Access For All

The aim of the study “Internal market for inclusive and assistive ICT, targeted market analysis and legislative aspects” was to examine the main barriers and opportunities today in the European Internal Market for assistive ICT and look at what could be gained from addressing these.
The study has assessed the different models existing in nine Member States for the provision of assistive ICT to people with a disability, analysed the demand- and supply side of the market and conducted a number of case studies. The study puts forward a number of scenarios, conclusions and recommendations for the achievement of the European Internal Market for assistive ICT that supports the digital inclusion of people with a disability.

Download the final report (September 2011).

Between 2007 and 2010, Certu (Centre for the study of urban planning, transport and public facilities in France) conducted a study in 11 European cities, located in five different countries: Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Spain. The results of this work are now being published and are available as a French/English book, and can only be purchased on the Certu’s on-line catalog (for €40 + delivery cost).

Also a symposium will now be organised on accessibility practices observed in European cities. This event will take place in Montpellier (France), on Tuesday, September 27th 2011. The working languages will be both French and English. The registration fee (€105) includes a copy of the book mentioned above.

Practical information and registration
Corinne Ginestet – +33 (0)4 67 99 76 40 corinne.ginestet@cnfpt.fr

Registration fees
€105, including lunch and a copy of the book « Accessibility practices in 11 European cities for persons of reduced mobility » (published on summer 2011 – price 40€)

Online registration: www.evenements.cnfpt.fr/rstt

Venue
Montpellier – Maison des étudiants – Espace Richter
Place Eugène Bataillon
34090 Montpellier
Map available on the website

First results of the 1st survey of the eAccessibility2020 study are available. The detailed analysis will be available in early September.

Basic statistics (as of 27/07/11):

The mean age of the respondents is 44 (ranging from 25 to 86 years old) with 73% of them being men and 27% being women. 18% of the respondents fall under the category of either having a disability or being a carer of a disabled person or being above 65. Finally 14% of the responses came from countries outside the EU.

Results:

Concerning the ‘User Needs’ respondents consider that practically all aspects of life of older people and people with disabilities will require new eAccessibility solutions by 2020. Health (Health: access to medical ICT devices & Health: access to e-health information services) and employment (Employment: e-work applications of tomorrow) appear at the top of the list.
In the same area of ‘User Needs’, respondents rate as more important for new eAccessibility solutions in 2020 the: cognitive disabilities and the multiple disabilities. These two types of disability are ranked first in the list that covers also visual, hearing, speech, mobility and psychological disabilities.
From a technological perspective and according to the survey results, 4 novel ICT solutions have been highlighted among a list of 18 as the most promising for the development of new eAccessibility solutions in 2020:

• New Human Computer Interaction (HCI) Interfaces and Platforms
• Motion and Gesture-recognition Systems
• Ambient Intelligence (e.g. appliances and devices embedded in the home environment, that are context aware i.e. recognise the user and also personalized or even anticipatory)
• Language Technologies (Natural Language Processing)

Respondents recognise that there is evidence of future societal, technology and/or market trends affecting (directly or indirectly) the development of e-accessibility solutions. The following 3 trends reach the top:

• Societal trend: Growing number of older people living alone
• ICT trend: Multi-purpose interaction devices (e.g. smart phones and terminals)
• Market trend: Mainstreaming of accessibility in ICT products and services

Finally, in the question ‘How important do you judge each of the following initiatives / actions for the future mainstreaming of e-Accessibility solutions?’ surprisingly responses bring ‘Enhancing awareness on eAccessibility requirements among IT developers/ companies’ on the top, leaving below other important initiatives such as: stricter policy enforcement, research at EU level or networking among relevant actors.

The study on eAccessibility2020 (“Study on Implications from Future ICT Trends on Assistive Technology and Accessibility”, SMART 2010/0077) aims to provide the EC with recommendations on future research policy, especially regarding FP8 (ICT & FET) and the next Competitiveness & Innovation Programme (CIP).
Also, the study will make suggestions on relevant standardisation issues and on EC policy activities for the wider mainstreaming and adoption of eAccessibility. To do so the study team will elaborate and validate specific use and technology-scenarios for 2020. These scenarios will result from vigorous interaction with eAccessibility-related stakeholders and experts, which will involve among other the identification and assessment of ‘Drivers of Change’ affecting the course of eAccessibility (i.e. key-trends, micro-trends and weak-signals).
The study approach adopts a variety of methodologies, tools and activities and it is presented at www.e-accessibility2020.eu together with news, e-surveys and eventually the study results.
All interested individuals or organisations are invited to register in the study’s website so as to stay informed and/or participate in the study activities.
The study is conducted for the European Commission, DG Information Society & Media, Unit ‘ICT for Inclusion’.

The first ever World report on disability, produced jointly by WHO and the World Bank, suggests that more than a billion people in the world today experience disability.
People with disabilities have generally poorer health, lower education achievements, fewer economic opportunities and higher rates of poverty than people without disabilities. This is largely due to the lack of services available to them and the many obstacles they face in their everyday lives. The report provides the best available evidence about what works to overcome barriers to health care, rehabilitation, education, employment, and support services, and to create the environments which will enable people with disabilities to flourish. The report ends with a concrete set of recommended actions for governments and their partners.
This pioneering World report on disability will make a significant contribution to implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. At the intersection of public health, human rights and development, the report is set to become a “must have” resource for policy-makers, service providers, professionals, and advocates for people with disabilities and their families.

A roadmap is being developed for research on accessible user interfaces. If you are interested in contributing to this roadmap, please go to http://www.cardiac-eu.org/user_interfaces/.

The roadmap will include: (a) Clear proposals on what technologies need to be supported (e.g. eye tracking, voice/gesture reckoning, wearable devices, smart displays); (b) Clear inputs on what methodologies have to be investigated (e.g. adaptive UI design, accessibility evaluation guidelines for devices, services and applications); (c) Clear contributions on what kind of tools should be developed (e.g. automatic accessibility verification/design tools, accessible user interface description languages).

This is a unique opportunity to shape the thinking and direction of future research funding by the European Commission in this area, and the aim is to gather input from a diverse range of stakeholders. A Wikispace has been set up to collect as much input as possible, visit
http://userinteraction-sdd-cardiac.wikispaces.com/Round+1-Generation.