Coordinator
Partners of the German Contact Center "Design für Alle - Deutschland" within the scope of EDeAN are:
-
Working Area Universal Design of the Forschungsinstitut Technologie-Behindertenhilfe (FTB)
in Wetter-Volmarstein -
Competence Center BIKA (Barrier-free Information and Communication Technologies for All) of the
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology (FIT)
in Sankt Augustin and Aachen
Working Area Universal Design
The Working Area Universal Design of the Forschungsinstitut Technologie-Behindertenhilfe (FTB) is working at research tasks on development of concepts of Universal Design and at the use of the principle in several fields. A focal point in the concept development is the systematic inclusion of users within the draft process.
In this respect the Working Area Universal Design cooperates with other departments of FTB as well as with other institutions and researchers to enhance the impact and to cover as many inititives and ideas as possible.
Actual application fields are in areas of the information society (use of computers, internet, tele-education, tele-work, call-center) and in housing and environment designing and development.
The Working Area Universal Design is integrated in structures and services of FTB in the fields information, advisory-services, test, qualifying, training and teaching. For this among other things a constant exhibition of technical products and aids, a model and experimental apartment, an internet cafe for seniors (and others) is maintained. Regularly roadshows, presentations and demonstrations, product trainings, hands-on trainings, qualifying of specialists and consultancies of users take place.
FTB is founding member of the Aktionsbündnis für barrierefreie Informationstechnik (AbI) and advises public and private organisations which are interested in accessible design of their web site. According to the field of interest and demands special questions were answered and/or the complete site are checked and assessed regarding their accessibility as well as alternative solutions were pointed out.
Trainings and further education dealing with the subject "accessible internet" are offered for web designers. Here a special emphasis is given to the (self-) awareness of several barriers as well as an overview about different guidelines (e.g.: law and acts, WAI-standards). Particular problems and difficulties of several user groups are pointed out as well as knowledge about access-possibilities (hard- and software) is imparted. Knowledge in HTML are not required but helpful.
Competence Center BIKA
"Barrier-free Internet" is the central topic of the Competence Center Barrier-free Information and Communication Technologies for All from the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology. Our competence is supported by many years of research and development in the field. We offer Consultancy and Training for web designers and developers. We realize as well usability and accessibility studies for given user groups to make your Internet services "barrier-free", i.e. effectively accessible and usable.