Guidelines, standards, methods and processes for software accessibility

With the ever increasing use of computer and telecommunications technologies, there is a growing awareness of the need to ensure that they are accessible to as many people as possible. The uptake of computers in the work place focused attention on the fact that the benefits of the technology could not be realised unless technology was made more usable. In a similar way, we are now recognising that design has to address a great diversity of user needs represented within the whole population, including the increasing numbers of elderly people and people with disabilities. For many people, the use of the technology offers opportunities to engage in activities that would otherwise be impossible. However, this potential can only be realised if the technology is designed so that it can support people in achieving their goals. There are many factors that contribute to achieving designs for accessibility, but one important issue is the availability of knowledge about how to design solutions that will take into account users and their diverse characteristics. This knowledge can be made available in a variety of forms, including guidelines and standards. The purpose of this special issue is to establish what progress has been made in developing these forms of support, and to explore future opportunities to move forward. 2 The aim and scope of the special issue