SGMI– SSIM.pptVIP

Universal access of the Web from utopia to reality: experience with the ProVisu project Vincent Baujard, Samia Reffas, Arnaud Gaudinat and Celia BoyerHealth on the Net Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland  Agenda What is HON? Presentation of the overall Internet situation Accessibility guidelines and initiatives HON’s solutions: approaches implemented in the ProVisu project Conclusions and perspectives Health On the Net Established in 1995 under the aegis of Geneva Health Ministry (DES) Mission: To guide Internet users to reliable, understandable and relevant sources of online health and medical information. Online Health and Medical Information Internet is mainstream media 934 million users worldwide connected in 2004 Half of all European Citizens connected (7 country survey*) Importance of medical information on the Internet 4,190,000,000 results for the search term, “health” on Google (March, 2006) 74% of Internet users in the United States have gone online in search of health information ** Is the health web accessible for visually impaired and blind persons? The Internet should be adapted to the needs of all citizens Reading disabilities and Visual disabilities In Europe : 7 millions with visual disabilities, 700’000 are blind Dyslexic and Intellectual handicaps Neurological and physical impairment In Europe : 56 millions are physically impaired * Elderly and Patients amongst others HON surveys with the European ENABLED project * A large number of websites are not fully accessible, because : Website developers, designers and managers are not aware of accessibility issues Lack of knowledge or training to use the available tools The responsibility of software manufacturers, who must provide tools to produce accessibility WAI (Web Accessibility Initiative) Guidelines and tools to increase Web accessibility for people with disabilities NIH : a checklist to assess the accessibility of Web sites * HON survey with the European ENABLE