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Design for All Network of Excellence

Objective

D4ALLnet aims to set-up a thematic network of centres of excellence in Design for All (DfA) in Europe, in order to promote and advance DfA practices in the Information Society, and in particular to contribute to the efforts of EDeAN and of EC the eAccessibility Expert Group towards the implementation of the eEurope 2005 Action Plan. D4ALLnet will build the necessary infrastructure to enable systematic cooperation amongst members and with other networks, stakeholders and actors in the field, to advance common objectives, including DfA policies, standardisation, benchmarking for assessing and validating DfA experiences, proactive assessment on DfA, study of required and recommended features for an interdisciplinary program of study on DfA. The consolidated experience will become part of a DfA Resource Centre, aiming to facilitate knowledge sharing amongst DfA practitioners. The project will pursue a range of outreach activities in liaison with the National Contact Centres of EDeAN to raise awareness on DfA and facilitate the longer-term operational and policy objectives in this field.

DESCRIPTION OF WORK
D4ALLnet seeks to establish and run a network of recognized centres of excellence around Europe, in order to promote and advance DfA in the emerging Information Society (WP 1).
This is to be achieved by
(i) implementing the necessary infrastructure for virtual networking (e.g. Special Interest Group formation, on-line discussions, information sharing, etc) amongst the members of the network (WP 2) so as to;
(ii) develop a knowledge management infrastructure in the form of a DfA Resource Centre that will facilitate access to resources on DfA and on-going and continuous update of the pool of relevant and validated information (WP3);
(iii) fostering virtual (e.g. chat over the Internet) as well as physical (e.g. thematic workshops) forms of networking on a range of topics of common interest, including policy development, benchmarking, proactive assessment on DfA, standardization, contribution to curriculum development, etc (WP 4);
(iv) promoting and raising awareness on DfA through specific outreach activities (WP 5).
To attain the above, D4ALLnet will set up SIGs of cooperating members to facilitate data collection from member states, consolidation into recommendations, action plans and technical reports, and finally dissemination of the accumulated knowledge and experience towards national contact centres. The DfA Resource Centre will act as a catalyst in making DfA knowledge widely available, and fostering sharing of good practices, knowledge and experience on DfA. Furthermore, the project will establish strong liaisons with other Thematic Networks such as EDeAN, IDCnet and SEN-IST-NET, and other relevant communities (e.g. CEN/ISSS DfA Workshop) to streamline technical work and to stimulate developments at national and European levels. Through targeted outreach activities (seminars, information days, etc), organized in close co-operation with national contact Centres of EDeAN, the project will propagate DfA good practice through Europe and stimulate harmonization of national policies. It is expected that the project's results will make a substantial contribution to the EC eAccessibility Group's targets, the short-, medium-, and long-term objectives of EDeAN as well as to the adoption and implementation of eEurope 2005 Action Plan by members states.
Expected results:
A thematic network of Centres of Excellence in DfA in Europe. An infrastructure for virtual networking to facilitate this project's technical objectives as well as the operation of the EDeAN network beyond the year 2005;
this infrastructure will support the formation of Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and offer appropriate tools for on-line communication and cooperation of members in the context of SIGs. DfA resource centre consolidating the accumulated DfA experiences to be gained on a range of thematic areas including: DfA policies & legislation, Interdisciplinary curricula on DfA, Standardisation, Benchmarking for establishing DfA indicators, Proactive assessment regarding the implications of DfA on emerging technologies. Specific results of networking, dissemination and outreach activities on DfA.

MILESTONES
Milestones:Fully operational prototype of the D4ALLnet web portal (month 6). Final version of the D4ALLnet web portal (month 36). Prototype of the D4ALLnet on-line Resource Centre mounted on the web portal (month 18). Final version of the D4ALLnet on-line Resource Centre mounted on the web portal (month 36). Formation of SIGs, technical agendas, responsibilities, and plan of work within SIGs (month 12). Consolidated results of SIGs in the form of recommendations and discussion documentation (Month 36). SIGs workshops (between months 18 - 36). Project leaflets and posters, articles, press-material and conference presentations, national seminars (continuous up-date after month 6).

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

THN - Thematic network contracts

Coordinator

FOUNDATION FOR RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY - HELLAS
EU contribution
No data
Address
VASSILIKA VOUTON
71110 IRAKLIO, CRETE
Greece

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Total cost
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Participants (6)

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Last update: 13 June 2005

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Permalink: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/IST-2001-38833

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