european accessible information network EUAIN: European Accessible Information network FNB Netherlands 01

european accessible information network Introduction Introduction & Overview What is EUAIN? Who is involved? What EUAIN offers Activities, events and actions Expert User Group Getting involved 02

european accessible information network What is EUAIN? EUAIN is a Co-ordination action funded under the eInclusion thread of the the European Commission 6th Framework IST programme EUAIN targets the publishing industry in order that best practice can be exchanged from specialist organisations into industry in order that the processing of accessible content and information can be improved EUAIN aims to provide a platform for exchanging knowledge, expertise and practical tools for accessible content processing

european accessible information network 01 Co-ordination & Training activities Integrated and coherent set of components studies, analyses, benchmarking exchange and dissemination of information and good practice organisation of conferences, seminars and meetings organisation of joint initiatives Training activities in direct relation to co-ordination activities Exchange and dissemination of best practice

european accessible information network 01 EUAIN: 4 Key Objectives to bring together all the players in the information provision chain in order significantly to enhance the provision of accessible information at a European level to create a self-sustaining network to offer expertise, shared knowledge, tools and distribution platforms...for content creators to raise awareness at local, national and European levels of emerging formats and standards...and ensure that technological protection does not impede access to information by people with print impairments to stimulate adoption of new distribution channels and business solutions to achieve faster and less expensive production and distribution of accessible information

european accessible information network Partners Partner 1: FNB Netherlands (co-ordinator) Partner 2: Integrated Study: Austria-wide Institute for information Systems and Supporting Print Disabled Students. Austria Partner 3: BrailleNet Association(BrailleNet), France Partner 4: ONCE, Spain Partner 5: Dolphin Computer Access Group(DOLPHIN), United Kingdom Partner 6: Silesian University of Technology, The Institute of Informatics(SUTII), Poland Partner 7: The Royal National Institute of the Blind(RNIB), United Kingdom Partner 8: Stichting Force(FORCE), Netherlands Partner 9: Universitaet Bremen, Technology Centre Informatics(TZI), Germany Partner 10: Federation of European Publishers(FEP-FEE), Belgium

european accessible information network 01 Areas being considered Establishing parameters for accessible content processing Set of working groups...to systematise knowledge and identify and address unmet need on: document structuring, adherence to emerging standards, production support, DRM, secure distribution platforms

european accessible information network What EUAIN Network offers Addressing key themes: standards, protection, production and distribution Reports and recommendations Modular training materials Informative webportal, discussion groups Materials for different sectors: ePublishing, eLearning, eGovernment, Digital Libraries 02

european accessible information network ePublishing Collaborating with publishing industry in order to meet requirements and commercial imperatives Helping to integrate accessibility within established mainstream solutions Providing frameworks and environments in order to deal with the different content flavours provided by publishers Providing technologies and tools to bring content to (re)usable repositories and archives 03

european accessible information network eLearning Building environments and end user consumption methods which target content to the specific needs of a specific user, or target group (such as people with dyslexia) Building extensible environments with solid content processing frameworks Embracing metadata standards for content markup to facilitate re-use of content Creating accessible metadata increasingly important 04

european accessible information network Current activities Hosting targeted workshops on key themes Surveys to establish publishers requirements and workflows Survey on application of EU Copyright Directive Encouraging stakeholder communities to collaborate Setting up demonstrators (March 06) Providing advice on specific problems Creating modular training materials

european accessible information network 01 Practical outcomes Two key reports completed on Standards for Accessible Information Processing (Oct 05) & Protecting and Accessing Content (Nov 05) Two new draft reports (March 06) on Production Techniques & Workflows (March 06) and Secure Distribution Channels (Feb 06) Contribute to development of standards at European level, especially through CEN WS/DPA Contribute to EC Communications on Future of Publishing and i2010 Digital Libraries Promote use of new open source solutions and standards for all sectors

