Accessibility Barometer
Digital Accessibility for People with Special Needs:
Methodology, Conceptual Models and Innovative EcoSystems

          This research project will carry out fundamental research in the field of information and communication technologies and partly in the humanities and social sciences on the availability / improvement of digital accessibility of diverse objects and knowledge for people with visual and cognitive disabilities. The research will be focused on:

1. research and creation of new methods and models for assessing digital accessibility of various objects: documents, sites, software and serious games;
2. systematization of the existing means and technologies for digital accessibility of such objects;
3. development of conceptual models summarizing good practices;
4. creation, selection and publication of a collection of digital resources in the field for educational purposes.

The researched area is especially relevant, but insufficiently observed in Bulgaria, and at the same time a priority area in the European scientific community.

Aim of the project

          The scientific goals of the team, with proven experience in successful projects on the topic, are to achieve socially significant, unique for Bulgaria, fundamental scientific results in the following fields: accessibility technologies for people with disabilities, systematization of methods for accessibility of digital data objects, creating an innovative methodology for building accessible environments and systems, managing, processing and analyzing data, improved visualization / presentation for people with disabilities.

Tasks of the project

          The project plans four work packages with the following main tasks:

1. in-depth research, analysis and selection of successful digital and global digital accessibility solutions;
2. development of a methodology for digital accessibility in Bulgarian conditions;
3. creating optimal and applicable conceptual models for digital accessibility;
4. context-dependent use and content sharing in accessible socially justified ecosystems;
5. dissemination of results and specialized training for digital accessibility, incl. with robotic technologies, for people with disabilities;
6. development of accessible repositories and software environments with open access for improved access to knowledge in digital collections of cultural heritage area.

Part of the project team are researchers with visual impairments, which increases the reliability of the presented scientific methodology for digital accessibility and will add a unique character to the expected results.

          The acquisition and dissemination of the results of the project in the researched topic will take place under non-exclusive and non-discriminatory conditions, in accordance with the requirements for open science and without direct commercial application. The project results will contribute to technology transfer and innovative development of technical, social sciences and humanities, as well as to the solution of important problems in education-for-all area and lifelong learning.

Partners

Research organization:
          Institute of Mathematics and Informatics at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Partner organizations:
          Institute of Robotics at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Principle investigator:
          Prof. PhD, Galina Bogdanova, IMI-BAS.

Principle investigator of scientific team of Institute of Robotics at the BAS:
          Prof. PhD, Maya Dimitrova, IR-BAS.