MeAc - Measuring Progress of eAccessibility in Europe Details
Client
European Commission, DG Information Society and Media
Duration
January 2006 – December 2008
Description
eAccessbility is commonly understood as a means to ensure that Information and Communication Technology products and services meet the requirements of people with disabilities. Accessible ICTs will improve the quality of life of people with disabilities significantly. At the same time, the lack of equal opportunities to access ICT can lead to exclusion. In the Communication on eAccessibility, the European Commission (CEC) presented approaches to ensure the availability of accessible ICT-based devices and services throughout the European Union. The approach outlined in the Communication is to be reviewed within two years, and new measures and - if deemed necessary - new legislation then to be proposed. MeAC was expected to provide both qualitative and quantitative evidence to support this policy decision making.
The study objective was to
- identify, throughout the EU and elsewhere, legislative and other policy measures and actions by industry and other actor groupings that have or potentially can have a significant positive impact on eAccessibility and that support the Community eAccessibility strategy;
- assess to what extent ICT products and services available in Europe take into account eAccessibility requirements and Design for All principles, to what extent the opportunities offered by assistive technologies are being capitalised on and to assess the impact on costs of accessible and assistive ICT products and services;
- measure a change over time by assessing the eAccessibility situation in Europe at two points in time and in this way to measure progress, quantifying the impact of the three approaches specified in the Communication;
- identify cases of policy good practice by assessing the implementation of successful measures and drawing up recommendations for EU policy development in the eAccessibility domain.
In methodological regard, the study relied upon a policy survey, comprehensive literature analysis and on field studies in the EU Member States, USA, Canada and Australia.
Altogether the project covered almost 30 countries with national correspondents from the ENIR network.