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ISO/IEC TR 29138-2 — Information Technology — Accessibility Considerations for People with Disabilities — Part 2: Standards Inventory
A Comprehensive Inventory of Accessibility Standards for Inclusive Technology Design
Understanding ISO/IEC TR 29138-2
ISO/IEC TR 29138-2 is a pivotal reference document in the accessibility standards landscape. As Part 2 of the ISO/IEC TR 29138 series, it provides a comprehensive inventory of standards and technical specifications that address accessibility considerations for people with disabilities across information technology products and services. This Technical Report serves as a systematic mapping of the accessibility standards ecosystem, identifying relevant standards from ISO, IEC, ITU-T, W3C, and other standards development organizations. For accessibility professionals, product designers, policy makers, and compliance officers, this inventory is an indispensable tool for understanding the breadth and depth of available accessibility guidance.
The inventory covers accessibility considerations across multiple disability categories, including visual impairments (blindness, low vision, color blindness), hearing impairments (deafness, hard of hearing), motor disabilities (limited dexterity, tremor, paralysis), cognitive disabilities (memory impairment, learning disabilities, attention deficit), and speech impairments. For each disability category, the report identifies standards that provide guidance on design requirements, evaluation methods, assistive technology interfaces, and accessibility features. The comprehensive nature of this inventory reflects the understanding that accessibility is not a single property but a multidimensional characteristic that must be addressed from multiple angles to create truly inclusive technology.
Digital accessibility is not optional in most jurisdictions. The European Accessibility Act (EAA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 508, and similar regulations worldwide increasingly mandate conformance with accessibility standards. ISO/IEC TR 29138-2 helps organizations identify which standards apply to their products and services for regulatory compliance.
Standards Inventory Structure
The inventory in ISO/IEC TR 29138-2 is organized to facilitate easy navigation and cross-referencing. Standards are categorized by several dimensions, including the disability type they address, the lifecycle phase they apply to (design, development, evaluation, maintenance), the type of ICT product or service they cover, and the nature of the guidance they provide (requirements, recommendations, test methods, or informative guidance).
Core Accessibility Standards
The inventory identifies several cornerstone standards that form the foundation of digital accessibility. ISO/IEC 40500 / W3C WCAG 2.1 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is identified as the primary reference for web accessibility, covering perceivability, operability, understandability, and robustness. ISO 9241-171 provides ergonomics guidance for software accessibility, complementing WCAG with a broader focus on all software applications including desktop and mobile. ISO/IEC TR 29138-1 itself defines user accessibility needs, providing the user-centered foundation for the standards inventory. The report also identifies IEC 62368-1 as relevant for accessibility considerations in audio/visual and ICT safety, and ISO 26800 for general ergonomics principles. Understanding the relationships between these core standards is essential for developing a coherent organizational accessibility strategy.
Assistive Technology Interface Standards
A particularly important category in the inventory covers standards for assistive technology interfaces. These standards enable interoperability between mainstream ICT products and assistive technologies such as screen readers, Braille displays, voice recognition software, and switch access systems. ISO/IEC 13066 (IT Accessibility Interoperability) series defines framework and APIs for assistive technology integration. ISO/IEC 10779 specifies accessibility requirements for office equipment. ANSI/ISO 23529 addresses accessibility in telecommunications equipment. The inventory also references platform-specific accessibility APIs including Microsoft UI Automation, Linux AT-SPI, and Apple Accessibility API, noting how they align with the standardized framework in ISO/IEC 13066-1.
When developing ICT products, integrate accessibility API support early in the architecture phase rather than retrofitting it. The ISO/IEC 13066 series provides the framework for implementing platform-level accessibility services that enable screen readers and other assistive technologies to interact with your application.
Engineering Application and Gap Analysis
For engineering teams, the practical value of ISO/IEC TR 29138-2 lies in its use for conducting accessibility gap analyses and developing compliance roadmaps. By mapping the standards inventory against their product portfolio, organizations can identify which accessibility standards are applicable to each product, assess current conformance levels, and prioritize remediation efforts.
| Disability Category | Key Applicable Standards | Common Implementation Gaps |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Impairment | WCAG 2.1 (ISO/IEC 40500), ISO 9241-171, ISO/IEC 13066 | Insufficient alt text, missing ARIA landmarks, poor screen reader compatibility |
| Hearing Impairment | WCAG 2.1 (captions), ITU-T F.703, ISO 9241-171 | Missing captions for audio/video, lack of visual alternatives for audio alerts |
| Motor Disability | ISO 9241-171, ISO/IEC 13066, ISO 26800 | Small touch targets, keyboard trap, lack of voice control support |
| Cognitive Disability | WCAG 2.1 (cognitive), ISO 9241-171, ISO/IEC TR 29138-1 | Complex navigation, time limits without notification, complex language |
| Speech Impairment | ITU-T F.703, ISO 9241-171 | Lack of alternative communication input, poor speech recognition adaptation |
A practical methodology recommended in the standard involves three phases: standards identification (using the inventory to determine applicable standards for each product), conformance assessment (evaluating current compliance against selected standards using the referenced test methods), and remediation planning (developing prioritized action plans based on impact, effort, and regulatory requirements). The standard emphasizes that accessibility should be integrated into the product lifecycle from the requirements phase rather than treated as a compliance checkbox at the end of development. Organizations that adopt this approach report significantly lower remediation costs and more inclusive product outcomes.
Organizations using the ISO/IEC TR 29138-2 standards inventory as a basis for their accessibility programs report 40-60% reduction in accessibility-related legal complaints and a measurable improvement in user satisfaction across all user groups, including users without disabilities.
FAQs
Q: What is the difference between ISO/IEC TR 29138-1 and ISO/IEC TR 29138-2?
Part 1 (ISO/IEC TR 29138-1) defines user accessibility needs from the perspective of people with disabilities, documenting what barriers they face and what accessibility features they require. Part 2 (ISO/IEC TR 29138-2) provides the standards inventory, mapping these user needs to specific standards and technical specifications that address them. Together, they form a user-needs-to-standards bridge.
Part 1 (ISO/IEC TR 29138-1) defines user accessibility needs from the perspective of people with disabilities, documenting what barriers they face and what accessibility features they require. Part 2 (ISO/IEC TR 29138-2) provides the standards inventory, mapping these user needs to specific standards and technical specifications that address them. Together, they form a user-needs-to-standards bridge.
Q: How often is the standards inventory updated?
The inventory is reviewed and updated periodically to reflect the evolving accessibility standards landscape. Major updates typically occur when significant new standards are published or when existing standards undergo substantial revision. Organizations should check the latest edition of ISO/IEC TR 29138-2 for the most current inventory and supplement it with ongoing monitoring of standards development organization publications.
The inventory is reviewed and updated periodically to reflect the evolving accessibility standards landscape. Major updates typically occur when significant new standards are published or when existing standards undergo substantial revision. Organizations should check the latest edition of ISO/IEC TR 29138-2 for the most current inventory and supplement it with ongoing monitoring of standards development organization publications.
Q: Does the inventory cover non-ICT accessibility standards?
While the primary focus is on information and communication technology, the inventory also references relevant standards from adjacent domains including built environment accessibility (ISO 21542), transport accessibility, and product accessibility. These cross-domain references help organizations understand the full accessibility context for their products and services.
While the primary focus is on information and communication technology, the inventory also references relevant standards from adjacent domains including built environment accessibility (ISO 21542), transport accessibility, and product accessibility. These cross-domain references help organizations understand the full accessibility context for their products and services.
