1. Harry Th.P.Knops President-elect AAATE Member executive board iRv

2. Association for the Advancement of Assistive Technology in Europe 250 members, 25 countries (Europe +) Journal: Technology and Disability Bi-annual conference: Dublin: September 2003 Bi-annual workshop: Hoensbroek 2002 Newsletter

3. Assistive Technology and Mainstream Technology in Debate iRv,Hoensbroek 22-23 November 2002

4. Statement Assistive Technology and Mainstream Technology developments are linked. However we do not quite understand how they are linked and we feel the interaction between AT and MST is not very good

5. 4 Sessions Mainstream developments in ICT Needs of people with disabilities for ICT products AT and MST together Policies, legislation, infrastructure enhancing participation

6. Conclusions 1 Large players in ICT industry have and show interest in accessibility and usability issues MST is important for AT developments Risk of non-participation in e- society still exists R&D planning should be part of socio-economic and policy issues

7. Conclusions 2 Design for All is very promising for people with disabilities DfA and AT are solutions for problems of people with disabilities Need for knowledge about DfA AT knowledge is important for DfA

8. Conclusions 3 Cohabitation of AT and MST: inevitable and close at hand R&D programming should include market implementation European infrastructure does not exist at the moment to assist technology transfer from a neutral broker position

9. Conclusions 4 Europe should learn from the effects of ADA and section 508 We really can learn from user experience Simplification during the transfer from expert to political level is an actual risk Disability issues should stay on the political and R&D agenda Standardisation is important for market developments

10. General European R&D planning should contain: –Design for All –Development of optional accessibility features –“Plug in” accessibility systems –Stand alone Assistive Technology

11. General Design for Dynamic Diversity: –Diversity of the user population –Changing nature of their characteristics Prof. Alan Newell, MBE,FRSE University of Dundee Scotland, UK

12. General Cohabitation between AT and MST –Partnership –Common European infrastructure for: Standardisation Knowledge management Information R&D