Web Accessibility for People with Disabilities in the European Union: Paving the Road to Social Inclusion
Abstract
:1. Introduction
“The importance of information and communications technology lies in its ability to open up a wide range of services, transform existing services and create greater demand for access to information and knowledge, particularly in underserved and excluded populations, such as persons with disabilities”.
2. Web Accessibility in Europe: A “Factual Background”
2.1. Web Accessibility and Standards
“Worldwide, there are more than 750 million people with disabilities. A significant percentage of that population is affected by the emergence of the Web, directly or indirectly. For those without disabilities, the web is a new technology that can help unify geographically dispersed groups. However, these barriers put the web in danger of disenfranchising people with disabilities in this emerging infrastructure”.
2.2. Web Accessibility in Europe
3. Web Accessibility as a Human Right in the UNCRPD
“Accessibility is a precondition and a means to achieve de facto equality for all persons with disabilities. For persons with disabilities to effectively participate in the community, States parties must address accessibility of the built environment, public transport, as well as information and communication services (emphasis added), which must be available and usable for all persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others”.
“develop, implement, monitor and sanction non-compliance with legislation, plans and guidance on accessibility requirements for basic mainstream services to achieve societal equality, including participation by persons with disabilities within social media, and secure adequate competence in information and communications technologies to ensure that such technologies are developed, including on the basis of universal design, and protected”.
4. Web Accessibility in EU Policy: A General Overview
4.1. The European Disability Strategy
4.2. The Digital Agenda for Europe
5. The Web Accessibility Directive and New Legislative Developments: A Critical Appraisal
5.1. The Web Accessibility Directive
5.2. The EAA: Some Observations in the Making
6. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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1 | In this article we refer to a general definition of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) such as those included in the European Standard—EN 301 549 (see then Section 4). ICT is «technology, equipment, or interconnected system or subsystem of equipment for which the principal function is the creation, conversion, duplication, automatic acquisition, storage, analysis, evaluation, manipulation, management, movement, control, display, switching, interchange, transmission, reception, or broadcast of data or information». Examples of ICT include electronic content, telecommunications products, computers and ancillary equipment, software, information kiosks and transaction machines, videos, IT services, and multifunction office machines which copy, scan, and fax documents (http://mandate376.standards.eu/standard/definitions-and-abbreviations). |
2 | According to the International Standardization Organization, a standard is a «document, established by consensus, and approved by a recognized body, that provides for common and repeated use, rules, guidelines, or characteristics for activities or their results, aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context» (International Organization for Standardization (2001). Rules for structure and drafting of international standards, 4th edition. Geneva: ISO/IEC, p. 9). |
3 | The members of CEN and CENELEC are the National Standardization Bodies and National Electrotechnical Committees of several European countries. European Standards (ENs) adopted by CEN and CENELEC, are accepted and recognized in all these countries. European Standards (ENs) are developed through a process of collaboration among experts nominated by business and industry, research institutes, consumer and environmental organizations, trade unions and other stakeholders. |
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Ferri, D.; Favalli, S. Web Accessibility for People with Disabilities in the European Union: Paving the Road to Social Inclusion. Societies 2018, 8, 40. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc8020040
Ferri D, Favalli S. Web Accessibility for People with Disabilities in the European Union: Paving the Road to Social Inclusion. Societies. 2018; 8(2):40. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc8020040
Chicago/Turabian StyleFerri, Delia, and Silvia Favalli. 2018. "Web Accessibility for People with Disabilities in the European Union: Paving the Road to Social Inclusion" Societies 8, no. 2: 40. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc8020040