ADA Kiosk Access Webinar U.S. Access Board March 2021 Wrap

By | April 5, 2021
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ADA Kiosk Access Webinar – Example Storm AudioNav

The U.S. Access Board conducted a recent webinar with the focus being kiosks. Below are some of the more interesting areas.


This webinar is part of a series showcasing “Best Practices in Federal Section 508 Implementation.” Other presentations can be viewed at:

A best practice is a policy, process, procedure or technique proven effective over time and repeatable by multiple agencies.

A best practice is generalized so that diverse agencies may use it in their own organizations but specific enough to provide useful guidance and instruction.

The CIO Council’s Accessibility Community of Practice has published a library of 508 Best Practices at www.Section508.gov.

Next Webinar: May 25, 2021

Section 508 Compliance and Assistive Technology: Providing Accessibility to ICT for Federal Employees under the Rehabilitation Act (Sections 504 and 508)

Chapter 4 Hardware, provisions 402 to 409

402 Closed Functionality
403 Biometrics
404 Preservation of Information Provided for Accessibility
405 Privacy
406 Standard Connections
407 Operable Parts
408 Display Screens
409 Status Indicators

Chapter 4 Hardware, provisions 410 to 415

410 Color Coding
411 Audible Signals
412 ICT with Two-Way Voice Communication
413 Closed Caption Processing Technologies
414 Audio Description Processing Technologies
415 User Controls for Captions and Audio Descriptions

Slides 42 thru 44 covered AR, VR and XR

W3C XR Accessibility User Requirements (draft, Sept. 2020)
www.w3.org/tr/xaur
W3C WebXR Standards and Accessibility Architecture Issues
www.w3.org/WAI/APA/wiki/WebXR_Standards_and_Accessibility_Architecture_Issues

XRA Developer’s Guide, Chapter Three: Accessibility & Inclusive Design in Immersive Experiences
xra.org/research/xra-developers-guide-accessibility-and-inclusive-design/

Closed Functionality [45]

Original 508 Standards(2000): “Self-Contained Closed Products”

  • For a kiosk, Chapter 4: Hardware would be the applicable Revised 508 requirement
    • Most of these requirements existed under Original 508 Standards
  • There aren’t specific requirements how the touchscreen operates per se
  • Functionality is addressed:
    • 402 Closed Functionality
      • 402.2 Speech-Output Enabled
      • ICT with a display screen shall be speech-output enabled for full and independent use by individuals with vision impairments.
    • 407 Operable Parts
      • Contrast, Input Controls (include Tactilely Discernible), (single hand) Operation, Reach Height
    • 409 Status Indicators – “shall be discernible visually and by touch or sound.”

402.2 Speech-Output Enabled Exceptions

  1. Variable message signs conforming to 402.5 shall not be required to be speech-output enabled.
  2. Speech output shall not be required where ICT display screens only provide status indicators and those indicators conform to 409.
  3. Where speech output cannot be supported due to constraints in available memory or processor capability, ICT shall be permitted to conform to 409 in lieu of 402.2.
  4. Audible tones shall be permitted instead of speech output where the content of user input is not displayed as entered for security purposes, including, but not limited to, asterisks representing personal identification numbers.
  5. Speech output shall not be required for: the machine location; date and time of transaction; customer account number; and the machine identifier or label.
  6. Speech output shall not be required for advertisements and other similar information unless they convey information that can be used for the transaction being conducted.

402.2 Speech-Output Enabled (Highlights) [48]

  • ICT with a display screen shall be speech-output enabled for full and independent use by individuals with vision impairments.
  • Speech output shall be provided for all information displayed on-screen. (402.2.1)
  • Where transactional outputs are provided, the speech output shall audibly provide all information necessary to verify a transaction. (402.2.2)
  • Speech output shall be coordinated with information displayed on the screen. (402.2.3)

Self-Service Kiosks and Hardware (2)

  • For a kiosk, Chapter 4: Hardware would be the applicable Revised 508 requirement
    • most of these requirements existed under original 508
  • There aren’t specific requirements how the touchscreen operate per se
    • Functionality is addressed:
      • 402 Closed Functionality: 402.2 Speech-Output Enabled. ICT with a display screen shall be speech-output enabled for full and independent use by individuals with vision impairments.
      • 407 Operable Parts
  • The kiosk must conform with 508 requirements
    • Providing an officer because the kiosk is not conformant would be accommodation and would not affect (or improve) the 508 conformance level of the kiosk

More Information

Author: Staff Writer

Craig Keefner is the editor and author for Kiosk Association and kiosk industry. With over 30 years in the industry and experience in large and small kiosk solutions, Craig is widely considered to be an expert in the field. Major kiosk projects for him include Verizon Bill Pay kiosk and hundreds of others.