Digital Inclusion Why is it important for local government?

Disability is the process which happens when one group of people create barriers by designing a world only for their way of living, taking no account of the impairments other people have.

Print disability ( New Zealand Copyright Act 1994) a person has a print disability if he or she— (a) Is blind; or (b) Suffers severe impairment of his or her sight; or (c) Is unable to hold or manipulate books; or (d) Is unable to focus or move his or her eyes; or (e) Suffers a handicap with respect to visual perception.

a person has a print disability if he or she—

(a) Is blind; or

(b) Suffers severe impairment of his or her sight; or

(c) Is unable to hold or manipulate books; or

(d) Is unable to focus or move his or her eyes; or

(e) Suffers a handicap with respect to visual perception.

Inclusion builds participation Social and cultural Education including life-long learning Meaningful employment and business interactions

Social and cultural

Education including life-long learning

Meaningful employment and business interactions

2006 Census: median income vs highest qualification received

Inclusive communications Maximise audience, reduce costs Control accuracy of information and consistency of branding Social responsibility – build internal and external confidence

Maximise audience, reduce costs

Control accuracy of information and consistency of branding

Social responsibility – build internal and external confidence

e-Government New Zealand Government Web Standards and Recommendations v1.0 http://www.e.govt.nz/ Strong focus on inclusive design Linked with cross-government Digital Strategy: http://www.digitalstrategy.govt.nz

New Zealand Government Web Standards and Recommendations v1.0 http://www.e.govt.nz/

Strong focus on inclusive design

Linked with cross-government Digital Strategy: http://www.digitalstrategy.govt.nz

Disability Strategy Cross-government “ a framework for removing barriers to disabled people's full participation in society” Government departments report annually on progress towards inclusion

Cross-government

“ a framework for removing barriers to disabled people's full participation in society”

Government departments report annually on progress towards inclusion

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities … States Parties shall take appropriate measures to ensure to persons with disabilities access, on an equal basis with others, … to information and communications, including information and communications technologies and systems … From Article 9, Accessibility

… States Parties shall take appropriate measures to ensure to persons with disabilities access, on an equal basis with others, … to information and communications, including information and communications technologies and systems … From Article 9, Accessibility

Human Rights Act 1993 It is unlawful to discriminate on the basis of disability in any of the prohibited areas of public life. Reasonable accommodation. If a person requires special services or facilities and it is not reasonable to provide these, then the provider or employer need not provide them.

It is unlawful to discriminate on the basis of disability in any of the prohibited areas of public life.

Reasonable accommodation. If a person requires special services or facilities and it is not reasonable to provide these, then the provider or employer need not provide them.

Web standards HTML is designed for universal access “ The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.” - Tim Berners-Lee, director of the Word Wide Web Consortium and inventor of the World Wide Web.

HTML is designed for universal access

“ The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.” - Tim Berners-Lee, director of the Word Wide Web Consortium and inventor of the World Wide Web.

Accessible = searchable

Accessible = usable “ The results support accessible design as universal design, of benefit to all users, independent of disability.” - The Benefit of Accessible Design for Able-Bodied Users of the World Wide Web, http://atri.misericordia.edu/Papers/ Web_Accessibility.php

“ The results support accessible design as universal design, of benefit to all users, independent of disability.” - The Benefit of Accessible Design for Able-Bodied Users of the World Wide Web, http://atri.misericordia.edu/Papers/ Web_Accessibility.php

Accessible = flexible

Accessible = flexible

Why is digital inclusion important? Moral: it’s the right thing to do Socio-economic: it increases participation Professional: it allows consistent communications with a broader audience Legal: it’s required Technical: it’s a better way of doing things

Moral: it’s the right thing to do

Socio-economic: it increases participation

Professional: it allows consistent communications with a broader audience

Legal: it’s required

Technical: it’s a better way of doing things