BS EN ISO 9999 is an international standard that establishes a classification of assistive products, especially produced or generally available, for persons with disability.
Assistive products used by a person with disability, but which require the assistance of another person for their operation, are included in the classification.
Assistive products (including software) are classified according to their function. The classification consists of three hierarchical levels and the codes each consist of three pairs of digits. Like other classifications, for each level, codes, titles, explanatory notes, inclusions, exclusions and cross-references are given. Besides the explanatory text and the classification itself, a table of conversion between the previous (2002) edition and this edition of this International Standard and an alphabetical index are provided in order to facilitate the use of and to improve the accessibility of the classification.
Contents include:
- Scope
- Normative references
- Terms and definitions
- Principle
- Elements and rules used in classification
- Construction
- Codes
- Titles of classes, subclasses and divisions
- Rules used in classification
- Classification
- One level classification — Classes
- Two level classification — Classes and subclasses
- Three level, detailed classification with explanations, inclusions, exclusions and references
- Conversion table between 3rd and 4th edition (2002 and 2006 respectively)
- ISO 9999 "Assistive products for persons with disability — Classification and terminology" member of WHO Family of International classifications
- Bibliography
- Alphabetical index
In this fourth edition of ISO 9999, the title has been changed from “Technical aids for persons with disabilities — Classification and terminology” to “Assistive products for persons with disability — Classification and terminology”. Hence “Technical aids” are referred to as “Assistive products”.
The former class 21 “Aids for communication, information and signalling” has been revised and replaced by a new class 22 “Assistive products for communication and information”.
Relation to the WHO Family of International Classifications
In 2003, ISO 9999 was accepted as a related member of the WHO Family of International Classifications (WHO-FIC). The WHO-FIC is comprised of high quality classifications for relevant sectors of the health system. With this inclusion, the use of this International Standard will be stimulated.
This standard makes use of the terminology of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF, WHO, 2001). ICF is a classification of health and health-related domains. These domains are classified from body, individual and societal perspectives by means of two lists: a list of body functions and structure and a list of domains of activity and participation. Since an individual’s functioning and disability occurs in a context, ICF also includes a list of environmental factors. The ICF is one of the core classifications of the WHO-FIC.
The following items are specifically excluded from this International Standard:
- Items used for the installation of assistive products
- Solutions obtained by combinations of assistive products which are individually classified in this International Standard
- Medicines
- Assistive products and instruments used exclusively by healthcare professionals
- Non-technical solutions, such as personal assistance, guide dogs or lip-reading
- Implanted devices
- Financial support.