Enterprise Content Management and Software-Development

Basics

There are approximately around 38 million people living in the EU with different kinds of significant handicaps. This could mean slight amblyopia or even more serious handicaps such as blindness or multiple disabilities. The elderly population is also increasing, with around 20 percent of the human population currently over 60 years old.

In Germany, four out of five handicapped people use the Internet. On the 1st of May 2002, a new law for the equalization of handicapped people came into effect. With this law, the German Confederation set rules for accessibility in the information technology of its administration.

Accessibility involves people with or without physical, technical (for example: Text browser or PDA), or age-related limitations (for example: amblyopia), as well as search engines. As this can’t be fully reached due many individual barriers, we also call it barrierearm. If additional accessibility is provided, no one should be deprived of it.

Non-handicapped users should be able to use other hardware and software configurations than the provider (technical accessibility). Platform independence is another issue: an Internet application must be usable with any kind of screens and their format, and also with PDA, Mobile etc. It must be able to run independently of the operating system and the browser, as long as it works according the standards.

It is also important that content is clearly arranged and presented in direct and understandable wording.  Accessibility should also include users who may not have an exceptional education or intellectual standards. People who don’t speak multiple languages should not have any disadvantages. Elderly people, who may not be digitally savvy, should also be brought into consideration.