Internet as entrance to public information

Evaluation of the project "Electronic mediated information to blind and weak sighted users - the communication principle in a digital perspective"

Author:
Per Hetland, "Communication: Technology and Culture", University of Oslo

Funded by:
Norwegian Central Information Service on behalf of Apogeum a.s

Key-words:
Blind and weak sighted users, public information, Internet, constructive technology assessment

Summary

The project takes as its point of departure that blind and weak sighted users don't have an easy access to public information and that public authorities have done little to facilitate the use of new information- and communication technology among blind and weak sighted users. The project has disseminated information by electronic post in the Internet. About 80 users have participated. The information has been accessed as a) enlarged letters on the screen (31%), b) Braille on an electronic reading line (53%) and c) synthetic voice (16%).

Three experiences are important:

1) The graphic interfaces complicate the possibilities for blind and weak sighted users to participate in the use of new information and communication technology. These problems visualise the need for constructive technology assessment, and thereby the need to stimulate the integration of social criteria into technological development.

2) Blind and weak sighted users experience communication problems by a) not being informed of available information, b) senders lacking insight in the necessary arrangement and availability of information, c) the exclusion of blind and weak sighted users as a relevant target group, d) the delegation of problem solutions, e) the sender lacking copy right to the original documents and f) the growing privatisation of the public room.

3) The project has had an important agenda making role, which has led to two important consequences, a) affected public authorities have acquired insight in the problems around the necessary arrangement and availability of information and b) three different strategies for the inclusion of blind and weak sighted users in technological development have been formulated among the users themselves. The three strategies are: a) adaptation, b) user creativity c) user-producer dialogues. These three strategies find their parallels in well-known public policy strategies. Earlier experiences make it plausible that an active policy in this respect should include elements from all three strategies, however giving the public authorities an important role.

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