically. Instead, people should control scrolling around and between screens.
Furthermore, fonts should be sans serif. The standards list other requirements for fonts, such as:
- Widths of letters, and parts of letters
- True ascenders and descenders
- Minimum size
However, people should be able to change the font size.
In addition, the standards list requirements for other aspects of writing for visual output, and pronunciation for audio output.
Audio Output
Audio output should begin as soon as someone inserts an audio jack. Moreover, people should have the option to blank their screens, to maintain privacy. Furthermore, audio output should read the most important information first. In addition, devices should allow people to hear information again, if they choose, with pauses between repetitions. On the other hand, people should also be able to skip instructions or interrupt any other audio.
Devices should have two (2) voices. The first voice should provide instructions, and the second voice should provide choices and feedback. Moreover, devices should provide sounds as audio feedback to confirm success or indicate errors. Sounds for success and errors should be different in:
- Length
- Frequency
Instructions, verbal feedback, and sounds should not be too high or too low. However, people should have options for pitch, as well as rate of speech. Similarly, people should be able to choose whether or not to listen to advertisements. However, these advertisements cannot interrupt tasks.
When someone has chosen audio output, any important graphics in the visual output should have audio descriptions. In addition, any videos should have audio descriptions that the user can control.