european accessible information network 01 Events Year 1 Kick-off Meeting, Amsterdam IST 2004, Den Haag eAccessibility Workshop, Paris DAISY & MS Workshop Meeting, London HIgh Level DRM Group, Brussels Generating Structures Workshop JTC1 SWG Kick-off, Sheffield eInclusion Information Day, Brussels ELPUB Electronic Publishing 2005, Leuven Open Source Systems Conference, Genoa MPEG 73, Poznan 04 Music Network, Vienna FEP AGM, Barcelona ITDesign4All, DEXA, Copenhagen AAATE 2005, Lille IFLA SLB, Gothenburg MPEG 74, Nice Frankfurt Book Fair AIIM, Enterprise Content Management, London Techshare, Birmingham Access Music, Leipzig AXMEDIS Panel Session, Florence

european accessible information network CEN Workshop DPA CEN Workshop on Document Processing for Accessibility The CEN WS/DPA workshop examines the ways in which this convergence is helping to build consensus and create new standards and technologies for the provision of information in formats that are more accessible for everyone. CEN WS/DPA takes the broadest definition of content creators and aims to produce guidelines to help them to provide accessible information. Two meetings held (May 05 and January 06) Work begun on establishing requirements for accessible document processing Formal liaisons being established with JTC1 SWG Accessibility, MPEG, PDF/UA, DAISY, OASIS Open Document

european accessible information network 01 Mainstreaming accessibility Structuring documents (manual, semi-automatic, automatic) Applying relevant industry standards (OASIS Open Document, MPEG, CEN, DAISY, PDF/UA, WAI/WCAG) Convergence within content workflows (creation, production, distribution Addressing real needs of stakeholder communities across different sectors Applying accessibility from scratch and delivery on demand Ensuring consistency of content and future interoperability

european accessible information network 01 Example: Lightning Source: POD supply for large print New POD supply chain for large print books POD opens up many more titles to large print delivery Reflowing of publishers source file to LP format LP title placed into Lightning Source systems for sale and distribution UK pilot end 05: 1,000+ titles, 15 publishers Its just another book…

european accessible information network 01 Example: Lightning Source: POD supply for large print Benefits for publishers: Virtual stock, minimal risk, minimal investment Fulfilment of legal obligations New revenue stream, new product Part of existing supply chain Benefits for resellers Fulfilment of burgeoning demand New revenue stream, new product Part of existing supply chain

european accessible information network What we have learned Accessible Content Processing requires a knowledge of several domains: real multi-disciplinarity required Mainstream accessibility at a Macro Level; Embracing Standards, Communication with Industry Accessibility as a Process not a product; The framework is more important than the format, focus is on integration Accessibility is a pre-requisite for usability Need to be more involved in policy-making discussions; perhaps reduced role for legislation in future INDUSTRY does not understand ACCESSIBILITY: and VICE VERSA 07

european accessible information network Unmet Needs Flexible frameworks for content processing and management are required These frameworks can provide for many user requirements at both the input and output stages Access to structured digital formats Access where and when it is needed Access to secure content Access to source materials Improved interaction with customer base increases revenue, meets needs and opens new markets 06

european accessible information network 01 Expert User Group 1 Jenny DArzentas, University of Aegean Claus Gravenhorst, CCS Content Conversion Spyros Raptis, ILSP Athens Kate Grant, Nine Tiles Network Hans Timmermans, Utrecht School of the Arts Hans-Gunther Dierigen, TU Dresden David Fuschi, GIUNTI Multimedia Arnaud Valette, EDITIS Publishing Group Giovanni Tummarello, Univ. DAncona Josh OConnor, NCBI Ireland

european accessible information network 01 Expert User Group 2 Pete Kerscher, Design For All Giorgio DAbormida, DAgostini Publishing Group Erik Timmermans, Nederlands Uitgeversverbond Vadim Oussik, All Russia State Libraries for the Blind David Taylor, Lightning Forge Carlo Daffara, COSPA consortium Paul Blenkhorn, UMIST Atta Badii, University of Reading

european accessible information network Getting involved Let us know about the work you are doing Subscribe to RSS feeds and check for newswww.euain.org Join in discussions (EUAIN webportal) Join and comment on discussions in CEN WS/DPA Attend forthcoming workshops and events where possible Distribute EUAIN Dissemination materials at relevant events Join work of the Expert User Group Potential for collaboration on future Research projects (VIIth Framework)

european accessible information network Thank you