SESSION B2 CONCLUSIONS ACCESSIBILITY & REFLECTIVE LEARNING MODERATOR PÄIVI TAHKOKALLIO VALID — VALUE IN DESIGN TALLINN 10 MAY 2003

ANTTI RAIKE AND LEENA KOSKINEN | UIAH | FIN | MAIN THEMES | Development of CinemaSense portal to support distance learning of film studies especially for students of linguistic minorities. | Research on students’ conceptual learning patterns, using Self-Organizing Maps. FINDINS | Concept mapping and use of hypermedia relevant tools in augmenting theoretical thinking in students and in supporting tutoring in distance learning.

| CHECK CinemaSense |

MARGARET C. PERIVOLIOTIS | T.E.I ATHENS | GR| TITLE | Women Inclusiveness via Long Distance Design Education OBJECTIVES | To support inclusion of Greek women living in remote rural areas, with no education on crafts or design, and often with modest basic education. | | Analysis of exclusion and, based on findings, development of distance learning modules. | RESEARCH TEAM | T.E.I. Athens Textile Design workshop staff and degree students |

RESULTS | | Distance learning kit [CDrom and website] includes modules on management, production and marketing, design and use of information technology. | | Training package modules are adjusted to the skill level of women and use Greek aesthetic tradition as a starting point. | In the Greek case study, focus was on new designs for tourism business. | | Not limited to Greece: The internet version is in Greek, English, Swedish and Italian. |

FREDERIC DEGOUZOU | L’ECOLE DE DESIGN NANTES |FR | TITLE | Web Design and Blind People STATE-OF-ART | In new media context in France, design is still too much of a synonym to graphic design, with a focus on the visual appearance of interfaces. PROJECT OBJECTIVES | To expand future new media designers’ understanding of needs and concerns of visually impaired users. | To develop an easy-to-use content management tool as a response to user needs analysis. |

PROJECT | Timeline Feb 2003 — June 2004 | From user needs analysis to study of standards and guidelines to user-centred design process, supported by the project steering committee with repersentatives from visually impaired user groups, France Telecom etc. CONCLUSIONS SOFAR | Main objective already achieved: students are more aware of accessibility | Possibility to develop a real product to the market seems high |

ROSSETOS METZOKATOS | T.E.I ATHENS | GR | TITLE | Interactive Multimedia Design & Visually Impaired People CONTEXT | PhD research project OBJECTIVES | To design a computer-based application [in practice: virtual airport] to enable visually impaired persons visit real airports. | | To research how graphic design and software design can complement each other to support inclusion of visually impaired persons — in practice, to design a navigation tool, ’The Navigation Colour Palette’ |

DISCUSSION …repeatedly touched the issue of INTEGRATION versus INCLUSION = when in projects the focus is often on specific user groups [in B2 session, mostly on visually impaired], are results applicable to diversity of users or not? The session participants strongly encouraged the inclusive approach.

DISCUSSION …then bent round Design for All tools and a question was raised: Do clear, simple guidelines to implement Design for All exist? The answer is no, even if a large number of accessibility, Design for All and Universal Design guidelines already exist for various application fields, like built environment or information technology. More will no doubt be developed. But, the ultimate challenge remains...

… Legislation, regulations and guidelines provide designers a basic toolkit to implement Design for All approach, …But, they are only the rough tools. Design processes are specific; diversity of users and their needs has to be analysed project by project, and in most cases, even in a multi- professional team. …The key therefore is the capability of designers to implement the knowledge they have on Design for All and to interact with users and professionals from other fields.

TO GET STARTED ON GUIDELINES Universal Design Principles on built environment Web accessibility guidelines

AND TO FINISH To remind yourself of one of the reasons why VALID was organised, check the website of The European Year of Disabled Persons 2003 at To remind yourself of one of the main reasons why the paradign shift from integration to inclusion is taking place, check the last slide.