HEM / Web: How well do important Internet services work for the Disabled?

HEM / Web is a part of project run by Delta Centre (Norwegian Health Directorate): Aids or Mainstreaming? MediaLT is testing how well important Internet services work for the Disabled. Twelve sites have been selected by Delta Centre.

Introduction

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is used everywhere in society, and technological development has been rapid. The prevalence of technologies such as mobile telephony and the Internet has largely influenced communication,  how we perform everyday tasks, and how most of us work. Internet is increasingly used as a platform for communication, social activities and access to useful services. Examples of this are chatting, socializing online, online purchasing and filling out government forms.

ICT is often poorly designed

Access to and mastering ICT, and especially the Internet, has become important for active participation in the community. Less inclusive and poorly designed ICT can prevent people with impaired capacities from participating fully in the community. Ideally, all ICT solutions should be designed in a universal way that allows everyone to use them, without the need for special adaptations or extra equipment. Unfortunately ICT is often not universally designed, and works poorly with assistive technologies. It is therefore interesting to examine the extent to which ICT in Norway is designed in a way that allows for as many users as possible, and whether existing ICT solutions work together with assistive technologies.

Need for more knowledge

To try and answer these and related questions Delta Centre is conducting the 2008 project Aids or Mainstreaming? Yes please, both.  Given the Web's increasingly important role in our lives, on commission from Delta centre, MediaLTis conducting an accessibility rating of popular Internet services.

Purpose and evaluation of accessibility

The main purpose of the sub-project is to get a feel of how accessible popular Internet-based services are. Twelve sites have been selected which will be reviewed. The various services will be measured against the following criteria:

  • Recognized standards and guidelines for accessibility
  • The seven principles of universal design
  • How well the services work together with the most common assistive technologies such as screen readers and Braille display and / or synthetic speech, screen magnification and alternative PC adaptations etc.

Reporting the results

The results of the evaluation will be documented in a separate report, and findings will be incorporated in the report for the main project. The reports should be completed during November 2008. We hope the evaluation will provide useful knowledge that will contribute to creating ICT solutions that are accessible and usable for all.

Del på Facebook Del på Twitter Del på e-post