ABLE-TO-INCLUDE
The ABLE-TO-INCLUDE project wishes to improve the life conditions of mentally-retarded or people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD).
The project integrates a set of technologies already developped for creating an open source, context-dependant accessibility layer which, being integrated with the existing and future ITC tools could improve the every day life of people with IDD by understanding their sourroundings and by assisting them in their interaction with the information society. The project will test the accessibility layer by means of 3 use scenarios in Belgium, Great Britain and Spain.
Project website: www.abletoinclude.eu
We are using three key technologies as framework for handling our everyday tasks:
- Tech 1: Text and content simplifier (Simplext)
- Tech 2: A tool for pictogram-text, text-pictogram and pictogram-pictogram conversion (Wai-not)
- Tech 3: Test-voice functionalities (open-source solutions available)
The new accessibility layer will be integrated with the existing applications and tested in three pilot programmes, which will include three different scenarios of use. Each scenario will benefit from the use of the technologies available through the accessibility layer: text simplification, text-pictogram conversions and text-voice technologies:
- Scenario 1: Free time in the information society – accessibility layer application on the social networks: Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp.
- Scenario 2: Mobility – accessibility layer application in a guide and track system.
- Scenario 3: Integration in work activities – accessibility layer application (text simplification, translation of pictograms and text-voice) introduced in the routine of the future employees, during their training to become operational as helpers for IDD users.
With ABLE-TO-INCLUDE we wanted to get involved in the design of a programme to help people with IDD and to contribute to the creation of an information society oriented towards meeting their needs through:
- Design of an open source software development kit (SDK) that facilitates the introduction of an accessibility layer for the communication with people with IDD in any software development form;
- Adaptation of the already developed technologies to be used in the pilot programmes;
- Promoting the use of enhanced and alternative communication tools based on their accessibility layer;
- Validation of the accessibility layer integration with the existing ITC applications, involving at least 300 people with IDD in the pilot programmes;
- Ensuring a successful impact on the accessibility of the current and future ITC applications by generating an innovative open ecosystem by launching the accessibility layer as an open source system;
- Generating a global business plan for the future exploration of the accessibility layer.
- Ariadna Servicios Informáticos(Spain)
- Fundación Prodis(Spain)
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Spain)
- Building Bridges Training community interest company (United Kingdom)
- KU Leuven (The Centre for Computational Linguistics KU Leuven) (Belgium)
- Thomas More Kempen VZW (Belgium)
- The National Microelectronics Applications Centre (Ireland)
- Inclusion Europe AISBL ( Belgium)
- Teamnet