European Ministerial Conference on Knowledge and Information Society Citizens with Special Needs Francisco Godinho Ministry of Science and Technology Francisco

European Ministerial Conference on Knowledge and Information Society

Citizens with Special Needs

Francisco GodinhoMinistry of Science and Technology


Lisbon, 10 and 11 April 2000

Promoting Web Accessibility in Portugal17 months of experience


Citizens with Special NeedsLisbon, 10 and 11 April 2000

Portuguese experience highlights

Human and Web resources

Web Accessibility Guidelines

Training

Conclusions




It is the first time in the world that Citizens, Parliament and Government join

efforts to promote web accessibility for Citizens with Special Needs.

European Ministerial Conference on Information and Knowledge Society



For the first time in the world an electronic petition was submitted to a parliament

requesting the adoption of a set of Internet Accessibility Guidelines and the use of a Web

Accessibility Symbol.

This was the first online Petition in Europe




Petition for the Accessibility

of the Portuguese Internet

December 1998/January 1999

800 homepages were linked to PASIG web site

100 articles on newspapers, magazines and TV

8,721 individual signatures

support of 149 organisations

The Petition proposed the approval of a set of Internet Accessibility Guidelines and the use of a Web Accessibility Symbol (NCAM's Web Access Symbol)




30th June 1999

It is the first time in the world that a Parliament produce a report about Internet accessibility and recommend urgent implementation plans to a Government



Portuguese experience highlights 29th July 1999

Council of Ministers Resolution no 96/99National Initiative for Citizens with Special

Needs in the Information Society

Council of Ministers Resolution no 97/99accessibility of Public Administration Web

Sites for Citizens with Special Needs



Portuguese experience highlights 29th July 1999

For the first time in the world a Government approved a specific resolution making

mandatory the adoption of accessibility features for people with disabilities in the Web design

of the information made available by the General Directorates and similar agencies,

departments or services, as well as that rendered available by any public corporation



Human and Web Resources

The only Web Resource on Accessibility

PASIG Mailing List: 200 members

55,000 visitors during 17 months

2,000 web pages are linked to PASIG web site



www.acessibilidade.net

Last 17 Months

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Month

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isit

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Web Accessibility Guidelines

Web Access Symbol

VISITABILITY Requirements Basic Disability Access In Every Homepage



The main reason for lack of accessibility is that

developers have not been educated

when developers do learn of access issues they are

interested to make their products more accessible

The main reason for lack of accessibility is that

developers have not been educated

when developers do learn of access issues they are

interested to make their products more accessible


Training



January 2000

The Ministry of Science and Technologybegan the training of technicians related with the Government's web content and web design on computer access and webaccessibility for people with disabilities

January 2000

The Ministry of Science and Technologybegan the training of technicians related with the Government's web content and web design on computer access and webaccessibility for people with disabilities


Training



Conclusions

Portuguese Citizens, Parliament and Governmentconsiders that full accessibility of the informationmade available by the Government and other publicservices on the Internet is a fundamental conditionto the promotion of universality and equality in the exercise of the fundamental rights of citizens



Conclusions

Implementation of web accessibility need pro-active attitude of citizens and government, takes time, human and financial resources and

continuous efforts



Conclusions

The Web Access Symbol is a strategic instrumentto raise awareness in society about accessibility,persons with disabilities, their rights, their needs,

their potential and their contribution in the Knowledge and Information Society






Promoting Web Accessibility in Portugal17 months of experience

Documents

European Ministerial Conference on Knowledge and Information Society Citizens with Special Needs Francisco Godinho Ministry of Science and Technology Francisco