International Workshop to Address International Standards for Accessibility

An international workshop to be held this November will examine the standards needed to facilitate access to products, services, environments, and facilities for persons with disabilities. Organized by the World Standards Cooperation (WSC), the workshop will bring together key stakeholder groups from around the world to discuss this important issue.

Accessibility and the Contribution of International Standards will be held on November 3-4, 2010, in Geneva, Switzerland. Representatives from disability organizations, government and regulators, standards developers, consumers, and product designers and manufacturers are invited to attend this important event. Three key subject areas will be addressed:

• accessibility in the field of everyday products
• accessibility and buildings
• accessibility in information and communication technologies

Through plenary sessions and break-out group meetings, attendees will analyze these subject areas and the potential for international standardization to enhance accessibility of products, services, environments, and facilities for all users.

Attendees will gain a better understanding of both the work on accessibility issues in standardization in the various areas and the needs of those most affected. The goal of the workshop is to lay the groundwork and develop a road map for future standardization initiatives with the involvement of the key stakeholders.

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the three partner organizations of the WSC, are organizing this event. It is one of several initiatives to raise awareness of accessibility as part of the international celebration of World Standards Day 2010.

For further information, including the agenda and registration form for the workshop, visit www.iso.org/wsc-accessibility and see the ISO news release.